H.—ls.

1883. NEW ZEALAND.

MARINE DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Sic, — Marine Department, Wellington, 6th June, 1883. I do myself the honour to submit the following report of this department for the year ended on the 31st March last: — Lighthouses. —The various lighthouses under the control of this department have been maintained in good order during the past year. No complaints of their want of efficiency in any respect have been received. Two lightkeepers have been dismissed the service for insubordination ; an independent Board was appointed to inquire into the complaints against the individuals referred to, and their dismissal was decided on after careful consideration of the evidence adduced at the inquiry. New and fuller instructions to lightkeepers than those heretofore in use are in course of preparation, and will shortly be ready for issue. Molw Hinou. —The works in connection with this lighthouse have been completed, and the light will be exhibited on the 18th instant. The tower to the height of about 17 feet is built of concrete, and is surmounted by the lightroom, built of dressed Milestone, with iron balcony, the whole forming a handsome structure. Tiri Tiri. —At the request of the Auckland Harbour Board, and shipmasters trading to that port, arrangements have been made for a red shade to be fitted to Tiri Tiri Lighthouse, so as to make that light show red from outside the Flat Eock across fhe passage to Kawau Island, and indicate the position of that danger and Nelson Eock. Waipapapa Point. —The works in connection with this light are progressing satisfactorily, and it is anticipated that the light will be completed and ready for lighting early next year. The lantern is now at Wellington, and the apparatus, machine, and stores are on board the ship " Timaru." A reserve has been made of the section of land on which the lighthouse will stand. Eaipara Heads. —An examination of the proposed site of this lighthouse was made by Mr. Blackett and Captain Johnson, and an order for the apparatus, lantern, &c, has been sent Home. The light will be a white flashing light of the second order, showing a flash every ten seconds. It is proposed to commence the erection of the necessary buildings early next spring. . French Pass. —Authority has been given for the construction of this light, and the works will be proceeded with at an^arly date. Napier Bluff Light. —This light is badly placed, through having been built by the late Provincial Government alongside the gaol (instead of on the Lighthouse Eeserve on the top of the Bluff), with ■the object of having the light attended to by the gaol warders, and thus saving the cost of a regular lightkeeper. It would be of much greater use if it were on Cape Kidnapper, and, as that is one of the places selected for a light, I submit that it would be advisable to move the light in question to that headland, where it would be specially serviceable to vessels bound to Napier from the South. Vessels from the North are guided by Portland Island light, and the Port of Napier itself is marked by the harbour light at the entrance. Stephens Island. —ln the Marine report for 1881 I represented how necessary it was to the proper lighting of Cook Strait that there should be a light on Stephens Island. This light would be useful to the coasting trade, and of great value to the numerous foreign and intercolonial trading vessels passing through Cook Strait. I beg therefore to recommend that provision be made in the estimates of the current year for the erection of this light. Paraffin Oil. —As stated in previous reports, this oil has been used for some years at all the lighthouses in New Zealand. It will be interesting to know that the saving during the past year by burning this oil in lieu of colza, based on the present cost of those oils and the actual quantity amounts to £1,170. French Pass Beacon. —This beacon has recently been partly painted with luminous paint; but, as far as can be ascertained from masters of vessels who have passed it at night, the experiment has not been attended with much success, the paint appearing luminous only after a very bright day, and even then the luminosity does not last during the whole night. Harbours. —Every effort has been made to maintain the buoys in the harbours under the control of tins department in good order. The services of the "Stella" are largely used for this purpose. A supply of buoy-Slain, similar to that used by the Trinity Board, has been ordered from England, to be usfed for the various harbour and coastal buoys. At Manukau7 the timber work of the beacon on the Mangere Eeef, nearly opposite the wharf at Onehunga, being worm-eaten and insecure, a new and equally effective iron beacon of simple construction has been erected. The south channel, to Waiuku, has been buoyed. At Opunake a signalman has been appointed, for the convenience of vessels visiting that roadstead. At Eangitikei, complaints having been made of the want of a pilot for the steam-vessels which trade to that river, the pilot formerly stationed there has been temporarily reappointed. At Motueka leading lights have been erected for the use of the small vessels trading to that port.