H.—l9

5

January 31. Approving plans of reclamation at Te Wharo-o-Maranui, Napier. January 31, Prescribing dues and rates for Herd's Point Wharf, Hokianga. February 2. Approving plans of North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Company's Wharf, Napier. February 7. Approving plans of Timaru Boating Club's boat-shed at Timaru. February 27. Prescribing dues and rates for County Wharf, Kohukohu, Hokianga. Notices to Mariners. —Forty-seven Notices to Mariners were issued during the year, of which twenty-seven related to matters within the colony. The following is a list of them : — Otago Harbour : Position of dredge mooring-buoys altered. Bluff' Harbour : Lights on dolphins discontinued. French Pass: Light altered. Tauranga Harbour, Catlin's River, and Fortrose Harbour : Pilot and harbour services discontinued. Wellington Harbour : Removal of position of w 7reck-buoy over " Eli Whitney." Nelson Harbour: Position of bar-buoy altered. Westport Harbour : Colour of bar and danger-signal balls altered. Opunake : Signal station discontinued. Lyttelton Harbour : Dredging operations. New River : Dredging operations. Foxton Harbour: Temporary flagstaff and Manawatu River bar. Bar and danger signals shown therefrom (two notices). Port of Invercargill: Narrow channel between Bombay Rock and New River bar. Waimakariri River Bar: Signal-staff and gear attached washed away, and carried out to sea. Riverton Harbour : Harbour establishment done away with. Bluff Harbour : Tidal signals made from Bluff Hill. Otago Harbour : Position of outer leading beacon altered. Riwaka Harbour : Harbour light discontinued. Poverty Bay : Reported danger in anchorage. Timaru Harbour : Amended notice as to Timaru light. Greymouth Harbour : Leading-lights altered (two notices). Waimakariri River Bar : New signal-staff erected. Tauranga Harbour : Colour of light on Town Wharf altered. Otago Harbour : Leading-lights altered. Pelorus Sound : Position of rock in Tawhitinui Reach. Wangawehi: Light discontinued. Light-dues. —The sum of £12,358 13s. 9d. was collected for light-dues. Of this sum £3,570 15s. 4d, was paid in respect of coasting-vessels, being the proceeds of the Jd. rate imposed from the Ist April, 1887. In the amount collected for light-dues is included the sum of £2,165 4s. lOd. paid by the Post and Telegraph Department in respect of light-dues remitted on the San Francisco, New Zealand Shipping, and Shaw-Savill and Albion Company's steamers. Government Steamers.—The " Hinemoa " was running only until the end of April, 1887, after which date she was laid up in Wellington. New boilers have been made for her; the work was considerably delayed owing to one of the flanged steel plates imported from England having been found to be cracked, a new plate having to be imported. The " Stella " has been employed on her usual work attending to lighthouses, buoys, &c, and carrying out the quarterly service to the West Coast Sounds. She made a trip to the Kermadec Islands in August last for the purpose of hoisting the British flag there, and has recently sailed to those islands to establish depots for the benefit of castaways ; she also made a trip to the Auckland, Campbell, Antipodes, and Bounty Islands in January last. The depots for castaways at these islands, with the exception of the Bounty's, were replenished, and boats were left at Enderby Island and Adams Island (Auckland Group). During the year the " Stella " steamed 21,332 miles, was 2,538 hours under steam, burnt 774 tons coal, carried 253 passengers, and landed 711 tons cargo. Examination of Masters, Mates, and Engineers. —One hundred and thirty-one candidates passed their examination for certificates of competency, and 34 failed. Of those who passed, 82 were masters, mates, and engineers of sea-going vessels, and 49 masters and engineers of river-steamers. Three candidates failed to pass the colour-test. Only five certificates of service were issued during the year, one being for the foreign trade, two for the homo trade, and two as engineers, four of these certificates being renewals in lieu of previous certificates which had been lost or destroyed. Relief of Distressed Seamen. —During the past year the sum of £234 Is. Bd. has been disbursed on account of the relief of distressed seamen. Of this amount £84 has been paid to the Adelaide Steamship Company for passages of the crew of the " Rapido," wrecked in Cambridge Gulf on the Ist October, 1886, in discharge of their claim of £136 made in the previous year (see Marine Report, 1887) ; £5 17s. has been paid to the Queensland Government; and £2 17s. to the Government of New South Wales in respect of the " Jane Anderson," wrecked off Cape Van Diemen, Northern Australia, on the 2nd July, 1886, and £11 15s. to the last-mentioned colony in respect of two seamen of the " Alexa." There has been £129 12s. Bd. expended in refitting and replenishing the depots for castaways in the Auckland, Campbell, and the Antipodes Islands. Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen. —During the year the estates of 45 deceased seamen have been dealt with : £116 6s. Bd. has been paid to relatives or creditors, and £209 lis. 7d. paid into the Public Account, in accordance with the provisions of section 87 of " The Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877." Survey of Steamers and Inspection of Machinery. —Certificates of survey under " The Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877," have been issued to 202 steamers, of 31,640 aggregate tonnage and 10,548 horse-power, as against 185 steamers, of 30,649 aggregate tonnage and 10,059 horse-power, being