a.—3o

2

way had to be made, but it is anticipated that no further extention is likely to be required. The boatman's house was put in repair, and minor repairs were executed to the signalman's house. The new road has, with the addition of a few culverts, stood well. At Foxton the boatman's house was enlarged and repaired. This house, however, will not now be required, as owing to the falling off of the trade, caused by the fall in the Phormium market, the services of the boatman have been dis-pensed-with. At Nelson the services of the assistant in the pilot boat have, owing to the necessity for economy, been dispensed with. A new dwelling for the single boatman at this port has been erected, the old one being beyond repair, and small repairs have been made to the married mens' house. At Russell and Akaroa it has been considered that owing to the small amount of duties performed by the Harbour-masters that their services could be dispensed with. This has been accordingly done, the services of the boatman at Eussell being dispensed with at the same time. Orders in Council. —The following Orders in Council, under the provisions of the Habours Acts, have been issued during the year : — April 7, 1890. Vests Pigeon Bay Wharf in Pigeon Bay Eoad Board. May 13. Approves of plans of skids at Star Boating Club's shed, Wellington. August 4. Removes member from seat on Westport Harbour Board. August 5. Approves of Tainui Street training-wall and dredging at Greymouth. August 5. Declares that Birkenhead Borough Council shall elect a member of Auckland Harbour Board. August 19. Approves of plans of North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Company's protective works, Napier. August 19. Approves of plans of Mokihinui Coal Company's wharf at Mokibinui. August 19. Licenses Mokihinui Coal Company to use foreshore at Mokihinui for wharf site. September 9. Approves of plans of Messrs. W Tebster and Marshall's wharf, Seaford, Blind Bay. September 9. Licenses Webster and Marshall to use foreshore at Seaford for wharf site. September 16. Approves of plans of additions to outer western tee, Queen Street Wharf, Auckland. September 16. Approves of plans of boat-harbour, entrance, Queen Street Wharf, Auckland. November 25. Appoint members of Greymouth Harbour Board. November 25. Appoint members of Westport Harbour Board. November 25. Approves of plan of county wharf at Tikinui, Kaipara Harbour. November 25. Licenses Hobson County Council to occupy foreshore for wharf site, Tikinui. December 16. Approves of plans of extension of Gear Company's wharf at Petone. January 12, 1891. Amends license for New Brighton Pier Company's wharf. January 1. Approves of plans of Opunake Wharf Company's wharf at Opunake. January 19. Licenses Opunake Wharf Company to use foreshore for wharf site at Opunake. February 3. Approves of plans of extension of coal staiths at Westport. February 23. Approves of Thames foreshore license to S. Bawden. March 6. Revokes foreshore license granted to C. Efi'ey. Notice to Mariners. —Forty-six notices to mariners were issued during the year, of which eighteen related to matters within the colony. The following is a list of them : — Kaipara Harbour : Beacons and directions for clearing Tory Shoal (four notices). Greymouth Harbour : Dredging operations. Wellington Harbour: Extension of wool-jetty and erection of timber staging Jervois Quay. Wellington Harbour: Wool-jetty light. Westport Harbour : Green light on eastern breakwater, entrance to Buller River. Westport Harbour : Dredging operations. Lyttelton Harbour : Dredging operations. Nelson Harbour: Discontinuance of white light on Nelson Railway Wharf extension. Auckland Harbour : Two rocky patches, entrance to Haurangi Bay, and removal of warping buoy, north-west of Queen Street Wharf. Manukau Harbour : Beacons leading over end of Treachery Shoal. Bluff Harbour : Rocky patch at entrance. Oamaru Harbour: Masters of inward-bound vessels of over 15ft. draught, holding pilotage exemption certificate, to remain outside until signalled to stand in. System of buoyage to be used in New Zealand, from Ist September, 1891. Cape Maria, Van Diemen : Soundings on Pandora Bank. Corrections in Chart-sheets 7 and 14, New Zealand, as to part of coast-lino of West Coast of South Island. Light-dues. —The sum of £15,794 14s. 9d. was received for light-dues for the year, as against £15,330 15s. 2d. in the preceeding year. This includes the sum of £2,136 ss. 7d. paid by the Postal and Telegraph Department in respect of dues remitted on the San Francisco, New Zealand Shipping, and Shaw-Savill and Albion Companies steamers. Owing to the fact that the light dues on the mail-steamers are no longer paid by the Post Office, the returns for the year include a quarter's more light-dues on mail-steamers than should be credited to the year's revenue for statistical purposes, when this amount (£550 10s. 6d.) is taken from the amount collected, it will be seen that the amount received (£15,244 4s. 3d.) is slightly under the amount received for the previous year. Government Steamers. —The " Stella "is still laid up. She was placed on the slip in September last, and for a short time, during the maritime strike, a master and engineer were appointed -to her in case she might have been wanted. The " Hinemoa " has been regularly employed on the Government service. She made trips to the Kermadecs in April and November, and to the Auckland Islands, &c, in October, 1890, and January, 1891; she also went to the Macquarie Islands in search of the ill-fated " Kakanui" in January. During the year the "Hinemoa" steamed 31,195 miles, was 3,674 hours under steam, burnt 2,000 tons of New Zealand coal, landed 3,007 tons of cargo, and cleaned and overhauled 125 buoys.