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on the Chickens. A very suitable site, at a height of 104 ft. above sea-level, has been selected at Castlepoint, the necessary lantern and apparatus bave been ordered from England, and the work of erecting the buildings required will shortly be put in hand. The light will be a second-order group flash light, Hashing every forty-five seconds with eighi seconds darkness between each Hash, and will be visible for a distance of twenty-one miles, or as far as l.'riti Point on the south and to within about ten miles of Cape Turnagain on the north. It is proposed to bave a signalstation at this lighthouse, and provision is therefore being made for three keepers, so that one man may always be on watch for vessels during the daytime. Many shipmasters were of opinion that the light should be erected at Flat Point, but it was found on making a oareful examination of the place that it was not suitable, as the ground is too low, and there are outlying dangers at the back of which the light would have had to be placed. A suitable site for a light has hem selected i>u the Chickens at a height of about 400 ft., and it is proposed to ereci an automatic acetone acetylene light-that is. a light which will not require keepers to look alter it. The gas-supplies will lie replenished by the " Einemoa " when making her periodical visits to lighthouses in the ih. The light will be visible all round the horizon, except where obscured to the westward by the Chicken Island, over an are of 33°, and it will also be invisible south of the Hen over an are of ■27°, but will lie visible from well inside Cape Rodnej righi round by north-east to well southward of Whangarei Heads, and should prove to be a good coasting light for vessels trading up and down the coast. The necessarj apparatus for eighi incandescent lights lias been procured from England; one of them iias been installed at Cape Campbell, and the others will he installed at East Cape, Portland Island, Cape Palliser, Cape Elgmontj Akaroa Head, Cape Saunders, and Waipapapa Point. I recommend that provision lie made in this year's estimates for some more of these lights, as they give a much better light than the ordinary oil light on a smaller consumption of oil. They also burn the ordinary kerosene, which is a cheaper oil than paraffin-oil, which is used in the ordinary oil-lights. Captain Bollons, of the s.s. "1 1 i neiiioa.'' has continued to inspect the lighthouses when the vessel made her periodical visits, ami I have paid visits of inspection to Cuvier Island. Bean Hock. Ponui Passage. Tirttiii. Mokohinou, Cape Brett, Manukau Head. Cape Egmont, Penoarrow Head. Godley Head. Akaroa Head. Moeraki, Taiaroa Head, Cape Saunders, Nugget Point. Waipapapa Point, Dog Island. Centre Island. Puysegur Point. Cape Foulwind, Kahurangi Point, Farewell Spit, and the Brothers. Fresh contracts have been let for carrying the mail to and from Farewell Spit and Mokohinou Lighthouses. 'I he following works have been executed at lighthouses: Cape Maria van Diemen : The landing-block has been repaired, a new wire tramwaj and hauling-wire have been placed across from the mainland to the island, and new rings and rollers have been put in the machine. MokohillOU : New wash-houses have been elected. Cuvier Islam): Screens have been erected at the fog signal, and repairs done to the light- ;: pparat us. East Cape: Repairs have been executed to the tramway. Pencarrow Head : The reserve has been cleared of scrub. Cape Egmont : Wash-houses have been erected ami fence renewed. Cape Campbell : Incandescent light has been installed. Godley Head : Portion of the track to fog-signal has been timbered over. Nugget Point. .New ventilation-cowl has been lilted, oil-store repaired, ami in made up to hemses of two keepers. This road, which was a heavy piece of work, was made by the keepers themselves, and reflects great credit on them. Two principal keepers died during the year, one principal keeper retired on superannuation, four assistant keepers resigned, and the appointment of one probationary keeper was not conSrmed. Three assistant keepers were promoted to the position of principal, and eight newassistant keepers were appointed. The amount of light dues collected was £3(5,749 3s. 9d., as compared with E34,39S Lbs. on , . ■ luring the previous year. . Fog-signals. The explosive fog-signals at Pencarrow Head. Godley Bead, Laiaroa Head. am! Cuvier Island have been maintained in good condition, ami have been of considerable value to ships during fogs. A similar signal has been erected at Patiii Point, Timaru. This has been provided and erected by the Department, hut it will he maintained by the Timaru Harbour Hoard. It is proposed to procure a fog-signal for Cape Brett. Harbours. -The s.s. " Einemoa " has carried out the work of overhauling, cleaning, and painting the buoys and beacons in the harbours under the control of (he Department. The erec tion of beacons ai the entrance to Whangaparapara Harbour has been completed, and a light has been placed on one of them, which is of considerable value to ships visiting the port, where there is a large timber trade. Arrangements have hem made with a person who lives near the light to attend to it for a small payment. Owing to the shoaling of the 5-fathom channel of the Wairoa liiver. Kaipara. the buoys have been removed iron, it, and the inside channel has been buoyed so that it may be used by vessels. ■| | 1( , beach at the Blowhole, Manukau Harbour, which was composed of sand, disappeared on ,]„. ||)t|, M;,.. last, and the harbour launch, which was anchored off the beach, sank, but was after wards raised. The beach is now making up again. Ai the s c lime very heavy rain did con siderable damage to the road between the landing ami the top of the hill. Telephonic communication has been established between the Harbourmaster's office at Onehunga and the signal-station at the Heads.