and the mean rise and fall of tide averages
from eight and a half to nine feet; but this is
of course greatly affected by the amount of
fresh in the river.

Having thus briefly described the main
features of the Hokitika, I will proceed to
report upon its capabilities as a port, and
the steps I have taken to render its entrance
as safe as possible. No vessel over a draft
of eight feet should ever be sent to Hokitika,
and it is still more suitable for small steamers
and sailing craft, drawing from four to six and
a half feet when loaded; the latter should not
attempt the bar without a commanding
breeze, for the sea runs very irregularly in
the break, and often throws a vessel athwart
the channel, when, if there be not wind
sufficient for her to recover her steerage way
quickly, she is liable to be swept by the
northerly current on the north spit.

The sea does not roll in on the beach in
the vicinity of Hokitika in regular lines of
breakers, but in one confused mass of broken
water and blind rollers, and it is madness
for vessels outside to attempt to communicate
with the shore by means of boats, either by
crossing the bar or endeavouring to effect a
landing on the beach. Several lives have
already been sacrificed, and many more will
be if this practice is persisted in. Being
fully convinced that boat communication
between the shore and the shipping was
impracticable, I proceeded to erect a signal
mast and semaphore on either spit at the
entrance of the river, so that one or the
other will always face the best channel for
the time being, on which the following
signals are shown:

1. Ball and Red flag at the mast head—
   high water, take the bar.

2. Ball and Blue flag, half mast—half flood,
   wait for tide. When the bar may safely be
   attempted at half tide, whether flood or ebb,
   the Red flag will be at the mast-head over
   the ball denoting the state of tide.

3. Ball on the lower mast cap and White
   flag—ebb tide—bar dangerous.

4. No signal—do not attempt the bar.

5. A red painted arm pointed to the right
   hand, entering from the seaward—more to
   the south.

6. The other arm pointed to the left hand,
   entering from seaward—more to the north.

7. The arms up and down with the mast—
   as you go.

When more than one vessel is crossing the
bar, the foremost vessel will be piloted in,
the others following in her wake.

On a moveable pole in front of the signal
mast, the two in one showing the fairway,
will be hoisted (if necessary) the set of the
current on the bar, thus—a Red and White
pendant—to the northward. A square yellow
flag—to the southward. While on the
flagstaff not in use for the Piloting
signals at high water, the depth in
feet on the bar will be denoted by Marryatt’s
code.

A Red Light is hoisted on the signal
mast on the south spit each night, visible
from three to four miles.

A house for the accommodation of the
signal man, and his mate, together with a
boat shed has been erected on the southern
entrance of the river, I have the honor to
enclose you a copy of their instructions, as
also a diagram of the above signals, which I
have forwarded to the several Collectors of
Customs throughout New Zealand, as well
as to the Editors of the newspapers in the
Australian colonies.

A life buoy is supplied and hangs ready
for use on each signal mast.

Opinions have been expressed as to the
advisableness of forming a surf boat establish-
ment as at Taranaki. I will report more fully
on this matter when I have visited other
parts of the coast, for in the immediate
neighbourhood of the Hokitika, there are
two features which quite preclude the possi-
bility of such an undertaking being success-
ful—the one I have already referred to,
namely, the want of regularity with which
the sea rolls in on the beach.

At Taranaki, Timaru, and Oamaru, the
sea rolls in with a regular line of breakers
from two to three deep, while at Hokitika,
on a fair average fine day, I have counted
six series of high curling rollers, followed by
others the instant they had broken, almost
at right angles running parallel to the line
of beach.

Again, another objection that presents
itself is that the shingle beach (to use a
sailors phraseology) is all alive, not like that
of Timaru working constantly to the north,
but it is light sandy stuff of no consistency,
and in which no anchor will hold, and I am of
the opinion, that whereas, as I have before sta-
ted, there is good holding ground two to three