223

Hokitika, April 29, 1865

Sir,—

I have the honor to report that in accordance with my instructions conveyed by letter from the Provincial Secretary, I proceeded to the River Grey on the 7th inst. and on my arrival there, having communicated with Mr. J. Revell, in charge of the depot, commenced to remove the Government Buildings from their original site, and after rafting them down the lagoon, completed their re-erection on the Police reserve at Blake Town, on the evening of Friday, April 13th.

Having availed myself of all the information obtainable, and after a careful inspection of the entrance of the river, I felt convinced that the north spit, situated in the Nelson Province was the most suitable position for the erection of a flagstaff: I therefore selected that site, and the tidal signals were exhibited for the first time on the 21st instant.

The mast is so constructed as to face both channels, having two sets of crosstrees placed at right angles, each furnished with semaphoric arms, thus obviating the necessity of erecting a second mast on the south bank or Canterbury side of the river, which is very low, and over which the sea sometimes washes.

The River Grey is situated in latitude 42° 23 min. S., longitude 171° 11 min. E.

The bar, at its entrance, like those of all the other rivers on the West Coast, is constantly shifting; and after a heavy fresh, when the channel breaks straight out in a westerly direction, it is perfectly safe, and easy of access for small vessels drawing from eight to nine feet, whereas in the absence of any fresh in the river, the channel makes either to the north or to the south, but usually in the former direction, running for a short distance nearly parallel with the coast line, and at such times the entrance of the Grey is far more dangerous than that of the Hokitika; because vessels crossing the bar take the sea abeam when in the heaviest break, and unless under command of very small helm, stand in danger of becoming stranded on the beach, before they are in a position to keep away for the entrance of the river, which of itself, although of a great depth of water, is very narrow.

It is high water full and change at ten hours fifteen minutes, but the highest tides often occur the day following.

I have carefully sounded the river as far as navigable for vessels, or a distance of miles to the westward with a sandy bottom, yet within a mile of the shore no surf buoy moorings would hold, but would come home with the first strain on the surf line, without which it would be impossible to work boats, even if the former and more serious obstacle did not exist. Another popular cry is for a life boat, to be stationed at Hokitika; so before closing my report I would explain why I do not see the utility of the Government providing one.

This portion of the Province, from its position in connection with the direction of the prevalent gales, would hardly ever be a lee shore; it being a straight coast line and bold-to, vessels cannot become embayed, small craft on failing to cross the bar may be stranded, but any such vessel must necessarily be of such a light draft of water, that the shipwrecked seamen have only to wait until low water to walk ashore dry shod, and the vessel herself being always hurled within the outside break, even before she takes the ground, she would be preserved from any chance of breaking up within the tide.

Those whom the life boat would be expected to save, are men who will venture to cross and recross the bar; it is well known that a suitable place must be selected even to launch a life boat successfully (no matter what extraordinary adventures she may go through when afloat), and there is no such place in the vicinity of Hokitika, unless she be kept within the river, in which case I maintain long before her trained crew (and a life boat is useless without) could be mustered and the boat conveyed to the scene of accident, the lives so recklessly risked would be sacrificed. The plan of the river showing the soundings, I will forward when completed, but I would add for your guidance, that I found an average depth along the northern bank of the river for three quarters of a mile further up than the present township, of four to four and a half feet at low water, with a soft muddy bottom on which vessels may ground without injury; there are however several snags which must be removed.

I have the honor to be

Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Signed) FRED. D. GIBSON,
Port Officer.

WM ROLLESTON, Esq.,
Provincial Secretary.