to apply to those districts in which the natives are in arms against Her Majesty’s Government.

ALFRED DOMETT.

Superintendent.

Post Office,
Napier, Aug. 24, 1863.

The following extract from the New Zealand Gazette, No. 36, is re-published for general information.

PETER BOURKE,
Postmaster.

Postal—Alteration in Rates of Postage on Correspondence vid Marseilles.

General Post Office,
Auckland, 27th July, 1863.

The following Despatch received from the General Post Office at London is published for general information.

ALFRED DOMETT,
For the Postmaster General.

General Post Office,
London, 26th May, 1863.

SIR,—I am directed by the Postmaster-General to acquaint you that, commencing with the first mail despatched to your office from this country, vid Marseilles, after the 1st proximo, the whole postage on the letters by that route will be collected entirely by the scale in operation for letters forwarded via Southampton, and in order to cover the transit rate paid to France, Ad. up to the weight of ½oz. instead of 3d. per ½-ounce, will be levied.

Thus the new rates of Postage on letters sent vid Marseilles, will be as follows:—

The Secretary of State for the Colonies has been requested to communicate this decision to the Officer Administering the Government of New Zealand, and you will no doubt shortly receive instructions to collect the same rates on the correspondence forwarded in the mails from your office for the United Kingdom by the route of Marseilles.

As this new regulation will alter all the rates of postage to be collected at your office on letters sent in transit through the United Kingdom when forwarded vid Marseilles, I have caused an amended Table of Rates to be prepared, and enclose some copies for your guidance.

I am, &c.,
R. HILL.

The Postmaster-General,
&c., &c., &c.,
Auckland.

Superintendent’s Office,
Napier, Aug. 26, 1863.

The following extract from the Southland Provincial Government Gazette is republished for general information.

DONALD M’LEAN,
Superintendent.

Sailing Directions for entering the Port of Invercargill.

VESSELS bound for New River should steer for the North end of Point Island, around which, to within a cable’s length, there is not less than five fathoms water.

A small patch is said to exist about a quarter of a mile off in a westerly direction, but the pilots have not been able to find less than five fathoms on it, hard sand bottom. Outside the bar, in six fathoms, is moored a spiral-shaped black buoy, bearing from the North end of the Island North half a mile. Steer for this buoy, and as you approach it, the leading beacons, painted white, will come on with each other bearing from you E. ½ S. Keep the beacons in one, leaving the black buoy on your port hand, which will lead you over the bar in fifteen feet at low water, spring tides.

The breadth of the bar is about a good cable’s length, and inside of it, in four fathoms, is a spiral-shaped white buoy, marking the South side of the channel.

The course from this buoy is to about two cables’ length above the Pilot Station; is E. ½ N., and from thence to about four cables’ length farther up, E. by N. The channel then gradually bends to the northward until past the Bombay Rock.

The Pilot Station is situated between the leading beacons, and except in heavy gales, a pilot will board the vessel abreast of the station; but should the wind and sea be too strong for him to put off, the shipmaster, by attending to the following directions, may be able himself to conduct his vessel to a place of safety.

The Channel is marked by white buoys on the starboard or south side, and by black buoys on the port or north side. Keep midway between the black and white buoys.

About three cables’ length below the Bombay Rock lies a small rock called the “Guiding Star Rock,” with only four feet water over it. A white buoy has been placed on the west side of this rock, in twelve feet water. The Sand Spit on the opposite side of the Channel has been advancing into it during the last six months, and at present the breadth of the passage between the Spit and the rock is so narrow that it would not be prudent for a stranger to run through.

It would be safer to anchor abreast of the second black buoy, above the Pilot Station, where a vessel with good ground tackle could ride in comparative safety.

The leading mark to pass midway between the rock and the Spit is:—Keep the high hummock on the extreme end of Sandy Point a sail’s breadth open to the eastward of the iron white beacon on Bombay Rock, bearing N.E. ¼ N. When abreast of the white buoy, keep off a little, so as not to