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PRINTING.

Colonial Secretary\'s Office, Auckland,
December 1, 1852.

TENDERS will be received at this office until noon on Monday, the 20th instant, for printing the Maori Messenger during the 12 months, commencing on the 1st of January next.

Tenders must be in duplicate, sealed, and endorsed "Tenders for printing the Maori Messenger."

Further particulars may be obtained on application to the Native Secretary.

By His Excellency\'s command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Colonial Secretary\'s Office, Auckland,
December 7, 1852.

HIS Excellency the LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR has been pleased to direct the republication of the following Notice for general information.

By His Excellency\'s command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

GOVERNMENT NOTICE.

Colonial Office, Cape of Good Hope,
24th August, 1852.

HIS Honour the LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR has directed it to be notified that a Wooden Light House is about to be erected on the Eastern extreme of the Bird Islands, in Algoa Bay, and that this Light House will, from and after the 1st of December next, show two white lights, 18 feet apart, and will be lit at sunset every evening and continue until sunrise on each following morning.

By His Honour\'s command,
(Signed) R. SOUTHEY,
Acting Secretary to Government.

SAILING DIRECTIONS FOR BIRD ISLANDS LIGHT.

Light House.—To show two lights, 18 feet apart, one 10 feet higher than the other, latitude 33. 52. S. ; longitude, East of Greenwich, 26. 12. 50. E.

Heights above mean water level.

The Foundation . . . . . . . . . . 25 feet.
To the Eaves . . . . . . . . . . . 55 do.
The centre of Tower . . . . . . . 60 do.
The centre of Upper Light . . . . 70 do.

The Plan.—4 sided, each side at base 22. 6.
Each side at eaves . . . . 16. 0.

Painting.—The roof black, body of building white and black horizontal stripes.

Lights.—The two lights will be laid on the line between them and the Doddington Rock, on which line one will be directly above the other, with a dark space between.

VIDE—Extracts from Capt. FISHBOURNE\'S Sailing Directions, in Cape of Good Hope Directory for 1852, page 55.

"Bird Islands.—The Bird Islands, situated in the eastern extremity of Algoa Bay, lie off Woody Cape, which is, as its name imports, covered with wood, except a small patch of sand at its summit, and is the only sea-board land that is so, which gives it, in contrast with that for miles on either side, a dark appearance; the land on its west side, from near St. Croix up, rises into small numerous sandy hillocks, quite bare of vegetation, and that to the east-ward, up to Padrone Point, is similarly bare.

"Woody Cape.—Is high, rugged, and not prominent, scarcely determinable as a Cape, except when very near it; not so Padrone Point, which runs out into a low point of sand, forming a determinable Cape, without vegetation, from which breakers run out some distance, and the water breaks still further out at some times, owing to the method of currents there, and after some strong winds.

"Anchorage off, and dangers near Bird Islands.—The innermost danger from these Islands is fully five miles from Woody Cape, and they afford tolerable shelter behind them in winds from W. to S.S.E., in 13 fathoms, and rather better than half a mile from the northernmost breakers; closer would afford more shelter, but the ground is foul. They are very low and proportionally dangerous, and though the main land will generally be seen before them, and the distance from them may be estimated by it, yet this is not entirely to be relied on; so, in shaping a course to go outside of them, allowance should be made for the fact, that the eddy, or current, sets in towards them, and then to the eastward.

"Doddington.—The Doddington and Western reef should be considered as part of the Bird Island reef, and no vessel should go between them; the water does not always break on them, but in bad weather the breakers extend the whole way from them to the Islands; the Doddington lies about 11 miles from Woody Cape. In clear weather the rugged topped mountain and the Cockscomb may be seen from these Islands, or rather from abreast of them, for the latter would be shut in when on them; but in passing outside the Doddington it should be kept open to the West of the rugged topped mountain, bearing about N. W., and the ship should steer N. W., by W. ½ W.; having passed the Doddington, the high land at the back of Port Elizabeth will soon appear right-a-head.

"Erroneous Statements.—There are many statements current about breakers being seen from time to time in different parts of Algoa Bay; but, believe others than those laid down in the Chart, now transmitted, not to have any existence, and that that which has been mistaken for such, has been the effect of mirage."

GEORGE PILKINGTON,
Colonial Civil Engineer.

Printed by WILLIAMSON & WILSON, for the New Zealand Government.