734
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Master's Certificate suspended.

Customs Department (Marine Branch),
Wellington, 28th October, 1876.

IT is hereby notified that His Excellency the
Governor has been pleased to confirm the sen-
tence of the Court of Enquiry into the wreck of the
steamer "Matau," and that the New Zealand Cer-
tificate of Competency as Master, Home Trade, No.
5022, held by
DONALD URQUHART,
is therefore suspended for a period of three months
from the 7th instant.
GEO. MCLEAN.

Tenders.

Customs Department (Marine Branch),
Wellington, 30th October, 1876.

THE following list of successful and unsuccessful
tenderers is published for general information.
GEO. MCLEAN.

LIGHTHOUSE TOWER, DWELLINGS, ETC., ON
PORTLAND ISLAND.

Accepted.
Henry M. Shepherd, Auckland ... 1,946 0 0

Declined.
J. J. O'Brien, Grahamstown ... 2,125 0 0
D. E. Lindsay, Napier ... 2,406 12 4
Jas. Heron and John Thompson, Grahamstown ... 2,440 7 4
James Malcolm and Wm. Gill, Auckland ... 2,491 3 6
Wm. Cameron, Auckland ... 2,548 0 0
Alex. Watson and Co., Auckland ... 2,588 0 0
J. McSweeney, Napier ... 2,673 0 0
James McConnochie and Flatt, Auckland ... 2,836 8 0
Andrew Gold, Napier ... 3,016 10 0
John Renouf, Napier ... 3,187 4 0
McLeod and Reed, Waipukurau ... 3,229 0 0

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

No. 31 of 1876.

Customs Department (Marine Branch),
Wellington, 28th October, 1876.

THE following Hydrographical memoranda, re-
ceived from the Commodore Commanding the
Australian Station, is published for general informa-
tion.
GEO. MCLEAN.

CORRECTIONS TO PUBLISHED CHART OF FIJI
ISLANDS No. 2691.

"Pearl," at Sea,
Lat. 26° 40′ S., long. 161° 18′ E.,
13th September, 1876.

Hydrographical Memorandum No. 10.

THE following particulars, which I have received
from Lieutenant Moore, of H.M.S. "Alacrity," with
reference to the position of certain places in the Fiji
Group, are promulgated for general information and
guidance:-

North Rock, Astrolabe Reef, Kandavu.---Latitude,
18° 37' 47" S.; longitude, 178° 31′ 03″ E.
Mount Washington, North Peak, Kandavu.---Lati-
tude, 19° 07′ 09" S.; longitude, 177° 57′ 09" E.
Bega Island, Highest Peak.---Latitude 18° 22' 01"
S.; longitude 178° 06' 26" E.
Longitudes depend on Observation Spot, Levuka,
being in longitude 178° 49′ 45" E.

A. H. HOSKINS,
Commodore.

The respective Captains and Officers
Commanding Her Majesty's Ships
on the Australian Station.

CHESTERFIELD AND BELLONA REEFS AND SOLOMON
ISLANDS.
"Pearl," at Anaiteum,
New Hebrides, 19th September, 1876.

Hydrographical Memorandum No. 11.

THE accompanying Hydrographical information, re-
lative to parts of the Australian Station, is pro-
mulgated for general information.

A. H. HOSKINS,
Commodore.

The respective Captains and Officers
Commanding Her Majesty's Ships
on the Australian Station.

HYDROGRAPHICAL INFORMATION FURNISHED BY
OFFICERS OF H.M.S. "BARRACOUTA," DATED
31ST AUGUST, 1876.

Chesterfield and Bellona Reefs.---The master of
the whaler "Velocity" reports having seen heavy
breakers whilst on a passage along the east side of
Bampton and Chesterfield Reefs, latitude 17° 50' S.,
longitude 158° 53′ E.; also, that a line of sand islands
runs about north and south along the parallel of 159°
57' E., from 19° 7' S. to 19° 20' S. (Chart, Pacific
S.W., sheet 75, 780, and 2763, Coral Sea I.)

Indispensable Strait, Nura Island. (Chart 214 of
Solomon Islands.)---Nura Island is from 30 to 40
feet high, covered with trees, and has an encircling
reef from the shore all around it.

Rua Sura Islands.---These islands are about 50
feet high, covered with trees, and are foul to the
N.W. particularly.

The master of the s.s. "Ripple," Mr. Fergusson,
reports that when bound from the southward towards
the east end of Guadalcanor Island and along the
south coast of Florida, the clearest course is about 3'
from the shore along the north coast of Guadalcanor
until reaching 160° E., longitude approximate, when
the ground becomes clearer. He states that the 1
fathom shoal does not exist.

On the Florida side the best channel is close to
the land, after getting to the westward of Nogu
Island.

Channel between Florida Island and Guadalcanor
Island. (Chart 214, Solomon Islands; corrected,
January, 1876.)---Between the meridian of 160° and
160° 49′ E., in the channel south of Florida Island, a
great deal of foul ground exists. A quantity of foul
ground was passed over by H.M.S. "Barracouta,"
and a depth of 34 fathoms obtained with East Island
open of East Point, Florida Island N. 32° W.,
Sesarga Island S. 74° W., Nogu Island N. 82° W.
(This island is not properly placed with regard to
Florida Island.)

The shoal consists of sand and coral; it apparently
has less than 34 fathoms in some parts of it. The
space from this point to East Point on the right, and
to Nogu Island on the left, appears to be full of shoal
patches.

Four miles S. by W. W. from Sesarga Island there
is a small islet covered with bushes, with a reef
stretching 5' to the eastward. This reef is divided
at about the centre part by a channel. The sea
breaks furiously over the shoal parts.

Harbour N.W. Side Rendova. (Chart 214, Solo-
mon Islands.)---"Barracouta" ran in between the
shoals forming the entrance to a small basin in the
harbour, some 5 miles to the S.W. of Rendova Bay.
The centre of Rendova Peak, S.E., will lead nearly
up to the entrance.

There are several patches inside; and altogether,
except with a good sun, it should not be attempted.
The N.W. coast of Rendova Island, which is accord-
ing to the chart free of dangers, has several outlying
dangers off the harbour, and to the N.E., towards