THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1549

Justices of the Peace appointed.

Department of Justice,
Wellington, 4th November, 1878.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to
appoint

JEROME CADMAN, Esq., and
JAMES THOMAS BOYLE, Esq.,
both of Auckland, to be Justices of the Peace for the
colony.

JOHN SHEEHAN.

District Officer under "The Native Land Act, 1873,"
appointed.

Native Office,
Wellington, 30th October, 1878.

HIS Excellency the Governor in Council has been
pleased to appoint

HERBERT WILLIAM BRABANT, Esq.,
of Tauranga, a District Officer under "The Native
Land Act, 1873," for the Bay of Plenty District.
The above appointment bears date the 14th October,
1878.

JOHN SHEEHAN.

Appointment of Volunteer Officer.

Colonial Defence Office,
Wellington, 6th November, 1878.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased
to make the under-mentioned appointment,
viz.:—

2nd Battalion Otago Rifle Volunteers.
William Pillans, Esq., to be Adjutant, with rank of
Captain. Date of commission, 21st October, 1878.

G. S. WHITMORE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.
No. 27 of 1878.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 30th October, 1878.

THE following letter, received from Captain Miles
of the brig "Rio Loge," relative to the position
of Rennels and Bellona Islands, is published for
general information.

G. GREY.

RENNELS AND BELLONA ISLANDS.

Dunedin, 3rd October, 1878.

SIR,—I have the honor to report to you an error
in the position of some islands I passed on my
passage from Foochow to this port in the brig "Rio
Loge." These islands, named Rennels and Bellona,
are marked as "doubtful" islands on the latest
published charts, and are situated directly in the
track between China and Australia. The position
assigned to Rennels Island is N.W. point 11° 12′
south latitude, and 160° 19′ east longitude, whereas
the correct position should be for the N.W. point
11° 30′ south latitude, and 160° 8′ east longitude,
making an error of 18' in latitude and 11' in longi-
tude. My observations were taken within two or
three miles of the N.W. point, and the error of my
chronometer found only the day before at Christoval,
so that I can rely upon the position. The S.E.
point I place in 11° 51′ south and 160° 42′ east,
approximate. Rennels Island and Bellona bear
from each other N.W. by W. and S.E. by E., not
more than fifteen miles distant.

I cannot find in any directory a description of
Rennels Island, and I believe there is none published,
I therefore enclose the following remarks from my
own observation:—

Rennels Island is about 38 miles long and 8 wide
at the N.W., and lies in a N.W. and S.E. direction,
is about 500 to 600 feet high, of uniform height
throughout, and thickly wooded down to the water's
edge. Along the whole N.E. side is a fringing reef
about two cables from the shore. The N.W. point
is a gradually-sloping point, with a hummock two
hundred or three hundred yards from the beach,
and has a reef extending about four or five cables
from the shore, with a strong tide rippling round
the point; the coast trends about three miles to the
S.W., and thence to south-eastward. Bellona Island
appears to be about the same height as Rennels
Island, and also thickly wooded.

Trusting that you will give this publicity for the
benefit of shipmasters generally,

I have, &c.,

EDWARD MILES,
Master "Rio Loge."

NOTICES TO MARINERS.
No. 28 of 1878.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 30th October, 1878.

THE following Notices to Mariners, received from
the Portmaster, Brisbane, are published for
general information.

G. GREY.

LEADING LIGHTS, ENDEAVOUR RIVER.

On and after this date, two red lights will be
exhibited from above the sheds on Nos. 1 and 2
wharves at Cooktown, which lights, when in line,
lead across the bar in the deepest water and through
the channel towards No. 1 wharf.

Vessels from the southwards intending to enter
the port at night will, after passing Blackbird Patch,
keep Walker Point open of Monkhouse Point; and
vessels from the northwards, after rounding Cape
Bedford, will steer for Mount Cook until the line of
leading lights is approached, when they will haul up,
and, keeping the two lights in line, will steer in until
within two ships' lengths of No. 1 wharf. From this
position any clear berth available at the wharves will
be seen.

G. P. HEATH, Commander, R.N.,
Portmaster.

Department of Ports and Harbours,
Brisbane, 14th September, 1878.

NEW LIGHT, LOW ISLANDS, INNER ROUTE, TORRES
STRAITS.

ON and after this date, the Temporary Light at the
Low Islands will be replaced by a revolving Dioptric
Light of the third order. The light, which is placed
at an elevation of 65 feet above high-water level,
attains its greatest brilliancy every minute, and is
visible from a distance of about 14 miles.

The tower is painted white and stands in the
centre of the western islet.

G. P. HEATH, Commander, R.N.,
Portmaster.

Department of Ports and Harbours,
Brisbane, 17th September, 1878.

LIGHT, FLAT-TOP ISLAND, PIONEER RIVER.

On and after this date the temporary light on
Flat-top Island, off the entrance to the Pioneer
River, will be replaced by a fixed Dioptric Light of
the fourth order. The light stands at an elevation of
174 feet above high water, and in fine weather is
visible from a distance of about 19 miles. It will be
seen as a white light between the bearings of S. by
W. southerly and N. W. westerly, except where the
light is intercepted by Round-top Island, between
the bearings of N. 64° and 58° W., and as a red light
between the bearings of N. W. westerly, and N. by
E. northerly.

Vessels from the northward, after passing m.
Island and opening out the white light, will be clear
of the shoal water off Shoal-water Point, the reef
off Rocky Islet, and the detached reef between that