1050

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.
No. 18 of 1878.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 22nd July, 1878.

THE following sailing directions for Hokianga
River, being those found necessary from the
survey made by Captain Johnson, of this depart-
ment, in the Government s.s. "Stella," are pub-
lished for general information.

G. GREY.

SAILING DIRECTIONS, HOKIANGA RIVER.

The Bar. - The result of the recent survey, made
in the Government steamer "Stella" (1878), shows
that the banks or shoals extend, as formerly, direct
across from N.W. to S.E. for 2 miles, at a distance of
1 to 1 1/4 miles from the Heads, with two channels-
viz., the North and the South, in both of which there
was no less than 18 feet of water found at low-water
springs, while where the former main channel existed
there is now only 9 feet, thus showing considerable
change since previous survey; for which reason the
beacons for this channel have been removed, and,
owing to the changeable nature of the bars and
channels, will not again be erected.

The present marks for the North Channel bar are-
Andrews' store (the right-hand house on beach in
Martin's Bay) on with the extreme of South Head
bearing E. 1/2 N., and the low point to southward on
with Mongonui Bluff; and the marks for the South
Channel bar are-the schoolhouse (a conspicuous
white building standing alone on the rising ground
to the northward of the old pilot-house) on with the
extreme of South Head bearing N.E. 1/2 E., and the
low point to the southward on with Mongonui Bluff.
But, as already observed, frequent changes take
place, vessels are warned not to place too great
reliance on the above position of the bars for any
length of time, but should trust to the following-

Directions for Entering. - The South Head is 150
feet high; it has a large white signal-staff on it, from
which the international code and the general signals
for all New Zealand ports are exhibited. To these
latter signals vessels are warned to pay attention,
particularly to the semaphore-arm (see page 13),
by which all vessels are piloted to the bar and into
the harbour as far as where the pilot boards within
the heads. It is not advisable to attempt taking
the bar unless with moderate weather and leading
wind, and never without the above signals being
made.

The soundings outside suddenly shoal from 8 to
3 1/2 fathoms.

A chart of the entrance, showing its present state,
may be had at the Custom Houses at the principal
ports.

Appointment of Interpreters.

Native Office,
Wellington, 16th July, 1878.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to
appoint
HECTOR JAMES BOOTH, of Feilding; and
R. H. MARTYN PUCKEY, of the Thames,
to be Interpreters under the twelfth section of "The
Native Land Act, 1873."

G. S. WHITMORE,
(in the absence of the Native Minister.)

Change of Purpose of Reserve at Burke's Pass,
Provincial District of Canterbury.

General Crown Lands Office,
Wellington, 29th June, 1878.

IT is hereby notified that His Excellency the Go-
vernor intends, under the provisions of the one
hundred and forty-eighth section of "The Land Act,
1877," to change the specific purpose of the land
described in the second column of the Schedule hereto
for which the land was heretofore set apart as a
reserve, as specified in the first column of the said
Schedule, to the specific purpose specified in the third
column of the said Schedule.