THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
1323
Resignation of Volunteer Officers accepted.

Colonial Defence Office,
Wellington, 24th September, 1878.
HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to
accept the resignation of the commissions held
by the under-mentioned officers, viz. :-
Captain J. Wilson, Dunedin (City Guards) Rifle
Volunteer Cadets.
Sub-Lieutenant J. S. Aldred, Queenstown Rifle
Volunteers.
G. S. WHITMORE.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

No. 25 of 1878.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 20th September, 1878.
THE following hydrographic memorandum, re-
ceived from the Commodore Commanding the
Australian Station, is published for general informa-
tion.
G. GREY.

FIJI GROUP; WOODIN PASSAGE, NEW CALEDONIA;
HAVANNAH HARBOUR AND PORT RESOLUTION,
NEW HEBRIDES; LOYALTY ISLANDS; CAMPBELL
ISLAND; SOLOMON ISLANDS.

"Wolverene," at Levuka, Fiji,
24th August, 1878.

Hydrographic Memorandum No. 23.
THE accompanying hydrographic information, relative
to parts of the Australian Station, is promulgated
for general information and guidance.
A. H. HOSKINS,
Commodore.
To the respective Captains and Officers
Commanding Her Majesty's Ships
on the Australian Station.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM H.M.'S SURVEYING
SCHOONER "ALACRITY." CORRECTED POSITIONS.
CHART 2691.

Summits of Islands: Lau, or
Eastern Group.

| | Assigned Position
on Chart 2691. | Corrected Position.
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Lat. | Long. | Lat. | Long. |
| Naitamba Summit | 17 24 | 179 19 | 17 1 22 | 179 15 53 |
| Kimbombo (Okimbo) | 17 3 | 179 4 | 17 3 22 | 179 0 46 |
| Malima Summit... | 17 8 | 179 14 | 17 7 20 | 179 11 8 |
| Sovu (Osobo) | 17 10 | 178 534 | 17 9 30 | 178 48 37 |
| Vanua Mbalava Summit | 17 13 | 179 01 | 17 13 6 | 178 56 6 |
| Tathata Summit | 17 144 | 179 344 | 17 15 30 | 179 31 10 |
| Kanathea (a hill E. side) | 17 16 | 179 12 | 17 15 25 | 179 8 5 |
| Thikombia (Cicobia) | 17 16 | 178 51 | 17 16 57 | 178 46 40 |
| Taruyaru (Naruaro) | 17 18 | 179 2 | 17 17 44 | 178 58 12 |
| Munia Summit | 17 23 | 178 564 | 17 22 06 | 178 52 23 |
| Vatu Vera Summit | 17 25 | 179 33 | 17 25 37 | 179 31 27 |
| Mango Pier End | 17 26 | 179 124 | 17 25 26 | 179 9 32 |
| Mango Summit | 17 28 | 179 114 | 17 27 20 | 179 8 3 |
| Tabutha (Tabuca) | 17 38 | 178 52 | 17 39 33 | 178 49 26 |
| Thithia (Cicia) | 17 45 | 179 20 | 17 44 12 | 179 18 48 |
| Naiau (a hill, not summit) | 17 59 | 179 4 | 17 58 7 | 179 2 13 |
| Bacon (called by natives Va- | | | | |
| nua Masi) | 18 24 | 178 34 | 18 0 36 | 178 26 22 |
| Lakemba (a hill) | 18 14 | 178 53 | 18 12 31 | 178 46 49 |
| Vanu Vatu | 18 224 | 179 23 | 18 21 57 | 179 15 33 |
| Observatory Island, Oneata | 18 244 | 178 34 | 18 25 42 | 178 26 3 |
| Olorua Summit | 18 33 | 178 50 | 18 36 21 | 178 44 45 |
| Mothe (Moce) | 18 36 | 178 37 | 18 38 56 | 178 29 53 |
| Angasa | 18 51 | 178 35 | 18 56 36 | 178 29 53 |
| Komo Summit | 18 38 | 178 44 | 18 40 56 | 178 37 16 |
| Kambara (Kabara) | 18 54 | 179 01 | 18 56 15 | 178 58 4 |
| Fulanga (Fulaga) | 19 2 | 178 40 | 19 6 10 | 178 33 49 |
| Ongea Levu (Ogea) | 19 4 | 178 31 | 19 9 14 | 178 23 21 |
| Ongeo Nariki (S.W. end, and | | | | |
| most conspicuous hill) | 19 64 | 178 32 | 19 12 29 | 178 25 12 |

Pending the publication of a correct Admiralty
chart of the Eastern Group, the intermediate islands
and reefs should be altered relatively with the above
positions. Thus, for instance, Bacon Islands (and
consequently the Argo Reef) is in error 14 miles in

latitude, and 7\frac{1}{2} miles in longitude. Reid Islands,
and their encircling reefs, should be altered the same
amount, to correspond. Again, Tavunasithi Tarana-
sici should be altered to correspond with the new
position of Vanua Vatu and Kambara, and so on
with other dangers of the Eastern Group.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM LIEUT. RICHARDS, OF
H.M.'S SCHOONER "RENARD."

Woodin Passage, S.E. part of New Caledonia.—Iron-
cage beacons have been placed on the following
dangers: The half-fathom patch (Moziman's Shoal)
to eastward of Pine Point, the end of the reef of the
point to westward of Cape Ndua, and on the Hydro-
graphy Shoal.

Heavy squalls from westward, accompanied by
rain and thick mist, were encountered by the "Re-
nard" in the eastern part of the Woodin Pass, and,
from local information, appear to be frequent.
Good sheltered holding-ground found in 22
fathoms (mud) to S.E. of Montravil Island.
This information affects Charts Nos. 2906, 936в,
and 1380.

Havannah Harbour, New Hebrides.—The actual
plan of Havannah Harbour appears very incorrect,
though accurately placed on chart.

Loyalty Isles.—I passed close to the Island of Tiga
or Boucher, and find its position (by three chrono-
meters which have been performing very well) to be
167° 57' 30" East, or about 15 miles to the eastward
of the position given on the chart. Ndundine or
Molard Island, and Markau Point (the N.W. point
of Maré or Britannia Island), are also a corresponding
distance too far to the westward, and probably the
whole Island of Maré is equally out of position.
My latitudes of the above-named places coincide
very nearly with that shown upon the chart.

FURNISHED BY NAVIGATING LIEUTENANT OF H.M.S.
"WOLVERENE."

Norfolk Island.—From information received from
islanders, a sharp pinnacle rock, having 12 feet over
it at low water, lies due south of the west end of
Nepean Island three-quarters of a mile. This is the
rock on which the ship "Mary Hamilton" struck
and became a total wreck.

FURNISHED BY H.M.S. "NYMPHE."

Campbell Islands.—There appears to be a discre-
pancy between the position assigned upon the general
chart of the South Pacific (Western Sheet No. 788)
to Campbell Island, and that given upon the chart of
the Auckland and Campbell Islands, No. 1114, the
longitudes given upon the latter places Observatory
Point, Perseverance Harbour, in 169° 11′ E., whereas
the position on the former places it in 169° 21′ E., or
10 miles further to the eastward. In Chart 788,
South Pacific Ocean, Western Sheet, Campbell Island
is placed 10 miles too far to the eastward.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM LIEUT. DE HOGHTON,
H.M.'S SCHOONER "BEAGLE."

Api Island, New Hebrides.—In coasting down
about a mile south of Pane, and half to three-quarters
of a mile outside the fringe reef, is a circular coral
patch, about 100 yards in diameter, and awash at low
water. The patch is very flat, and has deep water
round it, excepting on the south side, where a tongue
runs out for some 100 yards or so. Pane lies about
1\frac{1}{2} miles E.S.E. of La Menu Island.

Marau Sound, Guadalcanar, Solomon Islands.—I
entered Marau Sound through a passage \frac{1}{2} mile
wide on the east side of the Malpala Island; no
soundings were obtained until some 2 miles inside
the outer reef, and I anchored in 10 fathoms close
off the mainland, and to the southward of the island