✨ Hydrographic Information, Notice to Mariners, Tenders
JUNE 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 941
ing the Australian Station, is published for general
information.
H. A. ATKINSON.
FIJI AND SAMOAN GROUPS.
“Wolverene,” at Auckland,
6th April, 1880.
Hydrographic Memorandum No. 1.
THE following hydrographic information respecting
parts of the Australian Station is promulgated for
general information and guidance.
J. C. WILSON,
Commodore.
The respective Captains and Officers
Commanding Her Majesty’s Ships
on the Australian Station.
INFORMATION received from H.M.S. “Danae.”
THE coast between the S.E. extreme of Savaii Island
and the reef off Paluale is apparently free from
dangers outside 1 cable’s length.
The hill situated at the S.E. end of Savaii, and
marked (1000) in Chart No. 1730, is much overrated
in height; its approximate height by elevations is
550 feet—not much different to Apolima Island,
which, in making the land, begins to rise about the
same time.
Vessels communicating with Paluale will find good
anchorage, with N.E. winds, outside the eastern part
of the reef, with the above-mentioned hill (550),
bearing east (magnetic), distant about 4 cables from
both the reef and the shore. The water is rather
deep, 24 fathoms, sand.
With a good sun, and by mooring head and stern,
a berth can be found in the bight in the reef situated
about a mile from its eastern end, and W.N.W. from
the above-mentioned outer anchorage. There are
three sunken rocks in this bight, and a dangerous
shoal lies at its entrance. As a vessel would probably
find great difficulty in getting out in case of bad
weather coming on, this inner anchorage cannot be
recommended.
INFORMATION received from Lieutenant Moore,
H.M.S. Surveying Schooner “Alacrity.”—Fiji
Group.
| Place: | Latitude. | Longitude. |
|---|---|---|
| Duff Reef, North Horn | 16 44½ S. | 178 56½ W. |
| Duff Reef, Sand Cay, south end | 16 50½ | 178 56¼ |
| Jeffrey’s Bank, shallowest 9 fathoms | 16 51½ | 178 45 |
| Alacrity Bank, shallowest 10 fathoms | 16 54 | 178 38 |
| Look-out Reef, 500 yards diameter. | 16 57½ | 178 46½ |
| (No large reef exists, such as is marked with this name in the present charts.) | ||
| *Bill Reef, east extreme | 17 3 S. | 178 55½ W. |
| Dibble’s Reef, east extreme | 16 58½ | 178 57¼ |
| Williamson Reef, west extreme | 16 59 | 179 5 |
| Nuitumbu Reef, north extreme | 16 59 | 179 17½ |
| Trigger Bank, 4 fathoms coral | 17 6½ | 179 1½ |
| Nukatolo West Islet, marked as Nungatombe in chart | 17 17 | 179 38½ |
| Tavuini Summit, S.W. end of Backbone Ridge, 4,030 feet high | 16 54 | 179 59¾ E. |
| Vuna Reef, West Horn | 16 58¼ | 179 52¼ |
| South Cape, Tavuini | 17 1 | 179 56 |
| Tasman Strait is safe for vessels drawing less than 20 feet of water, with good light and masthead look-out. The Ngoni Coast should be kept on board. Entering from the south, a coral bank, having 18 feet on it at low water, is passed on the port hand. It is called the Uto Mbutho, and is in | 16 48½ S. | 179 48¾ W. |
| Place. | Latitude. | Longitude. |
|---|---|---|
| Centre of Tasman Strait, 7 cables broad | 16 47½ | 179 48 W. |
| N.E. Horn of Lancala, Barrier Reef | 16 42 | 179 39 W. |
| East Horn, Motua Levu, or Thane Reef | 16 42 S. | 179 36 W. |
| Centre of Motua Lailai, a reef one mile in diameter | 16 43 | 179 33 |
| South Horn, Nanuku Reef | 16 44 | 179 27 |
| East Horn, Nanuku Reef | 16 35 | 179 20¾ |
| Laucala, summit 880 feet high | 16 45 | 179 40¾ |
| Thombia or Budd Island | 16 27½ | 179 39¾ |
| Nuku Semanu, summit of trees | 16 20 | 179 24½ |
| Dyes, Robinson, Ponkeipsie, and Porpoise Reefs are about five miles too far to the west in the present chart. Brown Reef joins Nuku Semanu; Mitchell Reef apparently about 2 or 3 fathoms on it. Approximate position | 16 15 S. | 179 14 W. |
| Cocks Reef is an extensive danger, about the same size as the Ngele Levu Reef, and situated between it and Udu Point. The west point of Cocks Reef is marked in the present chart as breakers. Between its east end and the west point of Ngele Levu Reef there is a good ship-passage. | ||
| Thuku Hill, Udu Peninsula (saddle shaped) | 16 11¾ S. | 179 56 E. |
| Vatauua Island, called Korotuua. Chart 2691. Centre | 15 57 S. | 179 23½ W. |
| Thikombia, east of three hills | 15 44¾ | 179 53½ |
Tides run strongly round Udu Point, and the
numerous rips give the appearance of breakers on a
reef. In Somo Somo Strait flood runs S.W., ebb N.E.
In Tasman Strait, flood south, ebb north. Longi-
tudes depend on observation spot, Supreme Court-
house, Levuka, being in 178° 51′ E. The “Alacrity”
spent a day in searching for the Somme or Edith
Bank, but without success, though it is possible a
bank with over 7 fathoms on it may have escaped
observation.
Notice to Mariners.—No. 31 of 1880.
LIGHT ON PROTECTION WALL, HOKITIKA RIVER,
WEST COAST OF MIDDLE ISLAND.
Marine Department,
Wellington, 15th June, 1880.
NOTICE is hereby given that a green light is
shown at the west end of the North Protection
Wall during tide-time at night, whilst vessels are
passing in or out; and that it has no connection with
the bar beacon lights, which are, as heretofore, red on
the back beacon and white on the front beacon.
H. A. ATKINSON.
Tenders.
Public Works Office,
Wellington, 18th June, 1880.
THE following list of successful and unsuccessful
tenderers is published for general information.
R. OLIVER,
Minister for Public Works.
FOXTON-NEW PLYMOUTH RAILWAY.—WAINGO-
NGORO CONTRACT.
Accepted.
Berry and Newman, New Plymouth … £ s. d.
… 13,400 0 0
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NZ Gazette 1880, No 65
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🚂
Publication of Hydrographic Memorandum No. 1
(continued from previous page)
🚂 Transport & Communications6 April 1880
Hydrographic Information, Australian Station, Fiji, Samoa
- J. C. Wilson, Commodore
🚂 Notice to Mariners: Light on Protection Wall, Hokitika River
🚂 Transport & Communications15 June 1880
Marine Department, Hokitika River, Light, Protection Wall
- H. A. Atkinson
🏗️ Tenders for Foxton-New Plymouth Railway
🏗️ Infrastructure & Public Works18 June 1880
Public Works Office, Tenders, Railway, Foxton-New Plymouth
- R. Oliver, Minister for Public Works