1426 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 102

Notice to Mariners, No. 36 of 1883.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 27th September, 1883.

THE following Notices to Mariners, received from the
President of the Marine Board, Port Adelaide, South
Australia, are published for general information.

H. A. ATKINSON.

PORT ADELAIDE RIVER.

NOTICE is hereby given that two new beacons with triangular
heads have been erected on the shoal running off the S.W.
end of Torrens Island, for the purpose of guiding ships of
heavy draught through the deep-water portion of the channel
between the false and north arms.

When bound outwards, and having passed the northern
buoys of the new cutting, gradually bring the beacons into
line and steer for them until approaching No. 3 Light Beacon,
when a course can be made for the entrance of the cutting
off the magazine.

When inward bound, and between the powder buoy and
the entrance to the north arm, get the beacons into line
and keep them so until the false arm begins to open out,
when a course can then be steered to enter the new cutting.

R. H. FERGUSON,
President, Marine Board.

Marine Board Offices, Port Adelaide,
22nd August, 1883.

GULF OF ST. VINCENT. - ARDROSSAN JETTY (lat., 34° 25′ 45″ S.
long., 137° 55′ 15″ E.).

NOTICE is hereby given that, on and after the 10th September,
1883, a fixed bright light will be exhibited from the end of
the Ardrossan Jetty, and will be visible, in clear weather, for
a distance of five miles.

R. H. FERGUSON,
President, Marine Board.

Marine Board Offices, Port Adelaide,
27th August, 1883.

Notice to Mariners, No. 37 of 1883.

DIRECTIONS FOR ENTERING THE BULLER RIVER.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 28th September, 1883.

THE following particulars respecting change of position
of signal-staff at Westport, furnished by the Harbour-
master at that port, are published for general information.

H. A. ATKINSON.

THE flagstaff has been removed half a mile seaward of its
former position, and now stands on the South Spit, on the
south side of entrance to the river. The directions for cross-
ing the bar and entering the river are the same as heretofore,
namely:-

The leading beacon, surmounted by a pole bearing a red
flag (at tide-time) during the day, and the flagstaff in one,
leads over the bar.

During the night (at tide-time) a red light is shown on the
leading beacon. This is to be kept in one with the harbour
light (white) on the flagstaff until the bar is crossed and the
river fairly entered, which will be known by two red lights
being seen. Those lights lead up the river, in deepest water-
to the stone groyne, about a mile inside the bar, where the
front red light is placed. Before reaching this point, how,
ever, two green lights will be visible. These green lights lead
up the river to the top wharf from mid-channel off S.W. end
of stone groyne.

When the bar is crossed during the day, the fairway up to
stone groyne is marked by two triangular-shaped beacons-
front beacon painted white, and back beacon a black band
across centre; and at the top wharf by two white beacons,
surmounted by a circle and triangle, the latter at back.

The harbour light (white) is exhibited on flagstaff from
sunset to sunrise, at an elevation of some 50 feet above sea-
level, and can be seen about five miles in clear weather from
an ordinary vessel's deck.

Masters of sailing vessels must not attempt to sail in
during the night when the red light is shown, that light
being for steamers only, or sailing vessels in tow of a steamer.

All masters are cautioned not to take the bar until the
proper signal (four balls, horizontal on yard) is shown to do
so. Steam and sailing vessels have got into trouble by going
in opposition to these instructions.

A red flag is shown at the masthead of flagstaff during
thick or dirty weather, in addition to the balls, when the bar
is safe to cross. The commercial code of signals is used at
the signal station.

The flagstaff yard, signal-balls, and leading beacons are
painted white.

High water at full and change ten hours twenty minutes;
springs rise 9 ft. 6 in., neaps rise 5 ft. 6 in. on the bar. Ship-
masters are cautioned not to take the bar during the night
until the red light is shown, in conjunction with the harbour
light (white). Any coloured lights visible are merely leading
river lights not connected with the bar or entrance from
seaward.

Notice to Mariners, No. 38 of 1883.

WELLINGTON HARBOUR.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 3rd October, 1883.

THE Wellington Harbour Board has given notice that on
will be exhibited from the outer end of the new Wool Jetty
near the Railway Wharf. The light will be about 25 feet
above high-water mark, and will be visible from any part of
the Harbour from the Queen's Wharf round by East to
Ngahauranga.

H. A. ATKINSON.

Decision of Court of Inquiry into Wreck of "Alma"
confirmed.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 3rd October, 1883.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to confirm
the following decision of the Court of Inquiry into
the wreck of the barquentine "Alma," of Dunedin, official
number 31727, 163 tons register, by which the New Zealand
Certificate of Competency No. 275, held by the master, John
Paterson, was suspended for a period of three months from
the 31st August last.

H. A. ATKINSON.

THAT the vessel was lost by the default of the master on the
following grounds:---

1. That he left Dunedin and Wanganui in an iron ship, to
   which he was a stranger, without having first obtained the
   deviation of the compasses.

2. That he failed to keep a record of the compass cor-
   rections, when found by observations, in some form that
   might be accessible to the mate or himself at any time of
   the day or night. It appears that the only record kept was
   by entry in the log.

3. That he did not provide himself with a book of sailing
   directions for the voyage on which he was bound. I am not
   satisfied he made all reasonable efforts to obtain such book.

4. That, although close to the reef on the 2nd August, he
   did not at any time and during that day inform the mate of
   its proximity.

5. That he gave no special instructions to keep a look-
   out for danger either to the mate or to the man on the look-
   out.

6. That the deck was left in charge only of an A.B. on the
   morning of the 3rd August, when it was dark, squally, and
   raining; the master and mate being both below for about
   fifteen minutes.

I am in doubt whether the compass was placed in a proper
position, only four or five feet from the deck of an iron
vessel; but the evidence on this point is not sufficiently
explicit to enable me to form a definite opinion.

Taking all the evidence into consideration, I am of opinion
that it discloses a want of judgment and forethought on the
part of the master throughout the voyage, and that his
certificate should be suspended for a period of three months.

He will also be ordered to pay the costs of these proceedings.

I am also of opinion the mate, Alexander Shaw, was negli-
gent in leaving the deck before being relieved by the master;
but, as this is the only specific act of negligence disclosed by
the evidence, it is unnecessary for me to do more than call
attention to the fact.

Given under my hand, this 3rd day of September, 1883, at
Auckland, New Zealand.

H. G. SETH SMITH, Resident Magistrate.

I concur in the above report.

W. FRAZER, Nautical Assessor.

Additional Regulations for Examinations of Masters and
Mates.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 25th September, 1883.

IN pursuance of the powers vested in me by the twenty-fourth
and twenty-fifth sections of "The Shipping and Seamen's
Act, 1877," I do hereby make the following additional regu-
lations for the examination of masters and mates, the same
being similar to additional regulations issued by the Board of
Trade, and do hereby order that they shall come into force on
the first day of October next.

H. A. ATKINSON.