972
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 69

Cape Quiros .. .. .. N. 28° 30′ E.
The Table .. .. .. S. 76° 30′ E.
The mouth of the stream .. .. S. 39° 30′ E.

The “D’Estrées” also anchored in the S.E. part of St. Philip’s Bay, in from nine to eleven fathoms, with the mouth of the stream bearing S. 21° 30′ W., and a remarkable white spot to the left of the table, S. 20° 45′ E. The depth is moderate, and the holding-ground is good.

Port Obry.—The “D’Estrées” anchored one night at Port Obry. Aside from its being open to the N.E., the bottom is not good.

Leké Bay.—The “D’Estrées” also anchored in eleven fathoms in Leké Bay on the east coast of St. Esprit. Approximate position: latitude, 15° 5′ S.; longitude, 167° 5′ E. The holding-ground is bad, and the harbour is small and fit only for small vessels.

Requin Bay is shelted from the N.E., but the holding-ground is bad, and the plateau of coral on which is the anchorage is very small. A stream flows into the head of the bay.

Anchorage on the South Coast.—The anchorage east of Tongoa would be very good if it were not so limited; the holding-ground is good, and a river disembogues opposite the anchorage.

There is also an anchorage west of Tongoa in from eight to twelve fathoms. Approximate position: latitude, 15° 36′ S.; longitude, 167° 1′ E.

The land between the east anchorage of Tongoa and Second Channel seems to be swampy. There are in this locality several islands not marked on the chart, and among them Maloti and Lagoon Islands, and, closer to shore, Sable and Taoua Islands, between which lies a bank of coral bearing N. 32° W. from the west point of St. Bartholomew Island, and N. 41° 7′ E. from Hat Island. It is prudent, when approaching Tongoa anchorage from the eastward, to leave all these islands to starboard. There is no anchorage under Hat Island. The passage between this island and the land is safe.

The small islands to the eastward of St. Bartholomew Island and Setovi Island do not lie north and south from each other as is indicated on the charts. When the small islands have been doubled, it is necessary to steer N. 7° E. to double Setovi.

Cape Lisburn.—To the eastward of Cape Lisburn there is a bay, not so deep and much wider than is indicated on the charts. This bay is open to the southerly winds. A stream of water empties into it.

General Observation.—All the points of the island of St. Esprit which were doubled by the “D’Estrées” are terminated by reefs which project more or less to seaward, but in no case farther than one mile.

183. Mallicolo.—This island has the best anchorages in the archipelago. Along the N.E. coast is a series of small islands, which are terminated to the N.W. and S.E. by reefs, which project a considerable distance, particularly in the case of the two northernmost islands. There is said to be anchorage for schooners behind each one of these islands. It is prudent not to approach them nearer than two miles.

The southernmost of these islands is named “Ourukiki,” and not “Ourumbaou,” as is indicated on B. A. Chart No. 1,380. The island immediately to the northward of Ourukiki is called Ourumbaou; there is an anchorage on the N.E. coast of it.

Port Stanley.—Between the two islands Ourukiki and Ourumbaou (Entrance Island) is the entrance to Port Stanley. The anchorage is roomy and well sheltered; the holding-ground is good, but the main land is close aboard. The entrance appears easy.

There are three anchorages sheltered from the prevailing winds, which are to be found respectively to the northward of each of the three points situated between Port Stanley and Port Sandwich. The most southerly of these is Port Banam.

Port Sandwich.—The plan on B. A. Chart No. 134 is sufficiently correct for entering. The bank of the River Erskine appears to have extended to the southward; the banks at the entrance to the river uncover at low-water. The bank of coral, near Observation Point, on which the English chart has but three-quarters of a fathom of water, was not found, but a depth of nine feet was obtained a little farther to the northward.

Maskelyne Islands.—The anchorages in these islands are all very small and cramped; the holding-ground is good and the currents are very strong. A river empties to the northward of the North Pass.

The south coast of Mallicolo from Maskelyne Island to Cook Island is protected by a reef which extends far enough to seaward, in the western part, to afford shelter to small vessels. There are several small islands inside of this reef. Vessels going inside should have a pilot. Cook island anchorage is open to the West.

184. Sandwich or Vate Island.—Hinchinbrook Island is not N.W. of Fly Island, as the charts show, but N.E. of it.

Montagne and Pele Islands are surrounded by reefs. The bay which is situated to the southward of these islands offers, in its eastern part, a shelter for small vessels; the western coast is bordered by reefs which project a considerable distance. There is an open anchorage south of Montagne and Pele Islands. The passage between Hinchinbrook and Pele Islands is safe.

Port Havannah.—The plan on B. A. Chart No. 134 is sufficiently correct for entering. If one has to ride out a cyclone in this port it would be better to anchor in Escema Bay. The bottom is not very good, and there is very little room for veering chain.

Port Vila.—It would not be advisable to attempt to ride out a cyclone in this port; the holding-ground is not good, and there is not much room for veering chain.

The south, south-east, east, and north coasts of Sandwich Island are inhospitable; landing is very difficult, and water is scarce everywhere, except at Port Havannah.

185. General Observations.—The great difficulty in nearly all the anchorages in the New Hebrides Archipelago is to find bottom without striking it. Often an ordinary-sized vessel will have barely swinging room and cannot veer chain.

The bottom is generally sand and coral or broken coral, and rarely mud or muddy sand.

Whenever the coast presents black sand one is tolerably certain of finding bottom, and sometimes at a considerable distance from the land.

Money-Order and Savings-Bank Office opened.

General Post Office,
Wellington, 16th July, 1883.

IT is hereby notified for general information that a Money-Order and Savings-Bank Office will be opened at

NGAPARA (Chief Office, Oamaru),
on the 1st proximo.

W. GRAY,
Secretary.

Branches of Friendly Society registered.

Registrar-General’s Office,
Wellington, 13th July, 1883.

THE under-mentioned Lodges are registered as branches of the New Plymouth District of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity, Friendly Society, under “The Friendly Societies Act, 1882,” this 13th day of July, 1883:—

WM. R. E. BROWN,
Registrar of Friendly Societies.

Application for a Patent.

Patent Office,
Wellington, 16th July, 1883.

PATENT for an Invention for an improved Box or Package for Butter or other Materials.

JOHN SMITH and SAMUEL SMITH, of Marton, New Zealand, Storekeepers, trading under the firm of “John Smith and Son,” have deposited at this office a specification of the said invention; and I have appointed Wednesday, the 19th day of September next, at 11 o’clock in the forenoon, at this office, to hear the said application and all objections thereto; and I require all persons having an interest in opposing the grant of such Letters Patent to leave, on or before the 4th day of September next, at this office, particulars in writing of their objections to the said application, otherwise they will be precluded from urging the same.

C. J. A. HASELDEN,
Patent Officer.

No. 720.

Crown Lands Notices.

Waimate Plains, West Coast Settlement Reserves.

SALE OF LEASES FOR A TERM OF TWENTY-ONE YEARS.

Compensation for Improvements up to £5 per Acre will be allowed at End of Term of Lease.

West Coast Settlement Reserves Office,
Hawera, 19th July, 1883.

WRITTEN tenders (in sealed covers) are invited for the under-mentioned sections, in accordance with the