218
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.
[No. 9

Members of Central Board of Health appointed.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 3rd February, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint

DUNCAN MACGREGOR, Esq., M.A., B.M., M.S., Univ. Edin.,
to be a Member of the Central Board of Health, under "The
Public Health Act, 1876," vice Dr. Grahame, resigned; and
also to appoint

WALTER SCOTT REID, Esq.,

to be an additional Member of the aforesaid Central Board
of Health.

P. A. BUCKLEY.

Inspector of Weights and Measures, Wairarapa, appointed.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 31st January, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint

Constable HENRY SALMON

to be an Inspector of Weights and Measures, under "The
Weights and Measures Act, 1868," and the Acts amending
the same, for the Counties of Wairarapa North and Wairarapa
South and for the Boroughs of Masterton and Greytown.

P. A. BUCKLEY.

Returning Officer for First Elections, Hurunui Rabbit District, appointed.—Notice No. 220.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 7th February, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint

REGINALD FOSTER, Esq.,

to be the Returning Officer to hold the first elections of five
Trustees of the Hurunui Rabbit District, as constituted
under "The Rabbit Nuisance Act 1882 Amendment Act,
1886."

P. A. BUCKLEY.

Clerks of Wardens' Courts appointed.

Department of Justice,
Wellington, 7th February, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint

MARCUS FURLONG SOUTH

to be Clerk of the Warden's Court at Kanieri; and

JOHN FRANCIS GARVEY

to be Clerk of the Warden's Court at Hamilton's; both appointments to date from the 5th January last.

Jos. A. TOLE.

Local Body appointed to have Authority in Licensing Districts.

Department of Justice,
Wellington, 7th February, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to appoint

The Hutt County Council

to have authority, in terms of section 5, subsection 2, of
"The Licensing Act Amendment Act, 1882," throughout the
Licensing Districts of Porirua, Epuni, and Mungaroa.

Jos. A. TOLE.

Examiner of Engineers appointed.

Marine Department,
Wellington, 3rd February, 1887.

IT is hereby notified that, in pursuance of the provisions of
"The Shipping and Seamen's Act, 1877,"

WILLIAM MEFFAN MOWATT

has been appointed an Examiner of candidates for certificates of competency as Engineers of sea-going steamships or
of steamships plying within restricted limits.

Jos. A. TOLE,
(For the Minister having charge of the
Marine Department.)

Letters of Naturalisation issued.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 8th February, 1887.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to issue
Letters of Naturalisation, under "The Aliens Act,
1880," in favour of the under-mentioned persons:—

P. A. BUCKLEY.

Means of saving Life at Sea.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Wellington, 4th February, 1887.

THE following papers on the subject of saving life at sea
are published for general information.

P. A. BUCKLEY.

No. 1469.—MEMORANDUM from the AGENT-GENERAL to the
Hon. the COLONIAL SECRETARY.

SAVING LIFE AT SEA.

7, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W.,
16th November, 1886.

HEREWITH I attach copy of a letter I have received from
Mr. Edward S. Copeman, covering printed paper published
by him on the subject of saving life at sea, which he desires
to have placed under the notice of the New Zealand Government.

F. D. BELL.

LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA.

4, Victoria Street, Westminster,
3rd November, 1886.

SIR,—I beg to ask your acceptance of a paper I have
lately been requested to publish, as a continuation of
evidence previously collected, as to the compulsory supply of
life-saving rafts and appliances on board passenger-vessels.
I trust you may think proper to bring the subject under the
notice of your Government, and that an alteration may
shortly be made in the Imperial law as suggested by the
Royal Humane Society of Australasia, an extract of whose
report will be found printed (No. 4) in the enclosed paper of
October, 1886.

I have, &c.,
EDWD. S. COPEMAN.

Sir F. D. Bell, K.C.M.G.

SAVING LIFE AT SEA.

It was hoped that, if the Merchant Shipping Bill of 1884
had been proceeded with, it would have been possible to
have introduced into the Act a clause for the better protection of life on passenger-vessels by compelling the use of
approved life-saving appliances on board such vessels. The
Bill, however, having been abandoned, the whole question
was referred to the Royal Commission on Loss of Life at Sea,
and much important evidence was given in support of the
supply of approved rafts and life-saving appliances, which
evidence will be found extracted hereafter.

A departmental Committee of the Board of Trade have
also recently made an inquiry into the best modes of
securing life on board passenger-vessels, but their report, if
presented, has not been made public. It is believed, however, that the Committee have recommended an increased
number of boats being carried on such vessels.

It is obvious, however, from the loss of life which has
occurred at sea, that boats have not been proved efficient for
saving life in cases of emergency, and the experience of past
casualties goes to prove that it is necessary to supplement
them with approved rafts on all ocean-going vessels, and
with rafts or other efficient floating appliances on coasting
and river steamers.

A list has therefore been prepared showing, from published
reports for the last few years, a number of cases where boats
have failed, from various causes, to save life.

In many instances of collisions there has not been time to
lower a boat, and men have been saved by clinging to a
ladder, a spar, or anything which they found floating about,
showing that, if a proper supply of floating appliances had
been provided, in many such cases loss of life would have
been prevented, or at any rate greatly diminished.

It is claimed for rafts that they are easier to launch than
boats, as they can be thrown overboard, and in many cases
would float off the deck when a ship goes down. They are
not so liable to be swamped or capsized, and in case of overcrowding they do not fill and become useless, as is the case
with boats.

They have also the advantage of being easier stowed on
decK, and in some cases only occupy the place of deck-seats.
Rafts of this description are now being fitted by the Admiralty