Feb. 8.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 305

with a least depth of 12 ft. at low water, in the following position, viz.:

Flinders Peak N. 17° 10′ W., distant 1 mile 3⅕ cables;
N. extreme of Maclear Island S. 87° 20′ W., distant 1 mile 1⅘ cables.

Also a coral shoal 4½ cables long N.W. and S.E. and 1 cable wide, having a least depth of 19 ft. at low-water springs, in the following position, viz.:

Flinders Peak N. 27° E., distant 1 mile 3⅚ cables;
N. extreme of Maclear Island, S. 63° 30′ W., distant 2⅕ cables.

The above-named lie in the passage between Flinders Island and Denham Island: vessels wishing to pass through are therefore cautioned.

Chart affected: No. 2922; Australia Directory, Vol. ii., 5th edition.

T. M. ALMOND,
Portmaster.

Marine Department, Brisbane, 12th January, 1900.

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INNER ROUTE TO TORRES STRAIT.

Reported Danger between Lizard Island and Howick Group.

NOTICE is hereby given that Coast Pilot Graham, when recently in charge of the s.s. “Karaweera,” reported touching a shoal with a depth of about 12 ft. at low-water springs over it in the following approximate position, viz.:

Summit of Howick Island (186 ft.) bearing W. by N. ½ N., distant 7¼ miles.

As the vessel was hove-to at the time, owing to thick weather, some uncertainty exists as to the true position, and the danger has been unsuccessfully searched for by H.M.S. “Dart.” However, a danger was reported in this vicinity in former years, and accordingly masters of vessels are cautioned not to go to the northward of the track recommended in that neighbourhood.

Charts affected: Nos. 2922 and 2923; Australia Directory, Vol. ii., 5th edition.

T. M. ALMOND,
Portmaster.

Marine Department, Brisbane, 17th January, 1900.

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Notice to Mariners, No. 8 of 1900.

SOMES ISLAND, PORT NICHOLSON.—EXHIBITION OF NEW LIGHT.

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Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 5th February, 1900.

WITH reference to Notice to Mariners, No. 52 of 1899, issued by this department on the 21st December last, notice is hereby given that the new light will not be ready for exhibition on the date mentioned therein, but that it will be exhibited on and after the night of Wednesday, the 21st February, 1900.

WM. HALL-JONES.

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Bonus for the Production of Mineral Manure.—Notice No. 580.

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Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 12th December, 1899.

THE following sum is hereby offered as a bonus for the discovery and working within the colony of a deposit or deposits of marketable mineral manure, viz.:

£500 IF FOUND ON CROWN LANDS;
£250 IF FOUND ON FREEHOLD LANDS.

The following are the conditions under which the bonus is offered and will be paid:

1. That the raw material is easily accessible, and within reasonable distance of a railway or seaport.

2. That the committee appointed by the Minister for Agriculture to examine the deposit is satisfied that there is sufficient to meet all ordinary demands for five years.

3. That the manure can be disposed of at a price which will allow of it being remuneratively used for agricultural purposes.

4. That the composition of the phosphate shall average not less than 40 per cent. of phosphate of lime (tricalcic phosphate); provided, however, should a phosphate of a lower average composition be discovered, the committee may recommend that a portion of the bonus be granted.

The terms of payment will be—

One-fifth on the committee reporting favourably of the discovery;

One-fifth on delivery of first 200 tons;

The remaining three-fifths by equal payments on delivery of each additional 150 tons.

Applications addressed to “The Hon. the Minister for Agriculture, Wellington,” will be received up to and including the 1st day of July, 1900.

W. C. WALKER,
For Minister for Agriculture.

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Bonus for the Production of Quicksilver.

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Mines Office,
Wellington, 17th February, 1898.

NOTICE is hereby given that a bonus of fourpence (4d.) per pound will be paid on the production of the first one hundred thousand pounds weight (100,000lb.) of good marketable retorted quicksilver, free from all impurities, from any mine in New Zealand, on the following conditions, that is to say:—

1. That at least one-third of the quantity is produced on or before the 31st March, 1900, and the remaining two-thirds on or before the 31st March, 1901.

2. No bonus will be payable until the whole of the one hundred thousand pounds (100,000 lb.) of quicksilver has been produced as stipulated to the satisfaction of an officer to be appointed by the Minister of Mines, and on whose certificate alone the bonus will be paid.

3. In the event of more than one person producing the required quantities of quicksilver before the dates named, inquiry will be made by the officer above referred to, when, if it is found that each applicant is equally entitled to a bonus, the amount will be divided in proportion to the quantities produced by each applicant, but in no case shall any bonus be paid until at least one hundred thousand pounds (100,000 lb.) of quicksilver has been produced in the aggregate.

A. J. CADMAN,
Minister of Mines.

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Bonuses for Encouragement of New Zealand Hemp (Phormium tenax) Industry.—Notice No. 535.

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Department of Agriculture,
Wellington, 13th February, 1899.

BONUS NO. 1.

A BONUS of £1,750 is offered for a machine or process for dressing New Zealand hemp (Phormium tenax) which shall be an improvement on the machines or processes now in use, and which shall, after trial, be found to materially reduce the cost of production, improve the product, or increase the quantity of dressed fibre.

The following are the conditions:—

1. All applications for the bonus must be sent addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Agriculture, Wellington, and must reach him not later than the 31st March, 1900. Each application must be accompanied by a description of the machine or process, particularly stating improvements on present machines or processes, and also the cost at which the machine or process can be supplied.

2. The applicants must be prepared to submit their machines or processes to examination at such time and place as the Government may direct.

3. The Government shall appoint a committee of three or more experts, to whom all applications shall be submitted. Such committee shall, after perusal, state what machines or processes they deem worthy of consideration, and may inspect the same at any place within the colony; and, having so inspected the whole or any of them, may direct that the whole or any of them be brought for further trial to such place as they may think fit.

The cost of bringing the machines or appliances on to the ground, from within the colony, supplying the necessary shafting, motive-power, and buildings, to be defrayed by the Government. If any machine sent from beyond the colony is awarded the bonus or part thereof, then the cost of bringing such machine shall be borne by the Government.

The following shall be the basis of the test:—

The committee shall supply a sufficient and equal quantity of green hemp to each machine or process as a test.

The committee shall take into consideration—

The time occupied by each machine or process in the operation;

The cost of labour and time required after the fibre has left the machine or process before it is ready for baling;

The percentage of dressed fibre and tow produced by each machine or process;

The cost of producing the same;

The cost of the machine, and the simplicity and durability of the working parts.

On completion of the tests the committee shall furnish a report to the Minister on all the machines or processes which they have examined or tested, and shall state,—

(1.) The machine or process which they consider on the whole the most efficient and economic.

(2.) Whether they consider that any machine or process tested so materially reduces the cost of production, or improves the product, as to be worthy of the whole bonus or of a part only.

(3.) Whether, in the event of no one machine or process being entitled to the whole bonus, they deem any machine or process worthy of a part of the bonus, and, if so, how much.