PENAL RULES.

23. The Harbour Master, or any deputy of the Harbour Master, is empowered to take such means, and to give such orders and directions, as he may deem necessary, for the purpose of preventing risk or accident, confusion or overcrowding of boats alongside of vessels; and any person wilfully disobeying any orders so given, as aforesaid, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Five Pounds.

GUNPOWDER.

24. No vessel or boat is to pass between the hulk "Thomas and Henry" and the line of buoys moored round that vessel; all persons in charge of boats or vessels passing near the said hulk are to answer the sentries' challenge; any person offending against this regulation shall incur a penalty of any sum not exceeding Twenty Pounds.

25. The Master of every vessel arriving with Gunpowder on board, exceeding fifty pounds in weight, shall give immediate notice thereof to the Pilot on boarding the vessel, and shall land the same at the Powder Magazine, under the supervision of the Harbour Master or other competent authority, before anchoring at the usual anchorage ground, or forfeit a sum not exceeding Twenty Pounds.

26. No Gunpowder is to be either received or issued by the Keeper of the Magazine, except between the hours of seven in the morning and five in the afternoon.

27. The Master of every vessel shall cause all Gunpowder to be conveyed to the Magazine immediately after its being landed, or forfeit a sum not exceeding Ten Pounds.

28. All gunpowder so landed shall be packed in barrels containing not more than one hundredweight each, closely joined and hooped without any iron about the packages, and so secure that no portion of the Gunpowder be in danger of being scattered in the passage; and any person offending against this regulation shall incur a penalty of any sum not exceeding Ten Pounds.

RULES TO BE OBSERVED BY VESSELS PASSING EACH OTHER.

29. Whenever any vessel proceeding in one direction, meets a vessel proceeding in another direction, and a master or other person having charge of either such vessel, perceives that if both vessels continue their respective courses they will pass so near as to involve a risk of collision, he shall put up the helm of his vessel to port, so as to pass on the port side of the other vessel, due regard being had to the tide, and to the position of each vessel with respect to the dangers of the channel, and as regards sailing vessels, to the keeping of each vessel under command, and the master of any steam vessel navigating any river or narrow channel shall keep, as far as is practicable, to that side of the fair-way or mid channel thereof which lies on the starboard side of such vessel.

30. Steam vessels shall not proceed at more than half speed whilst navigating any of the Harbours, Rivers, or Lakes of Otago, between the hours of sunset and sunrise, and shall continue the sounding of a steam-whistle, or the ringing of a bell; and any person offending against this regulation shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds.

31. Steamers, when steering the same course in the river or harbour, either with or without vessels in tow, and one overtaking the other, the vessel gained upon shall slack her speed, if practicable, until the other has passed her.

32. When steamers having vessels in tow are steering opposite courses, the steamer bound up the river shall, before meeting the vessel coming down the river, slack her speed, when practicable, until the other has passed her.

33. Steam vessels when passing, or near to sailing vessels, are always to be considered in the light of vessels navigating with a fair wind.

34. Steamers shall, on nearing any vessel aground, slack their speed until safely passed.

35. Steamers at all times when under weigh must have a responsible person on the bridge to look out.

36. No lower square-sails shall be set of any steamer whilst navigating amongst the shipping.

37. Sailing vessels and ships, having the wind fair, shall give way to ships on a wind.

38. When two ships are going by the wind, the ship on the starboard tack shall keep her wind, and the one on the port tack bear up, thereby passing each other on the port hand.

39. When two ships have the wind large, or a-beam, and meet, they shall pass each other in the same way, on the port hand, the helm of each being put a-port.

40. The master, or any other person having charge of any vessel, neglecting to observe the rules herein laid down for vessels passing each other, or either of them, shall for any such offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds.

MISCELLANEOUS RULES.

41. No steamer shall tow any vessel in, nor shall any vessel enter the Cross-Channel (Upper Harbour), unless there be (as shown by the Tide Signals) six inches more water in the channel than such vessel’s draught of water.

42. All masters, or other persons in charge of river-going steam-vessels, plying to or from any wharf, shall, immediately upon the fixing the hours of sailing of such vessels, intimate the same to the Harbour Master, and shall depart punctually at the times of sailing so announced, excepting always in cases of accident actually happening to the vessels or machinery, or other unforeseen impediment occurring.

43. Steamers about to pass any dredging machine at work in any river, or channel, or any licensed ferry, or public work in progress, must slow their engines to less than half speed for at least one hundred yards before arriving abreast of the dredge, ferry, or work.

44. All persons transgressing any of the foregoing Miscellaneous Rules, shall, for each offence, be liable to a penalty not exceeding Ten Pounds.

SIGNALS AT THE FLAGSTAFF.

OTAGO HEADS.

• Blue Peter – Keep to sea, the bar is not fit to take.
• Red Flag – Take the bar, there is no danger.
• Blue, with White St. Andrew’s Cross – Ebb tide.
• White Flag, half-mast high – First quarter flood.
• White Flag, at the masthead – Second quarter flood.
• Red Flag, half-mast high – Third quarter flood.
• Red Flag, at the mast-head – Last quarter flood.

The following Signals are in use at the Port:

• Pilot – The Union Jack at the fore.
• Customs Boat – The Union Jack at the peak.
• Gunpowder on board – The Union Jack at the main.
• Medical Assistance – The Union Jack over the Ensign at the peak.
• Government Immigrants on board – Ensign at the mizen mast-head.
• Mails on board – White Flag at the fore.
• Boarding Officer – Blue Flag at the main.
• Clearing Officer – White Flag at the main.
• Police – The Ensign at the main.
• Ditto at night – Two lights vertical at the peak, having five feet between the two.

TIDE SIGNALS FOR THE UPPER HARBOUR.

Marryat’s Numerals will be hoisted on the East yard-arm at the Flagstaff, Port Chalmers, to denote the height of the tide during the flood in the cross-channel.