D.—No. Ib,

appointed to that duty in 1858, was not then at the Station, and that his place was filled by a young man, the son of Captain Wing, about eighteen mouths before. Leave of absence was granted to the Signal-man for a period of six weeks, and at the request of Captain Wing his (Captain Wing's) son was permitted to act as substitute for a Signal-man during the term of his leave of absence. No report was made either to the Superintendent, nor was it either in his (the Superintendent's) knowledge, nor in mine as Provincial Treasurer, that the Signal-man, Hugh Evans, had not returned to his post, and was not on duty at the close of 1862, when I ceased to hold office. I may say generally, that we had become so much dissatisfied with Mr. Wing's want of energy and attention to his duties, that if the late Government had remained in office, it is most probable he would have been removed from his appointment at the close of the year 1802. By the Chairman.] Had the Provincial Government, during the year 1863, the power of removing or appointing Pilots ? A. Technically they had not. The appointment of Pilots was made by the Governor. Practically, inasmuch as the salary of the Pilot was paid by the Provincial Government, the change might have been effected. I believe that the power of appointing and removing Pilots was, since the year 1802, vested in the chief Marine Board, appointed under an Act of the General Assembly of the last Session, By Mr. Ridings.] Had you any reason to suppose that the Station boat, &c, were in a ruinous and dilapidated condition ? A. None at all. I may here state I was aware that Captain Wing had a number of men under him, who for three-fourths of their time were not on actual duty, and it appeared to us that the Station, under the circumstances, and with the amount of material which was constantly being supplied, ought to have been in that perfect state of efficiency in which it was always the desire of the Government to see it. By the Chairman.\ What caused so large an excess of expenditure in 18o8 1 A. It was caused principally by the cost of erecting a new house for the Pilot, on the hill near the Station ; the cost of that house was about £000. The excess in 1801 was partly caused by the erection of a new Signal-staff and gear. William C. Daldv, Chairman.

MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS AND OF THE EVIDENCE TAKEN BY THE MANUKAU PILOT STATION COMMITTEE, SESSION XV., 1863. Order of Reference. On the motion of Dr. Folhn—Ordered : " That Message No. 18 of His Honor the Superintendent be referred to a Select Committee, to consist of Mr. Bateman, Mr. Daldy, Mr. King, Mr. Skeen, and the Mover, with instruction to enquire and report generally as to the efficiency of the Pilot Department of the Harbour of Manokau, and specially in relation to the conduct of that Department on the occasion of the wreck of H.M.S.S. ' Orpheus.'"

PROCEEDINGS OF COMMITTEE. Friday, March 13th, 1863. Committee met pursuant to notice. Present: Mr. Bateman, Mr. Daldy, Mr. King, Mr. Eattray, Mr. Skeeu, Dr. Pollen (mover.) On the motion of M r. Daldy, Dr. Pollen took the chair. Mr. Daldy produced correspondence relative to the Manukau Harbour Pilot Station, of which the letter numbered as follows were read :—- No. 93—16th January, I860, (Captain Wing) No. 884—30th April, 1862, ditto. No. 1670—13th Sept., 1862, ditto. No. 1671—13th ditto, ditto, ditto. No. 480—2Gth February, 1863, ditto. Moved by Mr. Daldy—That a letter be written to Captain Wing, requesting him to attend the Committee, with his boat's crew, on the first occasion of his visiting Onehunga, and that Captain Wing be requested to report himself at the Superintendent's Office : also a letter to Mr. Evans, late Signal-man at the Manukau Pilot Station. Agreed to. Committee adjourned to Tuesday, 17th instant, at 12 o'Clock. Da>iel Pollen, Chairman.

9

THE LOSS OF H.M.S. "ORPHEUS."