E.—No. 6.

12

REPORT ON THE MARINE DEPARTMENT.

the cleanliness of the several apartments, passages, stairs, roofs, water-cisterns, storerooms, workshops, privies, &c, and, generally, the order of the whole establishment. 31. When land is attached to a lighthouse station, the lightkeepers are prohibited from sub-letting the same. AVhen a lightkeeper leaves a station with land, after sowing but before reaping his crop, the incoming lightkeeper is to compensate him for seed, manure, and labour, but nothing more. Should the incoming keeper not be desirous to take over the crops on these terms, or should any other difficulty arise, the matter will be adjusted on reference to the Marine Engineer. 32. The lightkeepers shall endeavour to keep in good order and repair the fences enclosing the lighthouse grounds, the landing places and roads leading to the lighthouse, and the drains therewith connected, together with all other things placed under their charge. 33. The lightkeepers shall keep a daily journal of the quantity of oil expended, &c, on the forms supplied to them for the purpose. They shall also keep a regular journal of the routine of their duty, the arrangements of the watches, the name of the officer taking the first watch, the state of the weather, and any other, circumstances worthy of note. These shall be written in the books furnished for this purpose at the periods of the day when they occur, as they must on no account be trusted to memory nor inserted beforehand. On the first day of each month they shall make up and forward to the Marine Engineer at Wellington, on the first opportunity, an accurate copy of the oil journal for the preceding month, accompanied by a letter embodying, as shortly as possibly, the noteworthy points of the general journal. 34. The monthly oil returns are to be written by the assistant keeper, and signed by the principal keeper after careful comparison with the original, and the accompanying letter by the principal keeper, and compared by the assistant as to its general accuracy. Both keepers shall be held jointly responsible for the accuracy of the addition of the various columns in the oil return. 35. All communications on lighthouse business are to be addressed to " The Colonial Marine Engineer, Wellington," and marked on the outside " On Public Service Only." 36. In case of a keeper being incapacitated from duty by sickness, or in case of any other emergency, the circumstances are to be immediately reported to the Marine Engineer, and also to the Government officer (whether general or provincial) who exercises local supervision over the light, and the latter will at once send out a temporary assistant to enable jiroper watch to be kept; but when there are three keepers at a station, so long as two are fit for duty, no temporary assistant shall be allowed. AVhen the lighthouse is at such a distance from the superior officer's residence that there is no possibility of a sufficiently rapid communication with him, the principal keeper, or the assistant, should the principal be incapacitated by illness, is empowered to call in the best assistance he can procure, so that by whatever means the regular watches may be kept up. Tho temporary or " occasional keeper " should, if possible, be a resident in the neighbourhood of the lighthouse, and it is very desirable that the same person be called in on all occasions whenever extra assistance is required, so that ho may have some experience in the knowledge of the lamps. AVhen au inexperienced person is necessarily called in, the principal or acting principal keeper must keep a watch or two with him at first, and teach him the whole system of working, the means to be adopted to maintain a good light, and the steps to be taken in any emergency ; and so long as the occasional keeper is employed, the acting principal lightkeeper must be specially watchful, and must use every possible precaution to ensure the regular exhibition of the light in a satisfactory manner. 37. The lightkeepers have permission (one at a time) without making application for special authority, to go from home to draw their salaries, or to attend church, or on calls which may arise in connection with the lighthouse service, or on private business; but a lightkeeper absent during the day must return to the lighthouse so as to be in time for lighting. Such absences on private business shall not be more frequent than once a fortnight, unless under very special circumstances ; and all absences are to be notified and the cause specified in the monthly return. 38. The principal lightkeeper shall duly intimate his intention of being absent, and the cause, to the assistant lightkeeper, and the assistant shall in like manner duly intimate to the principal his desire to be absent, stating the cause, and he must adhere to the time fixed for such absence by the principal lightkeeper. It is expressly ordered that only one lightkeeper shall be absent from the lighthouse at one and the same time. 39. In case of leave of absence from duty for any prolonged time being required by a lightkeeper, the same can only be granted on special application to the Marine Engineer. 40. In case of absence which shall extend beyond the day on which it occurs, or of special absence, or of incapacity by reason of sickness or otherwise, an occasional keeper is to be called in, notice of the same being taken in the monthly return. 41. In case of an occasional keeper being called in through the sickness or incapacity of a lightkeeper, the other lightkeeper (principal or assistant as the case may be) shall immediately intimate the same by a letter to the' Marine Engineer as provided in section thirty-six. In the event of the lightkeeper remaining off duty for a further period of eight days, he shall (if possible) obtain and transmit to the Marine Engineer a medical certificate of tho nature of his illness. If such certificate cannot be obtained, the lightkeeper on duty, shall, on the expiration of the above number of days, intimate the circumstance to the Marine Engineer, and state the causes which prevent the certificate being obtained. 42. AVhile the principal keeper is absent, or is incapacitated for duty by sickness, the full charge of the lighthouse duty and of the premises shall devolve upon the assistant, who shall in that case have access to the keys of the lightroom stores, and be held responsible in all respects as the principal keeper. 43. Every lightkeeper, when there are two keepers, shall, if he desire it, be allowed leave of absence for one week in each year, and the Government will pay an occasional keeper for taking his place during that period. Should tho lightkeeper be absent for a longer period, or on another occasion, he will require to find a substitute at his own expense ; but no keeper is to absent himself until permission has been sought aud obtained from the Marine Engineer.