1.—12.

1883. NEW ZEALAND.

MANUKAU HARBOUR LIGHTING COMMITTEE (REPORT OF, TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS, EVIDENCE, AND APPENDIX.)

(Report brought up 29th August, 1883, and ordered to be printed.)

OKDEK OE1 RBPEEBNOE. Extract from the Journals of the House of Bepresentatives. Wednesday, the 25th Day op July, 1883. Ordered, "That a Select Committee, consisting of Mr. Speaker (with his consent), Son. Major Atkinson, Mr. Levestam, Mr. Mitehelson, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Sutter, Mr. Watt, and the mover, be appointed to take evidence of masters of vessels and other nautical men as to the necessity, advisability, and cost of placing guiding lights at the Manukau Heads, in order to render that harbour accessible to steamers ac high-water during the night. The Committee to have power to call for persons and papers. Three to be the quorum ;to report in three weeks."— ■ (Mr. Hamlin.)

BEPOKT. The Select Committee appointed " to take evidence of masters of vessels and other nautical men as to the necessity, advisability, and cost of placing guiding lights at Manukau Heads, in order to render that harbour accessible to steamers at high-water during the night," have the honour to report,— 1. That they have examined those captains of steamers who were available as witnesses, and who were possessed of special knowledge and experience with respect to the entrance of the Manukau Harbour. 2. That the testimony of Captain Fairchild, of the Government steamers, Captain Anderson, of the Union Company's steamer " Eotorua," Captain Hansby, of the Union Company's steamer " Hawea," Captain Pope, of the Messrs. Turnbull and Co.'s steamer " Tui," and Captain Home, late E.N., is strongly in favour of lights being placed in the beacons at the heads. 3. That the captains of the steamers " Eowena," " McGregor," " Hauraki," " Hannah Mokau," "Douglas," and " Manukau," and the captains of the schooners " Annie Wilson," "Clansman," and " Aratapu," all at present trading to Manukau, in their petition " testify to the great advantage and feeling of safety it would confer by having, in addition to the lighthouse, leading lights at the Manukau Heads." 4. That the managing director of the Union Steamship Company, Mr. Mills, in reply to a question addressed to him on the subject of establishing lights at the heads, states, "It will soon, indeed, be almost a necessity, in view of. the arrival of our express steamer, which is meant to run between Lyttelton and Manukau—a service which will require special facilities to enable it to be carried on, winter and summer alike, with regularity and despatch." 5. As against this testimony in favour of placing lights in the South Head beacons, there is the opinion of the Manukau Harbourmaster, Captain Wing, who, on being asked his opinion of the subject, refers to a report of his, dated the 3rd July, 1882, which states, "It must be borne in mind that the bar frequently becomes dangerous between sunset and sunrise ; therefore permanent leading lights would, at times, lead masters of vessels to run more risk than they should do in crossing the bar at night, especially with vessels drawing twelve or thirteen feet of water. 6. Captain Farquhar, the acting manager of the Northern Steamship Company, expressed himself as strongly opposed to establishing guiding lights at the Heads, although his company's vessels frequently enter at night; but it appears to your Committee that his opinion is overborne by that of the masters of his company's vessels, "Eowena," " McGregor," and " Douglas," who, in their petition, state that "the benefitjof leading lights would be very great." 7. In the opinion of Captain*Fairchild, and it is apparently the opinion of the several masters of vessels named above,, it- would be sufficient for the present if guiding lights were placed in the two beacons on the South Head below the lighthouse. But Captain Johnson, the Nautical Adviser to the Marine Department, is adverse to a partial lighting of the entrance to the harbour, and thinks, if it is done at all, there should be a complete system of lighting, and that, to effect that, lights should also be placed in the two beacons on the North Head.