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Orders in Council. —The following Orders in Council, under the provisions of the Harbours Acts, have been issued during the year : — January 13, 1892. Approves plan of extension of Bluff Wharf. May 17. Approves plans of addition to wharf on west side of Turanganui Eiver, Gisborne. June 4. Approves plans of J. A. Bhodes's Wharf, at Aratapu. June 4. Licenses J. A. Bhodes to use foreshore at Aratapu for wharf site. June 14. Approves dredging on site of new wharf, Wellington. June 14. Vests Owake Wharf in Clutha County Council, and prescribes dues. July 5. Approves plan of extension of Bluff Wharf. July 26. Approves construction of upper training-walls between Buller Bridge and Lagoon Mouth, Westport, August 2. Approves plans of repairs and additions to outer eastern T, Queen's Street Wharf, Auckland. August 2. Approves plan of extension of Coal Creek Training-wall, Greymouth. August 9. Approves plan of Kauri Timber Company's reclamation at Kohukohu. August 9. Licenses Kauri Timber Company to use foreshore at Kohukohu. August 9. Approves plans of retaining-wall and reclamation north of Bailway Wharf, Wellington. August 16. Approves plans of Timaru Bowing-club's boatshed. August 23. Prescribes dues and rates for Opunake Wharf. August 23. Approves lease of land at Castlecliff from Wanganui Harbour Board to Wanganui Meat-freezing Company. September 7. Approves plan of boat-landing stage, Lyttelton. September 7. Approves plan of cattle-jetty, Lyttelton. September 27. Approves plans of Witting, McKenzie, and Co.'s Wharf, South-west Bay, Stewart Island. September 27. Licenses Witting, McKenzie, and Co., to use foreshore at South-west Bay for wharf site. October 15. Approves construction of railway approach to training-wall, Westport. October 15. Appoints a member of Greymouth Harbour Board. October-15. Appoints members of Westport Harbour Board. October 20. Appoints a member of Westport Harbour Board. November 14. Approves plan of yacht-jetty, Lyttelton. November 21. Approves plan of W. D. Napier's slip and shed at Half-moon Bay, Stewart Island. November 21. Licenses W. D. Napier to occupy foreshore at Half-moon Bay as site for shed and slip. December 13. Declares Whangarei County Council a Harbour Board for Whangarei Harbour. December 13. Approves plan of A. J. Cross's boat-shed, Evan's Bay, Wellington. December 13. Appoints member of Greymouth Harbour Board. December 13. Approves plan of A. Davidson's office on foreshore of Wairoa Eiver, Hawke's Bay. December 13. Licenses A. Davidson to use foreshore, Wairoa, for office site. January 26, 1893. Approves plan of works, Tukituki Eiver. January 26. Approves plan of addition to wharf, Gisborne. January 26. Approves plan of extension of F. W. Matthews's wharf, Te Koporu. January 26. Licenses F. W. Matthews to use foreshore at To Koporu for wharf extension. February 8. Approves plan of night-soil road and platform, Akaroa. February 8. Licenses Akaroa Borough Council to use foreshore, Akaroa Harbour, for night-soil road and platform. February 8. Prescribes dues and rates for Bodney County wharves, February 28. Approves plans of additions and alterations to Mongonui Wharf. February 28. Approves plans of works for accommodation of watermen's and other boats, Wellington Harbour. February 28. Approves plan of New Zealand Land Association's Wharf at Te Akau, Baglan Harbour. February 28. Licenses New Zealand Association to use foreshore at Te Akau for wharf site. March 14. Approves plan of wharf at Manuka Island, Lake Wanaka. March 14. Approves plan of P. Coffey's boat-shed and slip, Oriental Bay. Light Dues. —The sum of £15,797 10s. 9d. was received for light dues for the year, as against £16,217 16s. 7d in the preceding year, or a decrease of £420 ss. lOd. Government Steamers. —The "Stella" is still laid up. Tenders for her purchase were invited in December last, but no tender was received; and on the 11th April the vessel was offered for sale by public auction, but the bidding did not reach the reserve placed on her. The " Hinemoa" has been employed in the ordinary work of the department, attending to lighthouses, cleaning and overhauling buoys and beacons, &c. Besides the usual trips to the outlying islands of the colony, she went to Sydney to bring His Excellency the Governor to New Zealand. During the year she steamed 30,840 miles, w r as 3,662 hours under steam, burnt 1,556 tons of coal, landed 2,638 tons cargo, and cleaned, painted, and relaid 98 buoys. Examination of Masters, Mates, and Engineers. —Eighty-eight candidates passed their examination for certificates of competency and twenty-seven failed. Of those who passed fifty-seven were masters, mates, and engineers of sea-going vessels; and thirty-one were masters, and engineers of river-steamers. Of those who failed, two failed to pass the colour-test examination — namely, a candidate for an Only Mate's Certificate on the 9th July, 1892, and a candidate for a Second Mate's Certificate on the 27th February, 1893. Two certificates of service were issued during the year, one being for the foreign and the other for the harbour and river-trade, both being renewals of lost certificates. In March last a change in the system of examinations held at the ports other than Wellington was made by direction of the Minister having charge of the department, the services of the local examiners having been dispensed with, and one officer appointed to examine for Auckland and one for Lyttelton and Dunedin. The plan carried out is that examina-tion-papers are prepared in Wellington for the examination in navigation, and the local examiner