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purposes. There still remains the Mokohinau station to be reconditioned and placed in commission. Lightkeeping staff was difficult to obtain during the year, this necessitating in many cases extra work by the permanent staff remaining. In this connection it is hoped that the amended scale of salaries and conditions as from Ist April, 1946, will prove more attractive to those anxious to enter this particular branch of the service. The most important works carried out during the year were as follows : Cape Reinga. —Completion of 30,000-gallon reservoir with pump and construction of new dwelling. Cape Brett. —Miscellaneous repairs and the transfer of the naval water-supply to the permanent lighthouses. Chickens Island. —Construction of battery box and transmission line for ultimate electrification. Mokohinau. —General reconditioning of station now in hand. Portland Island. —Modernization of dwellings, including hot-water service, bathrooms, and W.C. drainage ; also construction of two 10,000-gallon water-tanks. Cape Palliser. —General repairs to dwellings and provision of hot-water service and drainage. Brothers. —Complete overhaul of station, including mechanical overhaul. Farewell Spit. —Installation of adequate water-supply. Cape Campbell. —Installation of water-supply and general improvement of residences with hot-water services, &c. Godley Head.—Prelimimary work in connection with electrification of light. Akaroa Head.—General painting and repairs to dwellings. Puysegur Point. —General repairs to dwellings and provision of 30,000-gallon watertank. NAUTICAL Admiralty Charts The demand for charts has not been so great as formerly, owing, no doubt, to the cessation of hostilities, with the consequential resumption of vessels to their normal trades. It is opportune at this juncture, with the removal of security precautions, to refer to the means whereby the Department was able to meet the unprecedented demand made on its chart resources. The war, becoming global overnight, rendered it very necessary and of the utmost urgency that ships be supplied with charts to cover practically every part of the world, but with the number of sinkings on the upward grade the problem of obtaining supplies from England became extremely acute and recourse had to be made to the production locally of photostatic copies of admiralty charts. It is interesting to record the following statistics : Number of photostatic charts completed .. .. 4,432 Number of negative prints .. .. .. .. 1,737 Number of positive prints .. .. .. .. 16,010 The length of photostatic paper 18 in. wide used in the production of charts was 6*72 miles. To appreciate the gravity of the situation it must be realized that without charts a vessel cannot proceed on her voyage, and it was therefore due to the officers of the Lands and Survey Department working in conjunction with this Department that a desperate situation was successfully overcome. Examination op Masters and Mates The examinations of masters and mates were held at Auckland and Wellington on ordinary scheduled dates, and at Wellington on special occasions to meet the convenience of students of overseas ships.

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