1.—12.

143. When in port they have to be on deck all day ?—Yes. 144. And on leaving port they have to be up too?— Yes. 145. So that their sleep is curtailed very much?— Yes. 146. As far as you are aware, would there be any greater difficulty in entering Manukau than Port Chalmers, supposing it were lighted ?—I do not suppose there would be much more difficulty; they are both bar harbours. Although Port Chalmers is a shorter one, there is a metal bank, and if a vessel got on there it would suffer as the " Orpheus " did; but there is not that extent of broken water as at Manukau. I have seen a nasty sea running there frequently, sufficient to wreck any vessel. It is not so bad as the other, of course; it is more sheltered. The only winds that affect there are the east and south-east. Captain Pope, Master of the steamer " Tui," examined. 147. The Chairman.} Have you been trading to the Manukau at all?— Yes; off and on for a few years. 148. Do you think it would be any advantage were the beacons on the North and South Heads lighted ?—Yes; it would be an advantage if the beacons on the South Head alone were lighted. 149. But it would be of greater service and importance if the beacons on the North Head also were lighted ?—-Yes ; but those on the South Head are the principal ones. 150. They would be sufficient for the great bulk of the trade there at present? —Yes; for the smaller vessels. 151. You do not think there would be any danger in vessels entering at night if these lights were placed on the South Head ?— Ido not think so; I never stopped outside as long as I could see the break. 152. Have you any idea of the cost of lighting it ?—The expense would be for the North Head. It would be no expense to light the South Head. The man on the lighthouse could light them. It does not matter how the tide is, the smaller vessels go in now. 153. It would be a great advantage to the people trading there if the beacons on the South Head were lighted ?—Yes ; at present they have to go in without them. 154. Mr. Suiter.} The lights on the South Head would be a great advantage to the smaller vessels ?—Yes ; it would not be necessary to have a man stopping on the North Head. They could pull over in the evening. At Wanganui, where the distances are greater, a man lights them, and puts them out in the morning. 155. To get the ship inside the bar, into smooth water, would be a great advantage ?—Yes. 156. That would be a great advantage to vessels running with cattle, to get into smooth water? —Yes ; very often you get up there, and through not getting into smooth water you lose your cattle. I nearly lost all mine the last time I had to go. 157. Mr. Watt. I If the lights were there, you could go in in almost any weather?— Yes. 158. And take the bar at high-water if the beacons were lighted?— Yes; only there would be a little more risk on ebb spring-tides with a heavy sea. 159. Mr. Suiter.] Those trading regularly there would be perfectly able to judge whether it was safe or not?— Yes ; you can always tell by the state of the sea outside. 160. Under any circumstances, if a stranger was there, he would not go in ?—No. 161. This map makes no reference to the North Channel?—We only use the South Channel now. 162. The North Channel has the deepest water? —Yes; but is more intricate. 163. Mr. Watt.] I suppose you would, consider it a great advantage if the fairway was lighted up the same as Wanganui ?—lt would be a great advantage for those heavy-draught vessels, but the distance is too great. 164. But, still, there might be half a dozen lights on each side. It would be more expensive perhaps to keep them lighted; but the same plan might be adopted as at Adelaide, where they light them with gas?— But Adelaide is not a third the distance of Manukau. 165. The gas is put in a box, and lasts for eight days. It burns night and day. It is just put on the top of the beacon, and is renewed every eight days ?—lf you go in over the bar at night you would be quite satisfied to bring up. The masters of the vessels trading there—the " McGregor," " Eowena" " Argyle," and " Hannah Mokau" —all advocate lights on the South Head.

APPENDIX. Sic, — Harbour Department, Manukau, 6th August, 1883. In compliance with your request of the 4th instant to furnish a return showing how shipping entering and leaving the Manukau Bar increased, I have the honour to forward the accompanying four-weekly tabular statement, which I obtained from the Eailway Wharfinger at Onehunga. All tonnage of shipping entering the Manukau is entered at the Customs at Auckland. From the Wharfinger's entries you will see that the tonnage inwards and outwards from August, 1882, to August, 1883, amounts to 73,898 tons; whereas in 1875 the tonnage amounted to 84,742, showing a difference of 10,844 tons, which notes I then made myself. In the Wharfinger's account no entry is made of the Government steamer. I have, &c, Sir Maurice O'Eorke, Thomas Wing, Chairman of Committee, Wellington. Harbourmaster.

Return of Tonnage for Four-Weekly Periods. By Bailway" Wharfinger at Onehunga—lBB2 : August, 6,010; September, 6,762 ; October, 5,550; November, 5,398; December, 6,000. 1883 : January, 4,543; February, 5,383 ; March, 5,601; April, 6,598; May, 4,889; June, 5391; July, 5,928; August, 5,845 : total, 73,898. By T. Wing, 1875, 84,742. Difference, 1882-83 and 1875, 10,844.

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