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1894. NEW ZEALAND.

MARINE DEPARTMENT. (ANNUAL REPORT FOR 1893-94.)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

My Loed, — Marine Department, Wellington, 7th August, 1894. •I do myself the honour to transmit herewith, for your Excellency's information, the report of the Marine Department of the colony for the financial year ended on the 31st March last. I have, &c, J. G. Ward, Minister of Marine. His Excellency the Eight Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, &c, Governor of New Zealand.

The Secretary to the Minister of Marine. Sib, — Marine Department, Wellington, 10th July, 1894. I have the honour to make the following report on the administration of this department during the year ended the 31st March last: — Previous to 1871 the Marine Department was a separate branch of the Civil Service. In that year, on the death of Mr. Balfour, Marine Engineer, it became a branch of the Customs Department, under Mr. Seed, then Secretary and Inspector of Customs. In 1878 it again became independent, under the direction of Captain E. Johnson ; but in 1881 it reverted to the Customs, and continued so until the retirement of Mr. Seed from the service, in 1887. At this time the work had so much increased that it was considered advisable that, although Mr. Seed's successor in the Customs should continue officially Secretary for Marine, the actual duties of administration should be entirely in charge of Mr. Wilson, the Chief Clerk in the Marine Office, in the capacity of Assistant Secretary. During the past year it has been decided by Government that, in the interests of economy and efficiency, it was desirable that the Secretary for Customs should resume the actual control of the Marine Department, and, in pursuance of this, Mr. Wilson was required to retire from the Service with compensation for loss of office. Mr. Wilson's connection with the office extended over a period of twenty-six years, during which time he rendered valuable service. It was also decided that, for the future, the work of lighthouse-construction should be undertaken by the Public Works Department, under the general direction of the Engineer-in-Chief, who is also Marine Engineer. Jn consequence of this, the draughtsman employed in the Marine Office was transferred to the Public Works Department. The net result of these changes is that the administrative and professional services are undertaken by officers of other departments —namely, the Secretary of Customs and the Engineer-in-Chief; the officers in the Head Office, whose whole time is devoted to the Marine Department, being the Chief Clerk, one other clerk, and a cadet, and the Nautical Adviser, who is also Examiner of Master and Mates ; also, the Artificer, who attends to the repair of light apparatus, &c. The present salaries of the Head Office are at the rate of £1,085 a year, as against £1,601 at the time the change was made. It may be added that, as the Collectors of Customs are local agents for all business connected with this department, it is expedient and fitting that, if possible, both Marine and Customs business should be administered by the same permanent head, and that the Commissioner of Trade and Customs should also be Minister for Marine. The arrangement now in force has added greatly to my duties and responsibilities. These under the Customs alone were sufficiently arduous ; but I hope that, with the zealous co-operation of the capable and experienced officers in the Marine Department, I shall be able to conduct the business of that department in a satisfactory manner. Lighthouses. —During my annual tour of inspection of Customs offices I was this year able to visit nine lighthouses in the South Island, and two in the North Island, also three in Cook Strait; I—H. 18.