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the trusts under the geneial supervision of the General Government. But.such of the above lights and other works as are exclusively in connection with particular harbours should be confined entire ! y to the Provincial Governments. It appears to your Committee that all the works above recommended may be c'assed under the last description, except the lighthouse on Stephen's Island, which should be considered a sea-light, and should be both undertaken and maintained by the General Government, absolutely without the interference of the Government of any Province, and excepting also the beacon on Cook's Rock, to which the same rule should apply. All buoys, beacons, mooiings, and boats, for harbour purposes, which may now be in possession of thn Geneia! Government in any of the Provinces, should be handed over to the Provincial Governments whose duty it would become to.lay them down and keep them in repair : and, as a general rule, the General Government ought to retain the entire control and management of such of them as may be established at its expense. But your Committee have some reason to believe that in the cases of New Plymouth and Otago, previously referred to, there may be a just claim on the part of the Provinces that exceptions to this rule should be made, by transferring the moorings, buoys, beacons, &c., to the Provincial Governments in as complete a state as they were left by the New Zealand Company when the Government of New Zealand took possession of them. General enactments necessary. For the above reasons, your Committee'recommend that a law should, as soon as possible, be enacted by the General Assembly, to provide for the following objects, viz.:— 1. The due supervision of sea-lights, or coast-lights, and beacons, by some competent authority ; and the reservation of whatever land may be necessary for such purposes. 2. The due enforcement of regulations for quarantine, and for the due examination and approval of Harbour Masters, Health Officers, and Pilots, by some competent authority. 3. The collection of any dues that may be imposed on shipping for coastlights. 4. The transfer.by legal means, to the Provincial Governments and Legislatures, of power to erect and maintain harbour-lights, beacons, and buoys, to collect dues imposed for their maintenance ; to appoint Harbour Masters, Health Officers, Pilots, and Lighthouse-keepers ; to collect pilotage ; and to make all harbour and quarantine regulations, subject to the above general restrictions. Means of Establishment and Maintenance. Your Committee being in complete ignorance as to what funds may be at the disposal of the Government for such purposes, feel some hesitation in forming an opinion as to what may be the best means of providing for the establishment add maintenance of those works which they believe to be desirable. It is possible that in the present financial state of the colony, all the works recommended by, them cannot be established or maintained without the imposition of some dues on shipping; but your Committee have reason to believe, that the additional security and facility conferred on all interests connected with shippiug would be thought to constitute more than an equivalent for such a t-ix. Your Committee have not been able to obtain any accurate information as to the probable expense of erecting and maintaining light-houses. Tiie expense must depend, in a great measure, on the particular situation and kind of building, a well as description of lighting apparatus. Wherever the situation will admit of it will probably be found economical that the lighthouse aad the light-keeper's residence should be distinct buddings, because in such cases, a smaller column would suffice for the lighthouse. It appears that lighthouses of wood have been erected in various parts of the world, at a cost of about £500 ; but if ron and glass were adopted as more durable, and eventually more economical materials, the
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