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The Past and Present Of New Zealand With Its Prospects for the Future

Lighthouses on the Coast of New Zealand

Lighthouses on the Coast of New Zealand.

There are now eight lighthouses, five of which have been used since January 1st, 1865:—

1.Auckland, on the Tiri Tiri Island, near the entrance of the Auckland Harbour, 300 feet above the sea level, visible for a distance of 23 miles in every direction in clear weather.
2.Cook’s Straits, Mana Island, 450 feet above the sea level; the tower is 70 feet high; it is visible 29 nautical miles.
3.Wellington, on Pencarrow Head, at the entrance of Wellington Harbour, 420 feet above sea level, and is visible 30 miles off.page 303
4.Soames Island lighthouse, in the Wellington Harbour.
5.Nelson lighthouse on the S. W. end of the Boulder Bank, visible 12frac12; nautical miles, 60 feet above high water.
6.Canterbury, Godley Head lighthouse, on the N. W. entrance to Lyttelton Harbour, visible 27 miles; tower 30 feet high.
7.Otago, Tairoa’s Head lighthouse, on the east side of the entrance to Otago Harbour, visible 18 miles.
8.Foveaux Straits, Dog Island, off the entrance to the Bluff Harbour, 150 feet above sea level; the tower is built of native stone of a grey color, and is 118 feet high.

Telegraphs.—A line is now finished, and is working from the Bluff to Wellington, thus connecting Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, and Wellington together. Auckland also has a line from the city to Onehunga.

Railroads.—At present the longest line is, perhaps, that from the Bluff to Invercargill, a distance of about 20 miles. The next is from Heathcote to Christchurch; on the completion of the tunnel now being driven through the lip of the crater which forms Lyttelton Harbour, it will run direct to that port. It is also being carried on beyond Christchurch, eventually to reach Dunedin and Invercargill. It is a mark of the progress of the province and of the Middle Island generally. At Auckland a railroad has been long under construction, to connect the city with Onehunga. The work is for the present in abeyance, but, doubtless, will soon be renewed and finished.

The mention of the New Zealand Banks must not be omitted, although all of them are of very recent origin, their progress is something wonderful. The Bank of New Zealand is paying an annual dividend of 17 per cent. The Bank of Otago 6 per cent. The Bank of Auckland 10 per cent.; and the Commercial Bank of New Zealand 10 per cent.

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The Colony has also now its Fire and Marine Insurance Company, called The New Zealand Marine Company, established in 1859.

The progress of Steam in New Zealand has been very rapid. Some ten years ago the colony did not possess a single vessel; the first, I believe, was the Emu, which was built in Auckland, then a small one was obtained, which gave rise to the Wellington Steam Company, which now own a considerable number; the Otago people were not behind; they possess several. Different places also have become owners of steamers, which bear their names, and render their transit from place to place quite easy and regular without delay. Good frequently comes out of apparent evil, and this was the case with the steam navigation, which would not have progressed so rapidly but for the war, which, by closing the roads by land, compelled all to travel by water.

The transit of troops, stores, ammunition, &c., also gave a helping hand, and thus steam power is now permanently established in New Zealand, there are steamers plying on most of our rivers and some of our lakes. New Zealand has likewise the honor of uniting with the Australian colonies in subsidising and supporting the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company, and, still later, in aiding and procuring the establishment of the Panama line, Melbourne and New Zealand being its chief supporters.

Nor has this terminated the efforts of the colony. We have lines of coaches traversing the length and breadth of the Middle Island, and in the northern one running as far as Wanganui and Wairarapa; at Auckland coaches run as far as the Waikato, a distance of about 40 miles, and perhaps by this time the lines are extended up the Waikato, to all the fresh-founded towns on its banks. Roads are at present in their infancy, still some attention has been paid to them; the longest line of coaches is from Lyttelton to Dunedin.