On the extreme northern tip of the sister isle, the headland known as Cape Maria Van Diemen carries a first-order dioptric light, revolving once a minute, illuminating a circle of sea having a radius of twenty-four and a half miles. The adjacent headland at the opposite corner of this spit, North Cape, has not been protected hitherto; but this deficiency is now being remedied by the erection of a second-order, incandescent, group-flashing white light, giving three flashes in quick succession every half-minute. The brilliant illumination of this part of the coast is imperative, inasmuch as shipping bound for and from Auckland has to bear round this heavily indented and rock-strewn coast. The entrance to Auckland harbour in particular is disconcerting, but the navigator is assisted by the friendly guardians placed on Cape Brett, Moko Hinou, and Tiri-Tiri, which have ranges of thirty and a half, twenty-six, and twenty-four miles, respectively. The task of the mariner, however, is to be further simplified by the erection of another powerful light on Chicken Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, which will overlap the Moko Hinou and Tiri-Tiri lights. When this light and that at North Cape are placed in commission, the sea between Cape Maria Van Diemen and Auckland will be very well lighted, and will offer the ship’s master few causes for complaint. Two other points are being equipped, Castle Point and Cape Terawhiti, the former with a second-order, incandescent, group-flashing white light, flashing at intervals of forty-five seconds, with periods of darkness lasting eight seconds between each group. While the majority of the New Zealand coastal lights are attended, certain beacons, from their exposed position, come in the category of unattended lights, as described elsewhere. These burn acetylene gas, and are replaced with fresh supplies of dissolved acetylene every three months by the _Hinemoa_. Simultaneously with the provision of additional beacons the existing lights are being overhauled and fitted with modern apparatus, rendering them more reliable, economical, and of greater power. When the service was established, the Doty burner, using paraffin-oil, was adopted; but the perfection of the incandescent oil system, and its many advantages over that in vogue, have influenced the Government towards its adoption. The transformation will be completed as soon as practicable, the work being in active progress, as maintenance expenses are reduced appreciably thereby, because kerosene, a cheaper oil, is used in lieu of paraffin, while, furthermore, less oil is burned under the incandescent system.