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Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 65, 16 March 1908, Page 5

Five men—from the Public Works Department-are~busily- engaged in blasting rock from -the efiff at Head, Lyttelton,* to leave a path to i: £he platform, for the fog signal that the Marine De--partnaeat- is installing.- -The-platform will be about 150_yards-froiu the Godle-y Head lightßoifsey *bu£Mn'e- patTT Eo'T£"fol2ows a circuitous- route,, -and -it- be about a mile from the lighthouse station. Ihe - signal itself-consists of. a..clockwork apparatus which drives an endless chain ! upon -which are a series of double hooks. As the chauTTrevolves it passes through a magazine, and the hooks engage in wire loops on two ounce packages of guncotton, which contain.; detonators. 4 s eac^ hook Tises the cartridge is drawn up until it reaches the contact plate where an electric current fires the charge. Explosions are timed to occur every five minutes. Under favourable conditions they should be heard eight or nine miles away, but with a-strong wind blowing from sea the sphere of- influence will be considerably lessened. Though the signal has the honour of being called "automatic" it cannot be left alone,, and during its working hours an attendant is necessary. This means that in all probability the present staff of two men at the lighthouse will be augmented by another man in order that one "member of the staff may always beTrca'dy.to look after the fog signals.