LIGHTS ON THE KINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 306, 23 December 1912, Page 5

LIGHTS ON THE KINGS.

THE MINISTER'S PROMISE,

SUGGESTS AUTOMATIC LAMPS.

"The Kings are going to be lighted; you can rest assured about that." said the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister for Marine and Customs), to a deputation of shipping masters and Mr. J. H. Bradney, M.P., this morning. " The question is," he further said, "how can we best do it? The Department has a perfectlyopen mind on the matter, but it is not going to spend a lot of money to put the light in the wrong place." The deputation, which Mr. J. H. Bradney introduced to the Minister, comprised Captain Ross (representing the Auckland Coastal Masters' Association), Captain Hood (representing the Auckland Shipmasters' Association and the foreign-going masters), and Captain Waller, of the Wimmera. Captain Ross explained that he and Captain Waller represented the signatories to the petition that had recently been presented to Parliament witli regard to the lighting of the Three Kings. This, he urged, was the most important matter that had ever been brought before Parliament. Whj't they wanted to direct the attention of the Minister to was the imperative necessity for a first-class light and fog-signal on the Three Kings, a light on j Canoe Rock oif Kawau. »nd a light on the Watchman in the channel off Cape Colville.

In discussing the matter with the shipmasters, the. Minister showed that he was thoroughly conversant with the position at the. Three Kings, and that he realised fully the practical requirements of the situation. He knew, for instance, that the Big King was 900 ft. high, that there were two good landing places there, and he knew also that it was questionable whether a light on tie Big King would be even slightly effective at the Western King on a dirty night. He wanted, he said, to find out if it would be possible to have an electric fog signal at the Western King, where it ■would be impossible to build. It would, perhaps, be possible to put a strong automatic light on the Middle Kingandanautomatic light on the "other in the north-eastern corner. The cost of building would be very much greater than the. cost of two automatic lights, and even then a big light, when built on the Big King, would not be effective when it was most required.

Mr. Fisher explained that he was coming back to Auckland at the end of January, and he would be glad to have the opinion of the master mariners as to the position. He hoped they would consider his suggestion in the meantime, and let him know what they thought of it.

The deputation thanked the Minister for his courteous Teception, and undertook to confer together, and let him know thp result of their deliberations.