LIGHTING THE KINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 49, 26 February 1913, Page 5

LIGHTING THE KINGS.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER PROBABLY LIGHT AND WIRELESS STATION ON BIG KING. WESTERN KING SIGNAL. OTHER DANGEROUS SPOTS DISCUSSED. A deputation, consisting of Captains W. Ross and Hood, and Mr. J. H. Bradney, M.P., waited on the Minister of Marine (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) this morning, in reference to the Three Kings light question.

The deputation presented to the Minister the written opinions of forty-six shipmasters, forty-three of whom approved of the No. 2 system, which provides for a first-class light and a fog signal on the Big King. In the course of a discussion on the comparative merits of watched and unwatched lights, Mr. Fisher declared,that the automatic lights were perfectly reliable, and had been extensively installed in Australia.

Captain Ross said that shipmasters would not like to feel thiit they had to depend on an unwatched light at such a dangerous spot as the Three Kings. The Minister replied that it must be recognised that it was impossible to do anything at the Western King. The Big King would have to be the site for any light decided upon. Probably, if a first-class light were installed there, a low power wireless station would be placed on the island so that all ships could be reported direct to Auckland. It was also probable that a bell buoy could he placed ofT the Western King, which would be audible for some miles. CaptaJn Ross drew the Minister's attention to the fact that 43 shipmasters had expressed themselves emphatically in fstvmiT of the No. 2 system. "I have consulted everyone, and exhausted every possible source of opinion to see if something could be done with the real danger point — the Western King ' said Mr. Fisher. " But that idea has had to be abandoned. We have had to relinquish that scheme regretfully because I should like to have seen .something done there. After collecting- all possible evidence and information, I "have come to the opinion, as the result of comprehonsivo inquiry, that the tii* King is the only possible solution of the difficulty. T don't know yet whether anything can be don« with the Middle King." n C ? P » n "passed the opinion the Middle K,ng, that it would not be a satisfactory light MM&I a S ister asreed ««* * light on the ™ v\ f Amer J can trade to pick up. He had, he said, sent all the details he could collect in connection with the Western King, together with all soundings to one of the automatic lighting firms in Australia, -with an inquiry for their opinion whether it would be possible to moor a buoy with a fo<* signal and automatic light off the Western King. He expected a reply when he went to Australia. "If they can do it," added the Minister, "we shall try tTi-at as an experiment for , 12 months. That, of course, would not stop the work going on at the Big King. Tt would only be an auxiliary light. I hare done the very best I could do to make the. Kings absolutely safe for shipping." FLAT ROCK AND CHANNEL ISLAND. Captain Boss also brought up the question of a light on Flat Rock and one on Channel Island, and suggested a five and ten-mile light respectively for .those spots. The Minister promised to obtain a report on the advisaWeness of lights at these points, together with the coetA AUTOMATIC FOR CUVXER. Another matter discussed was the Minister's suggestion that an automatic light 'be put on Cuvier Island. Mr. Fisher assured the deputation that the light would 'be absolutely reliable. It would be placed on the top of the island, instead of the eastern side, and would be visible for 20 miles. The advantage would be that *by substituting an automatic for a watched light the cost would be greatly reduced, as three automatics could be maintained at the same cost as one watched light. There was, however, .no immediate hurry about this, so nothing was likely to be done for some time. -