"INESTIMABLE VALUE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 282, 29 November 1933, Page 8

"INESTIMABLE VALUE."

HARBOUR BOARD APPROVAL. "Had there been a radio beacon on Cuvier Island, the wreck of the Wiltshire in 1922 and the loss of £1,000,000 would have been avoided," said Mr. Ernest Davis at the meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday

afternoon, when moving that the Marine Department Be asked to instal radio beacons on Cape Brett, Mokohinau. Tiritiri and timer Island as an aid. to navigation. Ships approaching the Hauraki Golf from the'iiorth in thick weather were working on blind navigation, added Mr Davie. This was a time of fast travel." ling, and captains of ships, in endeav" ouring to keep faith with the com. panics and the public, had to take risks' Though the gulf was safe in fine we a-' ther, it was intensively dangerous d®-." ing the prevalence of north-easterly a0 j thick weather generally. The currents were an unknown quantity, and tie passages into tlie gulf were narrow "The Marine Department should be a live institution, but instead it is build, and the board will be q u ;u within its rights in bringing this matter before it." The harbourmaster, Captain H. W Sergeant, endorsed all that Mr. Davis had said. He quoted a report he had made to the bc/ard on his return from England in 1923, when ne recommended the installation .of . wireless directionfinders. Three years later the radio beacon, on-'Cape Maria Van Dieman was installed by the Marine Department, but that \yas the extent of its activities in this direction. Radio beacons 011 the four points suggested would be of inestimable'; value. °° Mr. Davis' motion was approved.