SURVEY NEEDED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 118, 21 May 1934, Page 9

SURVEY NEEDED.

NEW. .ZEALAND COAST. CHARTS THIRTY YEARS OLD. WARSHIPS MIGHT HEIS , . Over a great number of years now there lias been a reiteration of complaints against the inadequate chartings of the New Zealand coastline, and it has often been urged that, new and complete survey.3 should be made by the Admiralty, states the " Post."

The coastal charts have been compiled mostly from surveys made between 1840 and 1855 by H.M.s. Acheron and H.M.s. Pandora, and from 1903 to 1905 by H;M.s. Penguin. Outside of casual surveys and various changes consequent upon the locating of some new rock or reef, New Zealand's official charts have remained untouched for about 30 years. There have been many complaints as to the lack of new information concerning the Dominion's coastline, and while the masters of regular coastal traders may have become more or less accustomed to the deficiencies of their charts, the captains and officers of overseas ships have on many occasions expressed dissatisfaction with the charts at their disposal. It is understood that the Marine Department has received a communication from the British Admiralty on the question of recharting the New Zealand coast, but as yet no action has been taken, although it is recognised that the work is necessary. There are, unfortunately, no qualified surveyors in the Dominion who could do the task, and a contingent of trained men would have to be sent out from Great Britain for the work, which, once started, would occupy several years. This is due to the fact that the discrepancies in longitude and latitude and tlie wrong chartings of rocks and reefs and outstanding landmarks, could not permit of a few corrections here and there, but would probably require the larger portion of the coast to be completely surveyed again!

Examples in Point. An indication of the new material which is continually being forwarded to the Marine Department may be obtained from several of the Department's Notices to Mariners gazetted lately. In one case a rocky shoal with a least depth of two and three-quarter fathome, about 300 ft long and 150 ft wide, with depths of ten fathoms close round, was reported as located in Foveaux Strait. In another case two clumps of conspicuous trees on Bushy Point, Foveaux Strait, were charted in different positions to previous marine advice. Waipapa Point, which is ako in Foveaux Strait, has a note beside it on the official chart stating that it is reported to.lie about a mile further south than charted in 1924. A rather similar case has occurred in connection with Toby Rock, another well-known spot in the * Strait. It. was announced a few days ago that the rock lies 340 degrees and about six eablee from its charted position. *

iier tins monui uit? *vj.aiuvs tmerit notified mariners that a rock, with a least depth of 18ft at the lowest tides, had been located in the Stephens Island passage, Cook Strait. ._ These advices are continually coming to hand. The Admiralty Hydrographer, who issues the publication, "New Zealand Pilot," keeps in touch with the Marine Department,, which notifies him of all the changes. Use of Echometers. If the warships attached to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy were- equipped with echonietere and other instruments necessary for modern charting operations, something might be done to rectify the position, which is regarded by many shipping authorities as a serious one. When the Byrd Antarctic Expedition ship Bear of Oakland came to Wellington from America in Januar3 r , Mr. Edward Rooe, the oceanographec of the expedition, charted for the first time, by usin? an echometer, the etretch of water between Tahiti and Wellington. This is but one of the regularly used shipping highways, of which practically nothing ie known. Mr. Roos' hydrographic work will be supplied not to the British Admiralty, but to the United States Hydrographic Office, Washington, and will probably not be published for another year or so, when- the Byrd Expedition returns to America. The only ehips on the New Zealand coast fitted with echometers are thd Government steamer Matai and the express steamer Eangatira. Among the overseas ehips carrying them ie the Akaroa..

Nautical Adviser's Comment. Captain W. W. Whiteford, Nautical Adviser of the Marine Department, told a "Post" reporter that everything possible wae being done to assist shipmasters working the Dominion coast, but until another British Admiralty survey was conducted it would not bo possible to rectify the position. Many of the charts were admittedly incorrect, but warnings were printed on such charts and other warnings were . publiehed. If any important discovery wae made it was immediately broadcast. Last year 57 notices to mariners had been iseued by the Marine Department.