MATAI IN STORMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 206, 1 September 1938, Page 12

MATAI IN STORMS.

THREE DAYS' SHELTER. LIGHTHOUSE ROUND IN NORTH. Forced to remain in shelter at Deepwater Cove, Bay of Islands, for three days last week in the course of her round of maintenance of lighthouses on the northern coast, the Government lighthouse steamer Matai experienced some ,of the roughest weather she has ever encountered. She returned to Auckland last night. It was when work had been finished at Cape Marja Van Diemen that the Matai ran into a stiff east-north-east gale. She Was able to work in sheltered waters last Thursday at North Cape, but the gale prevented work at Cape Brett. The ship therefore put into Bay of Islands where she remained on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Cape Brett, the Chickens Group and Moko Hinau were visited en route to Auckland. To-day a start was made with loading a large amount of equipment to enable a start to be made on the erection of a radio beacon at Cuvier Island. When she leaves on Monday morning she will take with her a number of Public Works employees to assist. Four days will probably be spent in lightering material and then the men will be housed ashore.

Returning to Auckland at the end of next week, the Matai will be loaded with material for the beacon at Moko Hinau Island. After this duty is completed the vessel will return to Auckland again to load a new crane and cable to stretch 1200 feet from the mainland to the lighthouse at Cape Maria Van Diemen. After her trip there she will proceed down the west coast to Wellington.