LIGHTING THE SUMNER BAR.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14658, 6 May 1913, Page 3

LIGHTING THE SUMNER BAR.

. to -ma eutroß or "t»r runs o ' p Sir.—Now +Aiat the Harbour Board elections are over, it seems to be a propitious time to attempt to got sometiling done in the way of placing beacons for tho guidance of navigators of the fiumner bar. As a very frequent user of that ofic.n clangorous stretch of water, I should like to state most emphatically that, since the destruction of the old iron beacon, it has become a veritable death trap. Probably it has leen the idea of the Board not to encourage boats to leave tho confined space of the Estuary, but It is useless to disguise the ? fact that an astonishing number of boats cross the bar in a year. The sea-going instinct of tho crews of there boats is one which Mr Hugo Frifxllnnder recently said should be encouraged; and, while there is a certain number of boating men who will cross the bar, whether encouraged or not, it is only a fair thirty to make tho risk as little as possible. I would suggest that two white beacons be erected, one on the cliff in a line with the channel on tho bar. and the other on the flat where it could bo shifted by the pilot as the course changes. On nights when the pilot expected boats to cross, two red lanterns, placed on the beacons, would Ff»rve tho same purpose. Kaikoura Boat Harbour, Wairau Bar and Tory Channel entrance, which I have recently visited in a small boat, are all equipped in this way. We have an extremely able pilot at Simmer—a man for whose judgment. I. for one. have tho'utmost respect, and it is asking too much of him to hoar the responsibility of his position with the signals as they aro, or rathr-r are not. Hoping that something will speedily bo done on the lines I have sutrorsted.—Yours, otc.

JAMEK R. DTCVEREUX.

New Brighton, May Ist,