THE THREE KINGS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14919, 18 March 1914, Page 11

THE THREE KINGS.

PROPOSED WIRELESS STATION IN LIEU OF LIGHTHOUSE. (rRESs Associvnox teixgram.) AUCKLAND, M-rqh i"f. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher informed a reporter at Ng_m_,w.ihi_ yesterday that hi» lVp-rtmem was considering the advisxbility of establishing 3 wireless station a-t t.b* Three Kmes, instead of o lighthouse. It had been found practically uupossible to place an effective light on the Three King*. Mr Fisher points out that modern advancement in wireless telegraphy has. proved that with a fixed wireless station a ye.<¥«>! with * wireless compass can gvt into touch with the station, no matter how foggy or tempestuous the wea'-hcr. and by taking cress liearmc* at intervals can : : ,x her rnoition to an absolute certainty. To _\i this, of course, vessels would require to be fitted with a. wireless compass, which has been designed tor this special purpose. It is a comparative,}- ;r-expen.sivn instrument. Enquiries i* "■"•' n:.ik:ng now w, w in t he direction of obtaniinE; an assurance of practical utility of this new method, and nothing will be don. tnl mis information comes to hand _. , Later "Tie proposal to establish a wirele«* station at the Three Kii.w, :r. lien of a li-rhi, 2s ,',"",?■ f*'"" criticised by shinmastew. -Mr r-n-hcr said te-nkht that he w» s no t committed to ihe wireless compass scheme, Imt that he i.itei-.ded to exhaust all pcesibl.* means of enquiry and sources o: information rojr.irdiri',- the mattrr before arriving at _ decision. He doubted very much whether any __hipni aster in Auckland Ww what a wireles--s wmpj*. really consisted of, or what its _capal»i:.t:e« were. lie w.i.s him*.'!awaiting information a* to the use* of the** compasses (none of which were vet fn '_** -n -,7 *l'. a > ndl ,>pforo a"ivir.e at a decision. Mr I-isher added that he had asked th--. .■tupmnster* the pertinent que-tion : "If you ar- -o-.ng to li ? ht the Kings, where are you .trotn- t-> rut the licht ?" but not one" of them had Wn able to. answer the quest ion A tig-lit. to be visible from all point* of th« compass, could only ho placet! on the Hi.: King, which wns about five mi low cast or Danger Point. Tlie only place at which a light could be of service w : ,.. on the We« King, .iml that was as a «ite