RAOUL ISLAND EQUIPMENT

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29342, 22 October 1960, Page 15

RAOUL ISLAND EQUIPMENT

New Weather Men Taking Up Duty

New radio telecommunication and meteorological equipment, and a new prefabricated building for the filling of hydrogen balloons used to obtain radiosonde data on the upper atmosphere, are being taken to Raoul Island, in the Kermadec group, aboard the Holmburn, which is due to arrive there today. Also on board are 10 New Zealanders who are going to Raoul for a year. Among them are: Messrs T. R. Shepherd (Timaru), senior meteorological observer; P. D. Edwards (Nelson), observer; A. A. Averis (Timaru). mechanic; E. D. Thompson (Ashburton), farm manager; W.. M. Crafar (Blenheim), handyman: and I. J. Williams (Christchurch), cook. Those who will return from Raoul on the Holmburn, due at Wellington about October 28. include: Messrs C. M. Clark (Lyttelton), officer in charge; and J. F. Edgar (Nelson), handyman.

The Raoul Island station is responsible for surface weather observations and for upper wind analysis by radiosonde, and is in constant radio communication with Wellington for three-hourly reports, and for administration purposes. The Holmburn will discharge about 200 tons of cargo at Raoul, including stores for the 10 men for 12 months, plus an adequate reserve. When the vessel returns to Wellington it will begin loading for a similar servicing visit to Campbell Island (500 miles south of Dunedin), for which the tentative departure date from Wellington is November 1.