Lighthouse sites inspection

Press, 5 November 1977, Page 3

Lighthouse sites inspection

Two offers of private land will be among 10 sites to be inspected soon by a steering committee of the Akaroa Lighthouse Preservation Society.

The committee has 10 members who represent residents of Akaroa, the Historic Places Trust, and the Akaroa County Council. According to the chairman (Mr D. McKay) some persons have suggested that the lighthouse, now 100 years old, be retained at its present site.

Mr McKay said the drawbacks of this included possible vandalism and the difficulty of maintaining interest in a lighthouse a long way from the harbour. However, representatives of the Historic Places Trust were concerned that the lighthouse might lose its historical value if it was shifted, Mr McKay said. Offers of private land could not be made public yet, because they had not been made officially to the committee, Mr McKay said. The committee hoped to have its recommendation ready by November 23, when it would be accepted or rejected bv a public meeting.

Although the lighthouse needs some maintenance work outside, its mechanism is in perfect order, according to another committee member, Mr J. B. Helps.