Keepers on the blink

Press, 7 June 1980, Page 6

Keepers on the blink

PA Invercargill I Lighthouse keepers will j refuse to file weather reports I from round New Zealand's [coastline from June 20. in an ! attempt to persuade the i Government to conduct an ■ inquiry into the automation lof the’ lighthouse service. The Public Service Association yesterday gave the Ministry of Transport 14 days notice of the lighthouse keepers’ intention to take industrial action after the Ministry’s Marine Division told the P.S.A. of its plans to automate the entire lighthouse service by 1988. A spokesman for the P.S.A. said the keepers would continue to give local weather reports to fishermen and boaties, however. Two automatic weather reporting stations, at East Cape and Farewell Spit, will also be disconnected on June 20. The spokesman said it was difficult to gauge what effect the action would have on shipping and aircraft movements, but he said Wellington Airport received hourly weather reports from some stations. Without lighthouse keepers’ co-operation, the Meteorological Service would be unable to measure cloud height or type, rainfall intensity at any one time, sea conditions or general visibility. “The issue is very simple — the Government has been invited by the Marine Coun-| cil, a body it set up itself, to; conduct an inquiry into the! de-manning of the country’s! lighthouses. It has refused! that invitation, and the j keepers’ action is an attempt to persuade the Government! to accept that invitation,” he! said. I “We have some very good I information to back up the manning of some lighthouses, but equally, the Ministry of Transport may have some good information backing up its case. Surely an inquiry is the place to present these arguments?” he asked.