TOWING RAFTS OF TIMBER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 220, 10 June 1908, Page 5

TOWING RAFTS OF TIMBER.

REGULATIONS NEEDED. Auckland, June 9.

The branch manager of the Union Company forwarded, for the consideration of the Harbour Board, to-day, the following letter from Captain Neville, of the Mahcno:— "When ontering Auckland harbour early on the morning of Friday, May 22, being about two miles off Rangitoto Beacon, I observed a bright light l nearly right ahead. At first I took it for a-^vessel at anchor/ as it altered its bearings so slowly, but soon discovered by tho smoke that it was a small steamer under way, whereupon I shaped my courso to. pass under her stern. When nearly up to her I discovered that she had a long raft of timber in tow, and had just time, to put niy helm hard over to get clear of it. I suppose the distanco from the stern light of the steamer to the end 'of tho raft must have beon some 200 yards yet there was neither signal nor light to notify the fact. The steamer did not sound any whistle of warning, and had tho morning not been bright and clear/with a good moon shining,' I certainly' would have run into tho crafty and dono unknown damago to my own ship, as well as to the other. Thero certainly ought to bo some signal to note tho fact when a vessel is towing a raft, and some light to mark the ond of the raft being towed." . Tho harbourmaster reported that tho mat-' tor had been before tho Board on previous occasions, and wis one worthy of having legislation introduced to meet. In some cases tho ends of rafts were quito 1400. feet from the_ sterns of tugs, with nothing whatever to indicate that they were there, and must involve a considerable risk of collision by an overtaking- vessel. . ... , Tho thought that if the Government's attention were drawn to tho matter they would make tho necessary regulationl ■ Tho_ matter was referred to tho Board in committee.