THE METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 4

THE METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT.

. Sir,—l notice in' your issuo of Juno 25 an oxcerpt .from tho '"New Zealand■ ■ Gazotte," announcing important. Government" appoint-nients.-I_';Arii ji/gst/others-'is that': of ...the : Rey ; ;DitC: ''Bates! 'to','be 'Director of Meteorology; ■ i Npwi.;s.ir,'vl'sh'Ml:'.bb;glad 'if ( you r ,can :tell me'; what .q'ualifications tliia gentle'man has for the.' occupancy jof '.a position-, which is fraught,'with such-great iinporfancp to tho maritime com-, Jmunity/'/i/So :- far',; as I can /gathoi', /: his .'/sea-: to a' /trip 'to'-Sputh cpntin'-;. ,'gmitSi' anil'/ ha was'; ;£la'oea is cVidenf ;withgood ■ jfor- '>'a: ■bpsition :'as ."weather prophet"; in/New/Zoia-. (that/this' 1 , officer should :HaV,e;a':khbwledge' 'of Jtlrn, country mouii-i "-.and'K/lpcal". ;"'of .iV/tho various/; seaports. 5 try,^'although //a :sm4U':pnej, hi)s; : 'as! fine-a: fleet oft -. .steamers ruiniing'; on and around its coasts as. any : other |. country-..in- the/world. //W;B,;havb/coal-.' ports l with. bar harbours, I 'liable to heavy seas and strong- freshes, which cror: sailors: have to .'work best 'advantage, and aro -hampei>ed' throueli want 'of 'meteorological' information stippliefl-m an intelligible,'and seaman/lik'e/'man.her.,-; This '/is / riot ; as it should bo v catered for by-a sailor—a man ,Who understands, and who, ?haß \had practical experionco of heavy weather,- who' has .worked .ships- in . and;'out' 'round our/coasts.,/ Does; bur/;'newi-pirectoi 1 -.know: anything, in .that way? How can ;hc?.. Yet. ho is placed in this position';,, arid/without any :knowledge, of 'our, xoa'sts/he/is/'tb'-givp warning .of approacliing storms to.our sailors.

. ' .We budd • lighthouses .-- and provido fog signals for-help,: to safe navigation, and theso. ai'o mostly .worked ; by sailors \ct in this most .important' we hnd a -man' ap,l»inted/who is not.a sailor. At tho:present 'tinie - thero-',''is /a /great.'stir/ about; our Navy, And outcry-.for , the :want of - sailors:- Is it ite'bb/i.wphderbdi/at.jliat /men don't/want :to'; ■g6"::,toi;'s&'?-;. ( -'small/';'':the'//.work .ardn6rtS,;:.and/ the; 'responsibility'// /enormous.: Every,seaman,looks to getting a position aftor. .;s^'nabg->!ths/^^^r:.'part/ : o£,:.jiiß life/at soa ; yet Nvjiat/charice, positions: las tho one I refer to—and which, a. seaman ji£' /filled/hy:' a man with no nautical ■ knowledge ? Wo have many able men-.who sail rour . coasts; / who aro thoroughly qualified and able:to do this work, Government, gives.-the'posi-/ tibrr/tp'.'a/niah;^who';has rio'connection,;.what'evoti with'./the /nautical prbfessipn'.,;! I;',think I' this',is : a/; matter-which m .cominu|fji 1 ty.i/ shouldx/takeV uP, and; represont to tho I/Gpyprrimerit-;:the."advisability/of-i putting /a' ! sailor/'iri Ii F.E.G.S. and vas qualifications, these cari /bo/ obtained by ( paying /a yearly .s'ub'scripti6ffo6 ;^thp : <;respectiv6; /societies.—. I am, etc, NEPTUNE.