EAST ISLAND

Dominion, Volume 17, Issue 292, 27 August 1923, Page 6

EAST ISLAND

EVIDENCE OF HUGE SLIPS EARLIER REPORTS SUBSTANTIATED Information is now definitely to hand that huge pieces of East Island have broken away and disappeared into the sea. It may not be long before the whole island is wiped off the face of the map. ’ ' On Saturday morning the Secretary for Marine received the following tele•Tnm fi-ivni Captain T. Rollons, of tho Tntanelcai. at Auckland: “Slip seaward side East Island, leaves oil store about 20 feet from edge of cliff. ' Base of tower s’ght about same distance. Unable to land on island, too much sea.” This message confirms previous re» ports that tho island is likely to disappear completely. The oil store and the base of the lighthouse were previously well inland, and the slips emphasise the urgent nee -1 or removing the lighthouse to the mainland, which was carried out recently. Moving the Lighthouse. The Secretary for Marino gave a Dominion reporter some idea of the d’fficult and arduous task of removing the lighthouse some twelve months ago. A small temporary light was erected on the mainland during the removal. Great difficulties were surmounted, and tho light was eventually set up at East Cape, but several buildings were abandoned on the island, including three dwellings. East Island, half a mile in circumference, is hilly and bounded by rocks, with a ledgo extending half a mile from its northern extreme. Owing to tho exposed situation, nil growth is stunted. On the west side of the island, there is a landing accessible in moderate weather only. The lighthouse was a white tower, 69 feet Ir'gh, and exhibited a flashing white light every ten seconds, visible, in clear weather, for a distance of 22 miles.