THE THREE KINGS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 September 1924, Page 7

THE THREE KINGS

DIRECTION-FINDING BF.IACON

COST ABOUT £40,000

WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. A report by the Marine Department on experiments conducted with a view to determining the best means of protecting shipping fro mthe dangers of the Three Kings definitely advocates a direction-finding beacon. The apparatus has been ordered and is now to hand for the conversion of the Tiri light from a watched light to an automatic. The work of conversion will be put in hand shortly. The report reads as follows: “The most satisfactory lighthouse fog signal apparatus that can be designed for Three Kings would consist of two lights, one at each end of Big King in order to reduce the blind sector which one light would produce over the western reef, and a fog signal within the blind sector. This would cost approximately £40,000. “Owing to the prevalence of fog at Three Kings, the lights would be of very doubtful, if any, value, just at the time they were required. A radio direction-finding beacon, which can be erected, at a fraction of the cost of lighthouse fog signal apparatus, will serve efficiently day and night, and under any weather conditions, and in any direction. It has the additional advantage that by bearings taken at intervals, not only direction but- position can be accurately determined. . “The result of all these experiments is to convince the department's expert advisers that the interests of shipping will best be served by - the erection of a modern radio beacon .suitably placed in an accessible locality, and thus remove the menace of the Three Kings more effectively than could be done by means of lights and fog signal.”