OUR LIGHTHOUSES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10259, 30 January 1894, Page 6

OUR LIGHTHOUSES.

[BT A. H. WILSON.]

Navigation on the New Zealand coast is becoming safer every year, and the travelling public can go to their bunks with more security than in the sixties. Then very few lighthouses were in existence except at the entrance to our principal harbours; now you can scarcely get out of sight of one in a twelve houra’ run. On nearly every prominent point and island of the New Zealand coast, as Longfellow sings = — The lighthouse lifts its massive masonry; A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day. Many a life they have saved; yet, strange to say, I have known steamers run right into them. The s.s. Lye-e-moon ran ashore at the Green Cape lighthouse in New South Wales, in 1886, on a fine clear night, and a great loss of life was the result; whilst on oiir-own coast the s.s. Triumph ran on Tiritiri, just under the light. The position of one light has also been mistaken for that of another, and many accidents have resulted from this cause, especially in sailing vessels making the coast of New Zealand, as witness the number of accidents on the Otaki Beach through captains mistaking The Brothers light for tbe Mana one, which has latterly been abolished. Volumes could be and are written about lighthouses and the isolated life of the keepers and their families, and one of the latter, Grace ' Darling, will never he forgotten. The constant contact with danger steels the nerves, and the general surroundings being of a wild character, many a brave heart beats in these rocky homes. The New Zealand Government lighthouses are under the Marine Department’s supervision. The Colonial Secretary, Sir Patrick Buckley, is the Ministerial head, whilst the more immediate executive work ia done by Mr W. T. Glasgow. The s.s. Hinemoa makes periodical trips to each lighthouse, and keepers are transferred from one place to another, and stores are landed by her for the use of the families. Captain Fairchild is a welcome visitor to many a light where the stores are short and the news stale. In addition to visiting the lighthouses the Hinemoa also lays down buoys, takes soundings and visits the lonely islands in the Southern Ocean, establishing depots’ for castaways and looking out for the latter. She ia also used by the Governor and the Ministry on occasions! trips. Altogether this steamer has her work cutout, and last year she travelled 30,840 miles in her various trips. Leaving Wellington harbour, the first lighthouse of is that on Pencarrow Head, on the northern point of the entrance to the harbour. This is perhaps the oldest lighthouse in the colony, having been lit on Jan. 1, 1859. The light is known as the second order dioptric, and shows a white light. The tower is of iron, and the total cost of the lighthouse was £6422. There are two men ia charge, the principal keeper being Mr J. Connel. Several wrecks have taken place right under the light, but they, of course, resulted from the heavy sea which runs at the heads, the entrance being narrow and a reef running out at each point. To give the public an idea of the quantity of oil burnt at this light, I find that last year 843 gallons of paraffin were consumed. I

I purpose taking the reader first round the North. Island, and in another article the South. Going northward on’the east coast the first point of any importance is Cape Palliser, and the department purposes erecting a lighthouse here shortly. This will prove a great boon to vessels coming down the coast, as when they pick up this light and get it abeam they will have a clear run through the Strait. There are several other points on the coast—Castle Point, Cape Turnagain and the Kidnappers. Some of these have small beacon lights, hut no lighthouse of any importance is come up with until you sight the one on Portland Island. I may state that from Cape Palliser to the Kidnappers is principally sheep country, some of the runs being very large. Portland Island is at the southern end of the Mahia Peninsula, and is the northern entrance to Hawke’s Bay proper. The island is quite historical, as close to it Te Kcoti landed from the Rifleman, a schooner which he seized on the Chathams. This was a few days before the Poverty Bay massacre. The Wairoa River runs into the bight, and a flourishing township is on its banks. The lighten Portland is a revolving one of the second order dioptric. A dangerous place, called the Bull Rock, is just off the island, and over this a red light is shown, the arc being so arranged inside the lighthouse. This light was first lit on Feb. 10,1878, and has proved a great help to navigation between Poverty and Hawkers Bays. The keepers’ houses are good, and Mr Charles Robson is in .charge, there being three keepers here. Crossing over Poverty Bay, in which is the flourishing town of Gisborne, the next point of importance is the East Cape. This pl'.ca should certainly bo lit, and captains have had some difficulty in the past in fixing their position, as it is the most north-easterly point of New Zealand, and rounding it means an entire change of course, either going north or coming south. The land between Portland Island and the East Caps is being rapidly settled, large areas are in Maori reserves, but small farms are being taken up at Tolago Bay and Tokomatu, to which the Union Steamship Company runs a steamer weekly. After rounding the East Cape you run across the Bay of Plenty, the scene of so many struggles during the Maori war. White Island, which you pass close to, is an active volcano, and pure yellow sulphur is lying all around. “ Brummagem ” jewellery suffers here, the atmosphere having a darkening effect on many a socalled eighteen carat'gold chain. In the Bight Is Opotiki, a village round which there is soma splendid land for maize-growing, and here the Rev Volkner was murdered by the Maoris in the sixties, and close to this is Ohiwa, where the notorious Te Kooti died last We also pass Tauranga, outside which is the Karewa Island, on which the old s.s. Taranaki was wrecked, and inside the Mooganui Bluff, where the first s.s. Taupo met the same fate. The Gate pah is close by, where the Maoris did so much damage to the British. The land round Tauranga is lighter; a great deal of pumice and fern skirts the coast.

Tbo next lighthon'o 5s on Cuvier Iriancl, nem.’d after the great French naturalist. This place is just opposite the Mercury Island, and the light is a firstclass dioptric. It is one of the best on the

coast; the tower is over 800 ft high, and built of iron. It was first lit on Sept. 22, 1889, and is in charge of three men. Tbe internal machinery is a French patent, the oil being pumped up by small pumps, each stroke of which rings a bell. Although somewhat complicated it has proved a first-class plant, but requires constant attention. Some time ago this tower was struck by lightning and the electric bell inside was fused. Fortunately, it was through the day, ao no one was hurt. Sea birds dash themselves against this tower, and in the morning many of them arc picked up dead; in fact, the same applies to every lighthouse, and young keepers are often very much seared by them when first taking charge. Longfellow had this in his mind when he wrote; — ■ “ The sea bird, wheeling round it with the din Of wings and winds and solitary cries,

Blinded and maddened by tbe light within, Dashes himself against the glare aud dies."

This light, which is a revolving one, flashing every thirty seconds, is in charge of Mr Edward Wilson, and is kept in perfect order. ' •

On the coast opposite are several large sawmills, especially at Mercury Bay and Tairua; whilst the Coromandel Peninsula is passed, where so much gold has been got in the past, notably at the Thames. You then pass between Cape Colville and the Great Barrier. Island, and Tiritiri light is., next seen. This is a meat important light, as vessels entering the- Hauraki Gulf, making for Auckland, take their bearings from here. It ia a fixed light of the second order dioptric, and was first lit on Jan. 1, 1865. There is a red arc which shows over the Flat Rock, and tbe internal machinery is kept in ficat-class order by Mr Simpson. You can see the Kawau Island, the late residence of Sir George Grey, from here, as also the Waiwera hot springs.

Going north you next come up with Moko Hinou, which is a powerful flash light, repeating every ten seconds. This island is to the north of the Barrier, and vessels rounding the North Capa or steamers making for Auckland pick it up and clear the reefs which exist all round it. The tower is of stone, and, being subject to heavy gales, is strongly built, costing in all £BIB6. Mr William. Nicholson is in charge, and has under him two other keepers. The country on the coast, especially near Whangarei, is admirably adapted for farming. Of course, the latter place is an old settlement, and a great number of Nova Scotians—known 'as Blue Noses—are farming there. Nearly every second man is a Highlandman, and Macs, Chisholms, &0., predominate. Mr L, Hanlon, the late Government fruit expert, has a large orchard near here, and fruit of all kinds thrives here. You also pass tha Bay of Islands, where the celebrated Waitangi Treaty was signed, and where missionary enterprise in New Zealand had its birth. You then head for tha North Cape, and pick up the light on Cape Maria Van Diemen. Round the North Cape the land is poor and very gaudy, and the eame applies to tha country round Capo Maria Van Diemen. The light at, this place’was first lit on March 24, 1889. There are two lights in one tower. The main light is a revolving one, whilst the' second is fixed, and shows a red light over the Columbia reef. It is of the first order dioptric, and cost £7028. Vessels making New Zealand from Fiji or America, as also Australia, pick up this light first, and great speculation is often heard on board as to what time the light will he first sighted. Mr Mr Alexander M’Kinley is in charge and has two others under him. You then alter the course to the couth, ward, and after passing Hokianga, where so much good kauri has come from to ornament our southern homes, you run down the coast until you sight the light on Kaipara Heads. All along this coast vast quantities of timber are being annually exported to Australia, and the ground is being in turn settled by an industrious farming population. To see a large raft of timber with the various booms is a sight one does not see in the South Island. The Kaipara Bar is a very bad one; the candspit runs out for several miles, and the entrance is always changing. Many wrecks have taken place here, and the sea on the bar is terrible in rough weather. This light was opened on Dec. 1, 1884, and shows a flash-light every ten seconds. It ia o! tha second order dioptric, and it revolving, the machinery being very simple and efficient. It cost £5570, and has been of great service to mariners making Kaipara from Australia. Mr Neilson is in charge, and has another keeper^with him. The Manukau Heads light is the next going south—on the South Head. This harbour has been a terror in the past to captains of vessels, as the bar ia constantly changing, and many wracks have occurred on it, the worst,perhaps, being H.M.S.Orpheus. Pieces of that vessel are often coming ashore, .although the wreck toot place neatly thirty years ago. The light itself, which was opened on Sept. 1. 1874,Tea third-class dioptric, and ia substantially built. Mr M’Gabey is in charge. On the nor th head are two beacons; a single station ia also on the south head, where vessels are informed by signal as to the state of the bar, whether crossable or not. Some ten years ago the writer struck on this bar in the old Rangatira, and the experience was the eame as a horse standing on its hind legs and as suddenly springing to the ground again, thence being sent in the air say two feet, and landing with a sudden stoppage, which knocked everyone flat on deck. If this is not sufficiently graphic, I ask my readers to try it for themselves; for my own part I am not taking any more Manukau bars. I go to Auckland always via the east coast; but it is, of course, not always rough at the Manukau. From the Manukau - Heads to Cape E-gmont is a twelve hours run. You pass the mouths of the Waikato ahd Mokau rivers going south. Oa the former river many scenes- were enacted during the war. The land on the banka is good. The Messrs Reynolds are sending home their "Anchor” brand butter from the Waikato district which has been such a success in London. Ths Mokau has some good coal r eams on its banks, and every person hes heard of “ Mokau Jones,” who ia always going to float a tremendous company to work it. but it does not seem to come off. The mouth of the Waitara is also passed, where the old s.s. Airedale was wrecked, aa also several others; and tha ironsand beach of Taranaki can be seen everywhere. At the Waitara ia a large freezing works, and vessels load m the offing for London. New Plymouth i* a pretty place from the sea, whilst Mount Egmont towers over it, round whose slopes so many from Canterbury and elsewhere are making a new home.

The Capa Egmont light is of the second dioptric class. It was formerly on Mana Island, and was first lit on August 1, 1881. Vessels coming from Wellington or Nelson pick it up, and as some nasty reefs are close by, on which the s.s. Takapuna nearly came to grief, it has proved a useful light to captains. The islands in the Strait are next visited, which I will reserve for another occasion.

Bonaparte was a great man, and a nutmeg rasp is a grater; bub nothing beats Mrs S. A. Allen’s World Hair Restorer for cnewing the youthful colour and beauty of the hair.*— [Adtt.l Explorers have recently visited the wild Olympic mountains, iu western Washington. They report that the timber lino disappears at about 6000 feet, and at the base of the highest peak, at the 5000 and 6000 foot level, is a system of meadows and lakes, where grass and flowers grow in great luxuriance. Eighty per cent of the trade of Siam is in English hands, and some 2 per cent in French. Englishmen quote this fact to show how unreasonable it is of Frenchmen to press their claims upon Siam. They forget that it is this very circumstance which makes the French mad to get a better hold on Siam.

Only forty three men per 1000 in the British Army have a cheat measurement of from 39in to 40in, and four hundred and ninety one per 1000 is the proportion of men under sft 7in in height. So says the " Annual Return ” for the ye&r 1892. But the number of men iu the ranks has increased daring the last eighteen years by some 31,000.