THE MAN A LIGHT.

Manawatu Herald, 25 October 1878, Page 2

THE MAN A LIGHT.

Two wrecks in a fortnight within a quarter of a mile of one another ! This fact calls for strict enquiry, whether there is not some grave defect in the lighthouse arrangements upon this coast. Within the last few months four vessels — three of them large ships — have been literally blown ashore upon the West Coast Beach. In the last cwo cases — the Felix Stowe and City of Auckland — the reason undoubtedly is, that in the night the Island of Kapiti has been mistaken tor Stephen's Island, the captains have supposed they were passing the latter, and have hoisted their sails to take advantage of the westerly wind and get through the Straits. Tho mis'.ake has beeu found out by the bumping of the vessel on a leo shore. In one case, four lives were lost. We shudder to think what the number would have been, if the same proportion had been drowned of the immigrants. Providentially, that calamity has been averted, and no lives are lost ; still the Country has been put to great expense, and the casualty is sure to injuriously affect the immigration scheme at home. A gieat mistake was made in removing the beacon light from Mana to The Brothers. The effect of this is, that now there is re&lly no guide whatever to vessels going through the Straits by night, as, if a vessel happens to run down on the north side of the Straits, she cannot make out The Bro f thers Light until she gets past Mana. This danger was predicted when the removal of the light was proposed, by a number of shipmasters thoroughly acquainted with the Coast, amongst whom we may mention Capt Fraser, of the Jane Douglas. Their prophe* cies are fully borne out. 'I he light at Mana is marked on the charts mostly used, and a captain naturally expects to see it on neaiing the Coast ; when too late, he finds it is not there. Any captain strange »o the Colony, making the coast perhaps on dead reckoning, after having been unable to tako observations for two or three days, might

miataUu Kapiti for Stephens Inland on a dark night. iHven :m old coaster, under Hiioh circunistaaces, might err in his calculations.

Tho cost to which the country will now b ■} pat for removal <rul housing of the immigrants, ami perhaps loss cA' I'iiilwuy m;i(c:riit], won hi pro') rbly lmvu maintained tlio .MV.na l.igiit for y<\.iv; ; b:-.s:ili.\s tho cullaU-ral injuries tiie Colony will ivceivo by such a lUsa'-ter to an immigrant ship. Considering the vast shipping track New Zealand has, and the propsrty and life endangered, we trust steps will be at once taken to have the Mana Light again exhibited. The buildings are already on the Island ; only the machinery is required.