THE HOKIANGA BAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 11

THE HOKIANGA BAR.

SIGNALS DISCONTINUED. ABANDONMENT OF SERVICE. SHIPPING FIRMS PROTEST. The decision of the Marine Department to abolish the position of harbourmaster at Hokianga and to discontinue the signalling services has resulted in strong protests being sent 'by shipping interests to the Minister of Marine, the Hon. J. B. Donald. The following telegram was despatched to the Minister yesterday by the Auckland Merchant Service Guild:—"The Auckland Merchant Service Guild makes emphatic protest against the withdrawal of the harbourmaster at Hokianga. The Hokianga bar is considered by masters to be the most dangerous in New Zealand and requires constant supervision by a competent man in order to be negotiated with any confidence. No consideration of economy can justify action which may result in the sacrificing of seamen's lives. Your Government will be held responsible for any disaster which may occur." Bar Continually Changing. The secretary of the guild, Captain B. Burk, who lias had many years' experience in working the Hokianga Bar. stated i yesterday that for the safety of shipping j it was absolutely essential to have a competent, man in charge, as the bar was continually shifting. For this reason it would be impossible to erect beacons. In the absence of a harbourmaster, the master of a .Vessel outward bound would have no means of finding out the condition of the bar until he reached it. The practice was to telephone from Opononi to find out the state of the bar from the harbourmaster. To put about once it was found impossible to cross the bar would be very difficult. " The Hokianga Bar is recognised as the most treacherous on the New Zealand coast." Captain Burk said. "The only man who can tell the condition of the bar is the harbourmaster, who can see the seas outside. The channel i& now in its worst position, running alongside the beach. We have been as long as 11 days waiting to get over, being unable to find a channel even with the harbourmaster there. In a heavy sea it is impossible to tell the condition of the bar from outside and a master coi.ild not take the risk of entering without advice from the harbourmaster. If there were even only one ship running, a harbourmaster would be necessary." Captain Hammond's Protest. At present there are two vessels engaged in a regular weekly service from Onehunga to Hokianga, the Northern Company's auxiliary schooner Ronaki and the auxiliary schooner Hokianga, owned by A. G. Frankham, Limited. Occasional trips are made by other vessels, but these have been less of recent years owing to the falling-off in the timber trade of the district. The manager of the Northern Company, Captain Hammond, in a letter of protest. to the Minister, stated yesterday that the bar was one of the worst on the West Coast. It was constantly changing and at the present time was particularly bad. He pointed out that only last week the Ronaki had arrived off the bar on Friday afternoon and had remained there until Monday, being warned not to attempt the crossing by the signalman. Without this advice from the signalman the master might, have attempted to cross the bar and there was no knowing what might have happened. The department was asked to reconsider its decision. " The service has to be provided, but it means that without a signalman a chance will have to be taken, which would not be fair to the seamen or to shipping.'' Captain Hammond said. "It is essential that a proper signalman should be kept there." • Another telegram of protest has been sent by A. G. Frankham, Limited. It states that the Hokianga Bar is one of the most dangerous in New Zealand and required a competent certificated man in charge, as the position of the bar is constantly changing. The department's contemplated action is a distinct menace to the lives of men working Hokianga. View ;of Seamen's Union. The secretary of the Seamen's Union, Mr. T. Anderson, sent the following message to the Minister of Marine :—" You cannot escape personal responsibility if disaster occurs on the notoriously dangerous Hokianga Bar through.the discontinuation of an essential signal service. Such economy amounts to juggling with seamen's lives." The wreck of the Isabella de Fraine on July 14, 1928, with the loss of eight lives, was the first for 14 years on the Hokianga Bar, . although many ships had been severely buffeted. On August 7, 1914, the barque Joseph Craig, while being towed outward for Melbourne by the tug Ohinemuri, parted the towline and became a total wreck inside the bar. The crew landed safely. Directions contained in the New Zealand Pilot for approaching the Hokianga. River contain the following reference:— " A constant swell from the westward breaks heavily on the beach, and the bar is usually breaking, except in the fino season, when it. has been known to be> smooth for two or three weeks at a time. Vessels should be prepared, when crossing, for shipping a. sea. Three are generally experienced before the bar is passed."