TIME TO WAKE UP!

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 4

TIME TO WAKE UP!

If the coast of New Zealand is allowed to remain long enough unsnrveyed the necessity, for such an undertaking will, of course, pass away, for the now hidden dangers to navigation will have been revealed by successive wrecks and drownings. The mercantile marine will have discovered for us what the hydrographer lias not located. The expense of a. survey is considerable, it seems, and leads to an "outcry." Any criticism of expenditure under this heeding, however, comes only from those parochial nuisances in the Legislature whose horizon is bounded by a bridge or has its utmost limitation in a culvert. Our view of the matter is that parsimony in such a direction is really a most inexcusable waste. An accurate coastal survey is essential to safe navigation.' It is a collective form of life insurance, and is recognised to bo so by every country which calls itself civilised. The Minister for Marine, it will be noticed this morning, is again going to bring the matter before his colleagues, and there is 'thus some vague assurance of something being done to remedy a very grave omission. Really the attitude of Parliament towards marine affairs is incomprehensible. It permits a penu.rious policy of lighthouse construe-1 tion to go on from year to year, and | allows the Burvey of places frequented by steamers to be calmly handed on to

posterity. If we cannot afford to perform our obligations in this direction it would be just as well to say so. In tho meantime, wo must refuse "to believe that this is the case, and attribute the deficiency to a wretched cheeseparing where there should be an alert recognition of the public requirements. When we hear of an excursion steamer bearing hundreds of passengers becoming impaled upon a " pinnacle," it is time .to again ask the Legislature to wake up to a sense of its responsibilities. What with dangerous parts of the coast unlit and unknown traps lurking under the surface of the sea tho public will have good reason to feel keen resentment unless Bomo genuine activity in removing such deplorable anomalies is shown—and at once.