HIDDEN DANGERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7022, 10 January 1910, Page 5

HIDDEN DANGERS

NEW ZEALAND'S UNKNOWN COAST. DEFICIENCIES OF THE SURVEYS. The. wreck of tho Waikare through striking am uncharted pinnacle-rock in a passage where the depth of water was believed to exceed 180 feet suggests that a great deal has yet to ho learned about the New Zealand-coast. As a matter of fact, by far the larger proportion of the coast-line has never been surveyed in the manner customary when Admiralty charts are prepared, and this deficiency was freely admitted by tho Hon. J. A. Millar (Minister of Marino) to a "New Zealand Times" representative, who questioned him on the subject. Surveying of a coast-line is, it seems, a highly expensive proceeding. "When the warship Penguin was here a feJw years ago, wle subsidised its surveying operations," remarked Mr Millar, "but an outcry was raised against the expense. We paid £42,000, and for that secured a survey of the Hauraki Gulf, and part surveys of, the Bay of Plenty and Westport Harbour. It is a question for'Parliament to say whether it will authorise the complete survey of the coast, which would take many years. It is useless doing tho thing partially. At one time we thought the Tutanekai could be utilised, 'hut that vessel is unsuitable. We endeavoured unsuccessfully to get an iron vessel with wooden sheathing from the Admiralty, as this is the best type to stand the rough handling to which a survey ship is liable. To properly equip a coast survey with, suitable vessel and appliances would mean an initial outlay of £40,000. We cannot do that, but I shall again bring before my colleagues the desirability of asking Parliament to sanction another arrangement under which the. work can ho done by Admiralty officers and equipment. To search for pinnacle rocks in outlying positions would be an exceedingly expensive proceeding, for this requires two powerful' boats' to trail a steel rope along the bed of tho sea between them."