A DANGER TO NAVIGATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10036, 30 April 1894, Page 1

A DANGER TO NAVIGATION.

Wellington, April 29.—Captain Kennedy, of the Terranora, has telegraphed to the Marino department that he baa examined the wreckage off the Mohaka river, but was unable to remove it. The visible wreckage is the heel of a mast about JOffc above water in 14 fathoms. The baring* from tho mast aro:—Mohaka river W. i S., and Waitna river N.W. J N.; three niilea and a-half off the shore, almost directly in tha track of vessels between Wairoa and Napier.

The s.s. Rotorua, from the north, arrived at the Rattray street whaif at 0 a.m. of Saturday. Mr Si>dler (her purser) reports :—She left Wellington at 4pm. of tho 25th inst.; had fine weather, and arrived at Lyttelton at 8 a.m. of the 27th inst.; left ngain for tbe south at 1.20 p.m samo day, bad fine weather down the coast, and arrived as above.

■ The s.s. Tarawera Bteamcd down fiomDune-lin to Porfc Chalmers ou Saturday morning, aad was donked for cleaning and repainting. Tho New Zealand Shipping Company's barque Opawa, for this port, from Wellington, passed Lyttelton on Saturday, we look for ber arrival to-day. The a.s. Taviuni leaves Pott Chalmera to-morrow afternoon for Weatport direct. The 5.3. Invercargill left Invercargill at 11.55 p.m. of Saturday, and arrived at Port Chalmera at 2 p.m. yesterday, having had light N.W. wind to arrival.

A few more daya should bring tha barque Matauia into port. She ia now 101 doya out from London, while the barque Banca, from Glasgow, is 85 days oufc.

Mr Alexander Blue, late chief officer of the barquentine Yolande, who haß beon studying at the Trinity House Navigation and Steam Schools, WeUington, on Friday last passed his examination for a certificate cf competency as "master" io. the merchant service.

An iterating caae was decided recently at Edinburgh over some rubber material forwarded for shipment by an Auatralian line IradiDg steamer. Objection was raised by the shipping company that naphtha might be in the material, and in that event they would not permit it in tho hold of their ship. After a good deal of delay the attention of the Board of Trade waa called to the matter. Professor Redwood was employed to make the examination, and it waa found that the solution, so far from being.securely packed, waa picked in weak tina which were leaking badly, and that they were giving off sufficient vapour to pause a conflagration at any moment. Tbe innocent" rabber'Eolution was found to contain no less than 83 per cent, of naphtha; the flashing point was 31 degrees; and at.3o degrees it gave off inflammable vapour. On this the Board of Trado instituted a prosecution. The shippeis pleaded guilty, and asserted their ignorance of the inflammablo nature of the solution. They were fined £10. Not long ago an explosion on board the steamer Hazel Branch occurred, by which the boatawain of the vessel lost his life, snd the cause was traced to some drums of patent paint.

A NEW LIGHTHOUSE AT FIJI. Recent news from Fiji bringa the following particulars in reference to the light established in the Fiji group :—" The Government carpenters who have been at Wailagilala erecting the lighthouse sfc that place.returned to Suva on Saturday, 31st March. They left Suva for the island

per s.s. Southern Cross on Monday, 19 th.February, under tho charge of Mr Hansen, and arrived at tbeir destination on tho morning of Wednesday, 21st. All that day and Thursday were occupied in getting tho material ashore. Work was at once commenced in clearing the site and erecting the house 3in which they were to live. The lighthouse wns started on Monday, 26th February, and it waa all put together ready for lifting in three weeks. Three days, however, were lost owing to bad blocks for lifting, and it waa found necessary to send to Vuna for fresh ones. On .arrival the tackle was got ready, and the structure was lifted in two hours. The step 3 and house on tbe top were tben affixed and everything set up. The men left Wailagilala on Thursday, the 29th ult, at 4 o'clock, in a cutter, and arrived at Suva at 6 o'clock p.m. on Saturday last. Altogether six weeks wore occupied from time of leaving Suva to their return. When leaving the island the log was thrown overboard, and the light could be seen for a distance of 10 miles from the passage, and from tho masthead of the cutter was visible for 15 miles. The lifting apparatus consisted of two large derricks, e?,ch 65ft long, aud tho lighthouse was shipped right into its plac9 liko a vessel's maefc. There are four buildings on tbe island, viz., dwelling of white caretaker, kitchan, boy's house, and kerosene store. There are also seven large tanks for holding water. Thero were five whites and 14 natives employed on the work. The light will prove a boon to Australian-bound shipping."