SURVEY OF COASTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16870, 6 February 1929, Page 5

SURVEY OF COASTS

LARGE COST INVOLVED “NOT SUFFICIENTLY URGENT" The results of the negotiations of the Harbor .Boards’ Association with the Government. In secure complete marine surveys of New Zealand s coast were summarised in the annual report of the executive committee At the conference three years ago in Dunedin, it- was decided : "That in veiw of the incomplete state of the Dominion's marine surveys, the Government he urged to arrange with the Admiralty to carry out a complete survey where necessary of the coast line, of New Zealand. ’

Following this resolution a- deputation met the. Prime Minister and the Minister of Marine. The prime Minister, after hearing the representations of the deputation, slated be recognised the importance of the statements made and assured tin; association that lie would u(ie his best endeavors, while at the Imperial Conference, to. see if some satisfactory arrangements could he made for a proper survey, where required, to he carried out.

No definite official reply was received lint it March, 1928. when the Prime Minister communicated to the association the Government’s decision that it- could not sec its way to embark on the work of coastal survey at the present time.. He stated that although a survey was desirable it. was not considered sufficiently urgent- to demand immediate attention; that the existence of errors in survey were widely known; and that therefore any danger's that might arise therefrom could he avoided by careful navigation. Ha pointed out that.- it- was estimated that a. proper survey would involve the initial expenditure of ±150,000 for a pro-perly-equipped ,survey vessel, with an expenditure of £1.000,000 spread over a period of 20 years to do the work. For the above reasons the question of coastal survey had been deferred meanwhile. This decision was duly communicated to the various boards belonging to Hie association. —A tick land H erald.