SHIPS’ MOORINGS AT MILFORD

Southland Times, Issue 23827, 26 May 1939, Page 6

SHIPS’ MOORINGS AT MILFORD

FACILITIES UNDER CONSIDERATION DIFFICULTIES STATED BY MINISTER The provision of mooring facilities and directional wireless at Milford Sound is under consideration by the Marine Department. It is expected that the sound will be visited frequently by vessels after the opening of the Milford road. The Southland Progress League recently wrote to the Minister of Marine (the Hon. P. Fraser) asking if the Government had any. proposals for the provision of berthage at the sound. At the last meeting of the executive of the league, advice on the requirements in the sound for the development of shipping was offered by Mr J. M. Eadie, of Invercargill, who is familiar with the locality. The executive was also informed of the opinions of the marine superintendent of one of the shipping companies operating on the New Zealand coast. A reply has now been received from the Minister. “The Government realizes that mooring facilities will be required if the tourist trade to Milford Sound is to develop.” states the Minister’s letter. “No difficulty presents itself in the case of ships which merely steam into the sound and out again, since there is comfortable swinging room inside, but the mooring or berthage of vessels for the landing of passengers, or for prolonged visits, raises problems which are not easy of solution. “An examination of the several possible ways of meeting the situation has been made by officers of this department and of the Public Works Department in consultation with leading masters of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Ltd. Mooring buoys present some difficulty, not so much in their installation as in their use in squally weather unless a powerful tug is available. Alternative methods are under investigation. “A light has already been established on St. Anne Point, and the use of directional wireless is under consideration. Because of the physical features of the sound, it has to be ascertained by actual experiment whether or not wireless signals will retain their directional value.”