THE EMBARGO ON WANGANUI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16311, 11 December 1918, Page 5

THE EMBARGO ON WANGANUI.

STATEMENT BY NAVAL ADVISOR. ■ A deputation from the Wanganui Harbour Board waited on the Premier and tlie Naval Advisor regarding tho embargo on Wanganui harbour. Captain Hall Thompson said that as a result of further information received from Germany, it was learned that 35 mines were laid off Capo Farewell. Of these, 18 had been accounted for, and probably others had also been destroyed by coming ashore and exploding. So had had boon tho weather during the last two months that the trawlers hfid been able to put in only a few day’s work. AVith the advent of better weather,: and the-assistance of the/f utanokai, which was now being fitted np For -mine-sweeping, the’ Cap-tain-honed that within three months, at the most, he would ho able to raise tho embargo. In that time he hoped to locate the mines or satisfy himself that tho danger was reduced to a minimum. He-pointed out that the danger to shipping lay in the event of steamers having toynin away from- Wanganui' roadstead owing to rough weather.Tho danger rone as defined by tho Admiralty is -all that part of tho sea between New Zealand and a line drawn from Egmont to Ifa rewell. Tho local delegates stressed the importance of the matter to AA r anganui, whore one-third of a million carcases of mutton are. already in store, and the facilities for shipping this meat are very noor. Tlie Captain, however, did not.take a local view of the matter., Tho shortage of shinning was such that' tho Horae authorities would not allow any risk to bo run. There was plenty of meal to ho obtained from other ports, and the best use had to be made of the shins. Among the data laid before Captain Hall Thomnson were the wind records kent for the last three years at the Pilot Station. Tliesc showed that for two-thirds of the time the prevailing wind is north-east or north-west.