A LIGHT ON THE SNARES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13459, 4 December 1907, Page 4

A LIGHT ON THE SNARES.

It is to. bo hoped thai, something definite will msult from the reptesentatinns which the Invorcargill Chamber, of Commerce intend to make to the Commonwealth Government upon t.he desirability.'of establishing a lighthouse upon the 'Snares. The need for such a, bsacon has again been impressed by the wreck of the Dundonald, whose survivors, after months•, of almost incredible experiences, were landed! by the Hinenioa at. the Bluif. on Saturday. The number of disastero o(i ■ tlje. iiilipspitable coasts of the Auckland Islands, on one of which the Dundonald met her fates last' March, has nm into along-list .smts© . navigation in the. eoullvern seas became firmly established, and althoughthe sail- % ing ship it'i every year being more and mors crowded out by steamers, which are under no obligation to run so far south as the ",wind-jammer.3," yet the fleet of sailing vessels is still:large enough and still far enough from extinction, 10, ,l» serve, considera'.ion from the Marine Departments which bear the burden of lighting dangerous points on ocean trade routes; It appears that the anxiety to give the Snares a wide berth is usually the cause of the casualties to> ships which come- to grief .on the Auckland Islands, ro. that a light un the former would be a doubl© - protection. As the majority of llio vessels likely to be benefited by the proposed light aro sailers trading between Australia and Europe, it seems the obvious duty of the Commonwealth Government to set about tint erection of a lighthouse on tho Snare's. The New ' Zealand Government has already done its share in provisioning t and in periodically inspecting the outlying islands, and it is to be hoped that the Australian authorities will give eaj«ful consideration to the suggestion tJ>ats they .should provide a light- ' '. '•;. •'.;'