RADIO TELEPHONES
FACILITIES AT DUNEDIN BERTHING DISABLED SHIP The Otago Harbour Board’s radiotelephone system, units of which are established in the board’s office, at Taiaroa Heads, and on the major vessels of its fleet played an important part in the berthing of the crippled United States Navy transport Merrick at Port Chalmers. The work of installing the sets has been in progress for some months, and several of them have been in operation for a period, but the breaking of the seals on the radio-telephone installation on the tug Dunedin, and the establishment of communication with, the senior naval officer of the United States convoy, completed the last link of the system which, the acting harbour master, Captain F. McKenzie, in his report to a recent meeting of the board, stated had fully justified the expense of its installation by the results it had obtained in bringing the Merrick into port. In his report Captain McKenzie said that by means of the radiotelephone on the Dunedin he had been able to issue instructions to the pilot launch Poputai and to the dredge Otakou, and communicate with Captain Thomas, the senior officer of the convoy, on the Northwind. This had been of great value in the safe berthing of the Merrick, and had simplified the control of the tow into port. Captain McKenzie also gave a detailed description of the procedure of the tow, which, he said, had been carried out successfully. The chairman, Mr W. R. Clarke, said the installation of the radiotelephone system was of great value to the port. He congratulated Captain McKenzie and the other members of the board’s staff who had participated in the berthing of the Merrick, on the excellence of their work.
“The radio-telephone has proved itself of great value in handling ships in this port,” said Mr J. H. Duncan. “The berthing of the Merrick by Captain McKenzie was a splendid feat of seamanship, for he brought her in with perfect safety, even although she had no rudder.”
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BPB19470324.2.41
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 9, 24 March 1947, Page 8
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335RADIO TELEPHONES Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 9, 24 March 1947, Page 8
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