FOG SIGNALS AT THE HEADS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3036, 24 March 1917, Page 10

FOG SIGNALS AT THE HEADS

Sir,—ln your report:of the Mararoa inquiry, there was one. rather disquietins statement, affecting the- Safety of the travelling public, which calls for °ome explanation. Captain Roid, in givilng his evidence, stated that his ship struck at 8.47 a.m., that he had previously listened for the fog signal at the Heads, but that riot hearing it, he was misled into thinking that he was still some safe distance out. Your report then goes on to say that "it was explained that the fog signal did not commence blowing till 9.10 a.m." As there was a denso fog outside, the question naturally arises as to the reason for the delay in starting the signal. Those in charge must have known that the Mararoa had not arrived, yet . the stranding took place 53 minutes before the .fog signaf"com;inenced! Luckily, as'it happened, there was no loss of life, but the delay might easily have, led to a catastropho. I take it that the fog signal is there to bo used immediately on, the approach of fog to warn and guide vessels, and on the surface it appears jthat.. the Mararoa would have made port safely" if "the signal had been in operation earlier. Did the evidenco disclose any reason for the apparent neglect, and (havo proper ; steps been taken by the Wellington Harbour Eoajrd to prevent any chance of recurrencfi?—l am, etc.,

FREQTJEiW TRAVELLER.

[The question raided by our correspondent was referred;to Mr. Geo. Allport, Secietary for Marine. ; He stated that as soon as the comes up sufficiently, thick to obscure the lightat the lighthouse, the fos: alarm is started, and; there is one explosion every five.minutes .until tihe fog lifts, when the alarm is stopped.' : Referring'.to the case of the Mararoa, Mr. Allport stated that the foff. which, encountered all the way up,,from Lyttelton by the Mararoa did not'actually settle down over the lighthouse until 9.10 a.m. It was apparently blowing more in the direction of Cane Palliser. The pnncipal.keeper at the lighthouse started the alarm at 9 a.m.]