SURVEY OF N.Z. COAST

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 116, 2 June 1937, Page 13

SURVEY OF N.Z. COAST

-Owd Correspondent.)

Ship Coming for Five-Year Task

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. A survey of New Zealand and Pacific Island waters is to be made by the naval survey ship, H.M.S. Endeavour, which is due to arrive in Auckland on June 14. Thg vessel left England in March, and she will spend about flve years on this station. The Endeavour, which is built on semi-yacht like lines after the style of the cable ship Recorder, is one of the most important units of the British Navy. Her work extends over practically all seas, and to a large extent the eorrectness of the Admiralty charts clepends on her work. It is impossible, of course, for charts to be completely up-to-date, as the bed of the ocean is constantly changing, in certain areas partieularly, and charts are constantly being amended as these changes are noved and reported to the marine authcrities of the world by ship-masters and other responsible authorities. Her work in New Zealand and Pacific Island waters is regarded as partieularly important, as there has not been a complete survey made of them for over 20 >years. It will be recalled that last year the Union Company *s Island steamer,- Matua, was severely damaged on an uncharted coral reef ofl: Rarotonga, and that from time to time shipping has been endangered by similar happenings. The Endeavour is at present at Newcastle. She will leave there shortly and will come on to Auckland, which will be her headquarters during her stay in New Zealand waters. It is' anticipated that the survey will take approximately flve years, but the length of her stay here will depend lai'gely on the extent of the area she will cover and the time it takes to cover it. It is likely that the Endeavour 's activities wiil be confined to the New Zealand coast during the initial part of her, stay here. H.M.S. Endeavour is under the coiumand of Captain A. G. N. Wyatt.