MARINE REPORT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 September 1925, Page 1

MARINE REPORT

RADIO AM> I.IOHTIIOUSKS. WE I'.UNV. TON. Soph I. Delay lias occurred in the installation nl' a radio direction-finder lor the use of ships approaching Cape Maria van Diemen. The animal report of the Marine Department explains that last' year instructions were given for the assembly of the requisite equipment, hut the atifoinatie interrupter, an essential part, was to have been made In New Zealand. I'nfort unately. the shilled operator, an oflicor of the Post and Telegraph Department, died, and Die part will have to he imported. The Department, suggests that, the conservatism of shipmasters, who have had no experience of tile radio direct ionfinder. will, restrict its use. especially as shipowners under (lie circumstances will be reluctant to incur the cost of installing the necessary equipment. The Department's position D that it believes in the value and reliability of radio direction-finding, and i> prepared to respond fully to any indication of shipowners that if radio beacons arc provided they will equip their ships to take advantage of them. Tt is mentioned that, the two log signals at Peitrarrow and Dudley Head are of primitive design and uncertain value, hut C-lflOO is being appropriated ibis year to provide effective modern fog signals. The ferry service between these ports, to say nothing of general shipping, demands nothing less, adds the Secretary of tftc A! a fine Dearfmenf. The telephone coll lit e! ion io Pu\.-e----gur Point lighthouse, the most isolated in New Zealand, has become impu— M !,!r t . maintain, and wireless coitlnmnic.'tl ion has therefore been established with Awnmii. Cable coinmtmii allien with Stephen Island is also pausing a great deal of trouble, and a wireless set will l.e j fovided for this lighthouse shortly. The Marine Depart motif intends converting a number oi lighthouse stations to unwatched automatic lights, subject to scum' supervision. Shipowners in-i \car paid £SO.(]OO in light dttcs. and any savings elt'ecicd by the of automatie lights will he applied to improvement ol the light service, as the Department does not believe in making this service a profittmiking feature of its operations. WESTPORT HARBorn T.ossr.s. A heavy hand has l-eett kept on the exrteildittil'e of Westport harlrmr. bccording to the annual report ol the Marine Departitietti. ami t lie apparent result, is t/liat the receipts last year. <■ Ip 506. show a profit of £uP2l. However. owing f. a legal difficulty. W.-t----port harbour does not pay interest on advances irotn the (’oii'olidatcil I'tiiul totalling £lll.Pits, and it. moans that the general public is contributing £.!-llj'2, which should not lie the case. It is proposed to make certain improvements at Westport to increase the efficiency of the port and also to revise charges, placing them on the same basis as those at Greynioutli, with the general intent that ships will pay exactly according to the use they make of the port. The secretary of the Department investigated the practicability of harbour works on which the former board spent £70.000 without beneficial result, and he reports that he could find no more justification for the prosecution oi these works than could Ih> found h.v the Royal Commission whose report in P.H-1 caused the works to. he suspended.