SHIPPING AFFECTED BY SMOKE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 51, 19 February 1908, Page 4

SHIPPING AFFECTED BY SMOKE

o DiFFKTLI'V IX EXTEUIXO JTIK TORT. FlXi-SIviNAL TO BE ERECTED. -U Hie .New I'lymoutli Harbour Board meeting ;. e«tciday correspondence was r-'.eivcl ,■ -eniNig the ellect of tin: -niol,e I'fom bush lives upon the shiiiI'he .New I'lunoiilli niauager of the I'uioii SKMiiiuhip Company wrote: " I have received from Captain Robertson, of the Kotoiii, and Captain Hutching-, of the Takapuua. letters advising the dilliculties they have had to contend with in making the New Plymouth ha■•hour during the past few weeks of smoky and foggy weather. You will readily understand that they are always anxious to arrive in time to connect wiih tin' through express train, an 1 it occurs t., me that in anticipation of the early completion of the .Main Trunk

railway your Hoard may consider thimatter of xtillirient importance to improve the facilities o; fog-signalling ;:I llie breakwater, so a- to minimise th ■ risk of working the port and connecting wiih the through train. In conver-i----lion with several of our masters they have mentioned thai if your Board could see its way to erect a bell on the wharf or breakwater it would be a great help to I hem in entering the harbour." Mr. Charles Hanson, manager of thv -Northern Steamship Company, wrote:

"Ciiplain Noi'bury has often called my attention to.the fact thai at thi* time of the year, and having a large number of pas-engers on board, he has very nearly missel the train owing to bush lires and the thickness of the haze round the harbour. We think that when steamers are running to catch a through train that there should be a log-signal ashore. I enclose yon (.'upturn NorburyVi report, which speaks for itself. I will be glad if your Board can see thenway to have a fog-signal erected at the end of the wharf, or at some place th'jmny select, so as to notify steamers their posilion when lying outside." 'I he report of Captain Norbury. mister of the Rarawa, wart as follows: "I have the honour to direct your altontioii to the fact that owing to the entire absence of any sound signal i.t the .New Plymouth breakwater the task of entering the harbour during thick .and foggy weather is made extremely dillicull and dangerous. On sever.il occasions during the long period of thick and smoky weather this steamer has only just managed to connect" with the express train by the narrowest of margins, and then only through the fog lifting for a lew moments at an opportune 'time.''

Tlit' Harbourmaster remarked that that very morning the Penguin came right though the haze to within a short distance of the Sugar-loaves. 'l'he Chairman said he had spoken to -Mr. Uudd and Captain Uutcdiings on this matter, and had learned that the erection of a bell would meet the ease. The Hoard had for some time been using signal rocket,., but Captain Hutching hail told him they were almost usele.-s. The l'nion .Steamship Company's si earners were being lilted with a sort of telephonic apparatus for the reception ot tlie sound signals from a ivarniiw-l-i-l!.

Captain Hood, harbourmaster, recommended the erection of a bell on the wharf.

'l'll- Hoard decided to cininiuiieaie willi the Minister of Marine for come p-'rtieiilars a- la this method of signal-

:'-t! 1 to hike to <'f]Hi[l ill' ji' i'l ii> rri-o;ii!i!ciuU'(l liy the luirliuur