THE THREE KINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 221, 18 March 1914, Page 5

THE THREE KINGS.

A WIRELESS STATION SUGGESTED. By .Telegraph.—Tress Association. Auckland, Last Night. The J-lon. F. M. B. Fisher infoimed a reporter, at Ngaruawahia yesterday that his Department was considering the advisability'of establishing a wireless station at the Three Kings, instead of a lighthouse. It had 'been found practically.impossible to'place an effective light on the Three Kings. Mr. Fisher said that modern advancement" in wireless telegraphy has proved that with fixed wireless stations a vessel with a wireless compass can get into touch with a station, no matter how much foggy or. tempestuous weather there has been, and by taking cross bearings ( at;intervals can fix her position to anj absolute certainty. ■ "To do, this, of course, the vessel would he required to be fitted with a wireless compass which has been designed fni tins special purpose. It is comparatively an inexpensive instrument, and the inquiries I am .making now are in the direction of obtaning an assuranne of the practical utility of this new method," concluded . Mr. Fisher, -'and nothing. will be done till this inform ation comes to hand." i

SHIPMAKTETIS' CRITICISM. •' Auckland. Later The propositi to establish a wirele-e, station at ±ht> Three Kings in lien of a. light,' is lioi.'.o severely .criticised \\ shipmasters. ' Hon. Fisher said 10-u'iir.iV that .lie was ant eomniitted to the wTreloss compass scheme, 'hut that he m tended to exhaust all possible means of inquiry and sources' of information regarding the mavter before arriving at a decision. lie doubtt'll very much whether any shipmaster in Auckland knew what a u-ireless compass really' consisted of. (...- what its capabilities! were. He was Himself awaiting information as to tin- uses of these compasses (none of yet vere yet in use in \ew Zealand). Mo,* arriving at a decision Mr. Fisher f ; .ldcd that he hud asked the shipmaster* a pertinent . question: '-It you are poin.u' to light* the Three Kings, where are you going to put the light?" tttrf. not one of tliem has been able to answer the ipn'stion. The linht. to be visih'e fi -!■>. ell points of Ihe eompass, could only he placed on the big King, which wils aiio'il five miles east of the danger point. The onlv place at'which a light could be df service was on (he West King, and th.it was impossible as a site.