CASTLEPOINT LIGHTHOUSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10526, 13 January 1912, Page 5

CASTLEPOINT LIGHTHOUSE.

WHY IT WAS SELECTED. THE MINISTER EXPLAINS. The objections put forward' by, the Shipmasters' Guild to the location of the new East Coast light on Castlepoint instead of Flat Point were commented upon by the Minister of Marine (Hon J. A. Millar) on Thursday, the official reasons being given for depairting from the shipmasters' recommendation. "You cannot get elevation enough for a light at Flat Point," said Mr Millar, "and vessels would be courting danger if they went in towards the coast to look for.it, because of the outlying sunken rocks. Most of the local shipmasters were in favour of Flat Point, but when an examination was, made by Captain Blackburn and Cap-', tain Bollins, as well aa Mr Allport - ' (secretary of the Marine Department) and Mr Holmes (engineer), it was ; found impossible to place the light high enough to give it sufficient range. But the most serious thing is that off Flat Point, a distance of .three to five miles, there are sunken rocks. It is a well' recognised principal. among J lighthouse authorities all over .the | world that you must never put a light at the back of a danger, because shipping, when the weather is thick, knowing the light is there, will be : tempted to go closer to the danger un--1 til it is trapped. On the other hand, at Castlepoant, there is a splendid site the tower 100 ft water, ■. -a| height of 170 feet, giving; it a range'oi. J"!ffiere:isonly^distanceo£*6o miies.Be>-. the proposed" : fi&bs Each, has'-a 20inife racUns; s» that.there would only. be a gap of 20 miles between the: lights . iia. ter who cannot negotiate that distance safely. The decision to adopt Oastlepoint was announced last March. It is two months since the tenders were ad- v j vertised for the construction of the tower, and whole apparatus for j the light has been arranged for in England by this time, yet the objections to Oastlepoint have only just been made."