TOUR OF LIGHTHOUSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1938, Page 2

TOUR OF LIGHTHOUSES

MATAI ENCOUNTERS STORMY weather. ERECTION OF RADIO BEACONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 31. Completing her round trip for the maintenance of lighthouses on the northern coast in some of the most boisterous weather she has yet encountered, the Government lighthouse steamer Matai .returned to Auckland tonight. The easterly gales which seriously affected shipping movements last week forced the Matai to remain in shelter at Deepwater Cove in the Bay of Islands for three days. After leaving Auckland at the beginning of last week, the Matai had ideal conditions to Cape Maria Van Diemen, but as soon as work there was finished a severe east-north-east gale began. The steamer proceeded to North Cape, where she was able to work in sheltered waters. Last Thursday the severity of the gale on the east coast, however, prevented her from working at Cape Brett, and the Matai put into the Bay of Islands, where she remained on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visits were paid to Cape Brett the Chickens group and Moko Hinau Island on the way to Auckland. During the Matai’s voyage a number of transfers of lighthouse-keepers were effected. Work will begin at her berth tomorrow in the loading of a considerable amount of equipment to enable a start to be made on the erection of a radio beacon at Cuvier Island. When the Matai leaves on Monday morning she will also take a party of Public Works Department employees to erect the apparatus. It is expected that about four days will be taken in lightering material from the ship to the island, where the men will be housed in a store adapted for their accommodation. Should unfavourable weather be experienced, the Matai will ’leave.her anchorage for the shelter of Great Barrier or Great Mercury llsland. On the return of the Matai to Auckland at the end of next week similar equipment will be loaded for the construction of a radio beacon at Moko Hinau Island, which, with that at Cuvier Island, will form a valuable aid to navigation of the approaches of the Hauraki Gulf.