The New Zealand shores have been the scenes of some heartrending catastrophes. The steamship _Tararua_, of 563 tons register, was making her way from Dunedin to the Bluff, when she crashed on to the reef which juts seaward from Waipapapa Point. There was no light to warn the ship--hence the accident. The vessel, battered by sledge-hammer seas, broke up very rapidly, and 130 passengers lost their lives. If the point had been guarded, no accident would have happened. Now a second-order dioptric flashing light of ten seconds guards the reef, and may be seen from a distance of thirteen and a half miles. Another calamity was the loss of the _Huddart Parker_ liner on a danger spot known as the Three Kings Rock. The fearsome character of this peril has been recognized for many years past, but, as it is to be marked by a light suited to the locality, it is hoped that its evil harvest will come to an end. Yet at the same time it must be pointed out that the provision of a light does not always prevent a wreck even in the clearest weather, owing to the weakness of human nature. This was proved by the steamship _Triumph_, of 1,797 tons register. She left Auckland on the night of November 29, 1883, picked up the Tiri-Tiri Island light--this fixed star can be seen from a distance of twenty-four miles--and yet within two hours of her sailing was wrecked almost under the lighthouse. In this instance gross negligence was only too palpable, and the court of inquiry, after its investigation of the wreck, signified its opinion of the carelessness displayed by suspending the certificate of the master for three years, and that of the chief officer for six months.
Apart from Cook’s Strait, the narrow passage between the two islands, the extreme points of the country are well guarded, the towers for the most part being located upon the prominent headlands. The southern extremity of the South Island is a dangerous coast to navigate, since going east, after the Puysegur Point ten seconds flashing light is dropped at a distance of nineteen miles from the headland, the vessel’s course is set to traverse Foveaux Strait, between the mainland and Stewart Island. In the centre of the neck of water is an ominous rock, Centre Island, which, however, is well guarded by a first-order catadioptric fixed light, shining from a wooden tower, the range of which extends for twenty-two and a half miles, with red arcs marking the inshore dangers. Overlapping this beacon’s field of patrol is a light mounted on Dog Island, revolving once in thirty seconds, and visible for eighteen miles, which in turn meets the Waipapapa light. Thus the approach to Invercargill is well indicated, and, with the east coast promontories all protected, the possibility of a repetition of the _Tararua_ disaster is rendered remote.