Servicing of Manned Lights

Of the 25 manned coastal lights, one, at Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula, is watched by the Otago Harbour Board signalmen on behalf of the Marine Department. Of the remainder, 15 have a reasonable land access by road or along the beach at low water, and have a weekly or fortnightly stores and mail trip by truck. The remaining 10 with sea access are serviced fortnightly, except the most remote and isolated station at Puysegur Point on the south-western tip of the relatively unexplored area of Fiordland National Park. The station is visited by an amphibian aircraft every three weeks if weather conditions are suitable. Even this represents a great improvement over the pre-war days when a Government steamer would visit a station only once every three months.