ROCK IN CHANNEL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 99, 15 August 1944, Page 6

ROCK IN CHANNEL

HARBOUR ENTRANCE OB-

STRUCTED

QUESTION OK Pi KM OVAL

"NVriting the Whakatanc Harbour Board the General Manager of the Northern Steamship Company stated that his company, was pleased to note that, action was being taken in regard to the removal of the rock in the entrance channel 'in as much as the Engineer had been instructed to have it removed as soon as conditions were favourable. The matter had again been discussed with the captains of vessels, who pointed out. that the rock was approximately two feet above the level oi' the sea bottom and consequently when the bar was shallow was a grave menace to navigation. It could therefore, be appreciated how anxious Hit' company was to know that the rock had been removed and the sea floor was level.

The chairman, Mr W. 11. Boon reported that the matter of the removal of the, rock in the channel had at last meeting been referred, to him with power to act. Con'diLion.s, however had not been favourable nor had the nccesary plant been available, 'and nothing had been clone. The matter of buoying the rock had been considered, but abandoned.

The Harbourmaster's report on tlie subject rcjul: "Since L spoke to the chairman and it was decided that we place' a buoy on the. rock on the eastern side of the channel, 1 have been in conversation with Captain Cathcart of the "Clansman" and he strongly objects to this being done. He 'savs the buoy wili be, a danger to the propellers. Since then L have taken notice of the "Clansman coming in over the bar and I can see that it would foul the propellers. Therefore I advise the Board not to have a buoy there because it would be on a bond of the channel where it is impossible to keep clear of it."