Historic Rock Destroyed

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 24, 24 February 1948, Page 5

Historic Rock Destroyed

Tradition Gives Way Before Shipping Safety Historic Matatua Rock has gone, blown sky-high with two 400 lb. charges of TNT. Some of the bits that landed on the wharf looked like charred coke. All that remains under water is rubble. There-, will be many who will feel pangs of regret that the rock, reputed to have been the anchor stone of the canoe Matatua that brought the first Maori immigrants to this locality, has gone. It held particular significance in the tradition of the district. It was also a danger to shipping, situated as it was in the river directly out from the wharf and dangerously close to the surface at certain tides. Therefore it was decided, not without some reluctance, that it must go. With the second charge directed against Matatau Rock, the Navy team of explosives experts completed their programme of rock blasting on Saturday afternoon, and the fisheries patrol boat, which had brought the men and their equipment here, left on Sunday’s high tide for Auckland.

Keen Public Interest Throughout the operations there was keen public interest influenced not a little probably by the haul of fish that fell to the lot of keen spectators when the first charge went off on Thursday. However, the fish-, ing was poor after the first “shot”, though there were one or two sizeable fish picked up on Friday. During the slack low water periods- on Friday and Saturday two charges were directed against the outcrop from the inner beacon on the eastern side of the channel entrance, with satisfactory results. The two charges which destroyed Matatua rock were fired at half tide, one on Friday and one on Saturday.

All Hands Satisfied Mr R. E. Ansley, Naval torpedo officer in charge of the operations, in which he was assisted by Petty Officers Wickham and Murray, as. well as Skipper A. Sellars and men of the Fisheries Patrol, said he was quite satisfied with results. Mr C. H. Brebner, Harbour Board engineer, says the entrance should be' considerably safer and easier to work now.

Mr W. H. Brabant, member of the Harbour Board’s works committee, who represented the Board throughout the operations and took a personal interest in the work (even to the point of diving overboard from the Port Whakatane on Saturday fully clad to help to place a charge) has expressed himself as more than pleased. _