MR BREBNER’S PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSED HARBOUR AT WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 16, 6 November 1950, Page 5

MR BREBNER’S PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION OF PROPOSED HARBOUR AT WHAKATANE

A tentative plan for the proposed Whakatane harbour was placed before the Port Inquiry Committee at Rotorua on Friday by the engineer to the Whakatane Harbour Board, Mr C. H. Brebner. The plan was prepared by Messrs Vickerman and Lancaster, consulting engineers, in consultation with Mr C. R. Davis, engineer to the Napier Harbour Board. Mr Brebner’s estimated cost of the harbour was £1,909,180.

“I produce a statement of the de•tails of this estimate under the various headings,” he said. “I also produce details of my estimate of the cost of stone from Whale Island. This stone is required for the outside casing of the moles. Suitable stone for the core is obtainable from Kohi Point adjacent to the proposed work but this would not be used for the outside casing because sufficient quantities of large stone could not be obtained from this locality.

“My estimate is that Whale Island stone could be placed for £2 17s 2d a cubic yard and tipped at £1 17s 2d a cubic yard. It is estimated that one-third of the total of Whale Island stone would have to be placed involving double handling and two-thirds would be tipped direct from the barges. “I have had considerable experience in the quarrying of the same type of stone obtainable from Whale Island which is an igneous stone of volcanic origin. It would appear that during its cooling period through eruption or earthquake the area of stone has been shattered leaving, it in large blocks which could be conveniently quarried and handled. Generous

“I consider I have been generous in allocating the quantity of plant and labour to handle this * stone. The Whakatane bay is in a comparatively calm area and is not subject to high seas. The heaviest seas come from the North East and are of short duration usually not more than twice a year on the average and seldom last as long as three days. A smaller sea of the wind type and of the confused kind is experienced more often form the North West and is usually of short duration.

“The littoral drift is generally from East to West. I The drift is not considerable and with the entrance sited as it is should not lead to any great accumulation of sand inside the harbour area. During a North West blow the littoral drift is temporarily reversed and .comes from the West to the East, but is of short duration. I consider it would be desirable to let the work by contract as a considerable saving on the plant item would be made which would enable the contractor to tender for the work "at a price which would be considerably less than would result from carrying out the work by day labour. “It is proposed to build two wharves to cope with initial trade, each 800 ft long 80ft wide.” 'Estimated costs:—

Whale Island Stone: 90,261 cubic yards placed at £2 17s 2d, £257,996; 180,521 cubic yards tipped at £1 17s 2d, £335,468. Kohi Point Stone: Western Mole, 28,370 cubic yards at 30/-, £42,555. Northern Mole: 126,401 cubic yards at 20/- £126,401. £762,420. Capping (concrete 12’ x 2’): 4444 cubic yards at £ls, £66,660. Dredging £127,000. Two wharves (one 900’ x 80’, one 800’ x 80’) £442,000. Wharf shed I,ooo’ long £60,000. River diversion £114,600. Railway extension £156,500. Plant £50,000. Contingencies £130,000. Total £1,909,180. Development Of Hinterland In The Bay

Following the conclusion of the examination of Mr R. A. Simpson, marine engineer to the Ministry of Works, at the sitting of the Bay of Plenty Harbour Committee of Inquiry in Rotorua, evidence was given by departmental officers concerning the present production and potential development of the hinterland to the coast. Mr A. M. Linton, of Rotorua, an officer of the Department of Maori Affairs, submitted a statement that from Opotiki to Cape Runaway, Maori land under supervision of the department comprised six development schemes and 135 units.

(Latest returns showed these to carry 3850 dairy cows, 2575 other dairy stock, 2225 run cattle, 13,475 breeding ewes and 12,410 other sheep. Last season’s produce was 668,6901 b butterfat and 583 J bales of wool.

High costs of fertiliser transport —£6 a ton from Auckland to Waihau Bay—meant that, other things being equal, the nearest port at which a major port could be established .would react advantageously i,o the coast area.

Out of Season Crops It was not however, in the future development of normal farming that the greatest potentiality of the coast lay said witness. The sub-tropical climate, with ab’ sence of frost, would allow of out-of-season cropping on a large scale. In suitable localities, even pineapples and bananas had been found to succeed, while generally tomato and kumara growing could readily be the basis of a widely extended primary industry, supporting a very much large Maori community. Sufficient experimental work had been carried out to indicate that development proposals along these lines would be successful. Three things were necessary—supplies of fertiliser, suitable transport for perishable goods,-and a consumer demand within reasonable distance.

Whakatane Area Under departmental supervision from Whakatane were six schemes and 147 unit farmers. At the latest return, these carried: — 2930 dairy cows; 2600 other dairy stock; 1480 run cattle; 8475 breeding ew.es and 5240 other sheep. Produce for the past year totalled 735,9001 b butterfat and 235 bales of wool (incomplete). In this area the acreage suitable for development is very extensive. When development of the 5000acre Ngatiawa block was complete, portion would be used as residential land as it adjoined Whakatane Borough and Ohope Beach. Further areas were suitable for market gardening and dairying and the balance, for mixed farming. In the Tauranga Area

From the Waiariki District Maori Land Board’s boundary north of Athenree to Maketu the department had under supervision four schemes and 22 unit farmers. These carried 714 dairy cows, 621 other dairy stock, 1906 run. cattle, 9577 breeding ewes, 2017 other sheep. Produce was 102,4161bs butterfat and 239 bales of wool.

In 1949, the Tauranga County Council supplied a return showing that there were 19,845 acres of occupied Maori land and 32,740 acres of unoccupied land. However, a recent land utilisation survey covering Tauranga County revealed that there were approximately 15,000 acres of Maori land suitable for development remaining in the county. Of these, the largest individual area was the Kumikumi, Poripiro and Waimanu, adjacent to the Tauranga-Mata-mata State Highway, some ten miles from Tauranga. Works Department Compares Tonnages From Ports

Comparing the tonnage of timber and pulp to be shipped annually from alternative ports at Tauranga and Whakatane, the Ministry of Works’ report presented to the Bay of Plenty Harbour Inquiry Committee by Mr R. A. Simpson, marine engineer to the Ministry of Works, quoted the present available output from Tauranga at 29,000 tons, with a full production capacity of 374,000 tons. Similar figures for a port at Whakatane were 25,000 tons now and 298,000 tons at full production.

The present tonnage available for Tauranga consisted of 3000 tons of indigenous timber, 18,000 tons of green exotic timber, and 8000 tons of cardboard. For Whakatane, the report showed that 14,000 tons of green timber would be available now, the quantities of cardboard and indigenous timber being the same as for Tauranga.

Individual quantities tabulated in the report for the full production output available at Tauranga and Whakatane were as follows, the figures being shown in tons and Whakatane output appearing in' parentheses: Indigenous timber 39,000 (39,000); green exotic timber 136,000 (10,500); dry exotic timber 90,000 (57,000); pulp 41,000 (29,000); paper 60,000 (60,000), and cardboard 8000 (8000).

While the table showed the output to be in favour of Tauranga, the advantage might be even greater if the development of the Kaingaroa Forest areas did not include a pulp and paper scheme and private millers concentrated on their holdings in the Putaruru area.