HARBOUR WORKS ABROAD.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 437, 20 February 1909, Page 8

HARBOUR WORKS ABROAD.

- REPORT OF AUCKLAND HAEBOTJR . BOARD'S ENGINEER. [BY TELKG RATH—special -COKREPPOUDENT.J - ' r /Auckland, .February 19.v,A lengthy report on his'recent visit to the ; Old Country and- Europe :was .presented, by Mr. W. 11. Hamer, engineer, to, the Auckland Harbour Board, to yesterday's meeting-of tho . board; After'enumerating the-.various-sub-,-jects to; which- ho gave .attention during, - his _/■'/■ absence abroad,, Mr. Hamer 1 said the prominent- impressions formed by a broad review aro that extensive-improvements i aro, being efr ' fected and enormous<sums of money being ex- " pended to meet the, demands of ; moi3_e.rn-iship- ~: ping, to attract-,trade ,ahd\anticipate;.thof_fu- [ . ture; that increase of trade/follows pprt proveraent, arid that-the'latest and most efficient business is. done.where : havo kept ahead of actual-present require- v':-, nients. The -report gives details of tho' ini- . :-: provements that are! being 1 effected', at Ameri--. ■' can, Canadian, British, Continental, and A us- ■ - - tralian ports, of which no], fewer, than 46 were visited, and goes .on to say:. <,', /. .' - "Transfer- from ship to rail direct or vico versa is almost -univereal,.' and- : practically , 'rails, are laid upon, the quays and. : often into and at the backs of sheds .connect-. 1 ing.irith all the railway lines of a country to serve: both passenger tmd :cargo^traffic;,: . recent lihstance' in this port ..of .', • complete:' accommodation was the. cartage of \ some 2000 tons of stoel from a ship at the Queeu Street-Wharf;to the railway,.and a, ■ ■complaint against the,board's' proposal to - . . charge: £20 to remove a' second ship frojn .a-. wharf ; without rails to\one -so equipped. 'A- C. striking feature in. European ports is the per-, inanence: of cbnstruction, : and' mostly ' t-he :. walls of .harboursVand ..docks(are/, of ; masonry; and concrete, either-block, or in caisson, mass..- . or,reinforced, either-founded deep in the 501 id.,,,. or supported upon a rubble or pilework base, as favoured on the Continent;,' - r !: ! ; -- /-.Numerous': instances of■ the.use of rein-; forced' concrete., are.cited. There are, it-.isi; added;; examples almost,'everywhere of ; ; rein-' y;:., forced concrete,work in piers,-jetties,.wharves,; sheds, warehouses, - groynes, sea- embankments, general' building ,'n'ork," bridges, 3tc. , : . ', Some constructions are wholly of this mator,ial;, others are of;timber or ironrpiles on-sup-': ports : with, concrete, deck: •or .concrete piles, .-■ .irith timber or'steel deck. .On tho.question of: collisions, it is stated there are several instances of collisions with some of these jetties. .Vessels have cut,into both piloivork and : dcckingv Repairs have been -"easily,'- effected. -: Timber struotures would havo been carried away.