DREDGING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 718, 18 January 1910, Page 8

DREDGING.

Ay EAR'S OPERATIONS. Au interesting account of the",'dredge ing operations of .the Wellington Harbour Board is a- foaturo of ; the report of the engineer (Mr. ,T. ■ Marclibanks, M.lnst.C.E.), for tho year ended September'3o, 1099. -, He; states that the Whakanre dredge has ' been working: continuously, except whe.n laid up , for the annual overhaul, or stopped by stress .'of weather. ■ Most of. the, year she has been working on the Falcon Shoal', and pumping the .dredged 'material. ashore at "Waterloo Quay Reclamation..The dredge has continued to .work most satisfactorily, and has made very . good progress, at.the work on which sho has . beeii' "engaged, i'or tho year .ended .September 30 last, 394,210 tons liavo.' ten lifted,' and of this, amount 291,340 tons, or 73.9 per cent., were pumped ashore:, the balance .of 102,870 tons, o,v. 26.1 per cent., was discharged at soa._ It will not be possible .to continue pumping ashore, to .any great extent .until .the , construction of the sea wall .in' Contract No. ,152 is well ' ad--Working expenses amounted •' to. .£10,387 Bs. /d., or 6:32 d. ; per ton (compared with 6.39 d., 1907-8. v'.The; total cost for the year is 9.91 d. 'per ton (compared "iV.'.h 10.51 d„ 1907-8). The 291,340 tons of spoil pumped ashore iiavo .been -debited' against'Reclamation,at Gd; per ton. This reduces the cost of, dredging by .£7283 10s./so. that it stands :at 7s. Id.; or ISW7-8) tOll ' compared ' 6.74 d.',The Pnestman, dredge has " been employed . deepenin K . the :Boat ' Harbour since : October, . 1908, ;' to July, '•, 1909. '. A depth of 11 feet fi -inchesrat low water has been provided, at the' entrance, and tho . deepening; of the' western, end .to a minimum depth of ' C feet has been~ commenced. : This =work will, be continued as occurs, but- the," dredge will, for - a considerable,.- time,-., be. engaged ; on the; Miraraar - and Waterldo Quay, ; : seawall formations; ' Falcon Shoal bv the- Whakarirelias been hi hand for nearly ten months,'of- last year. : Esceed.lngly gopd., progress is-,being made. A the: end -of. yearj a- channel.-800r.feet •Tvido ;'to'. a .depth.- of 7fathoms at" low water, has nccn completcd, and work/was well advanced on another cut 200 feet in math: ■. If ; f the present':rate , of: progress is continued, :'I anticipate" . (says, tho Engineer) that at the close of the "en-,suing,;year,-,a ; . channel,. .2000 feet wide J".}'!'-??, "ell . advanced towards complewill'cff cct . a great' improvement in the navigation of .large vessels'visiting tho port." :v ; !J