HARBOUR WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 718, 18 January 1910, Page 9

HARBOUR WORKS.

.ENGINEER'S ANNUAL REPORT, Mr. "J.'-. March\>anks, .M.lnst.C.E.,: who was appointed Engineer "to .the. Wellington Harbour Board, from Mhy 1, 1009, / has ■ reportedon the ' engineering operations: .of the ■'board'' for'--US? year ended '.Sopteiuhei-- 30..■, .Ho states that .'luring .thi l '; year' contracts were 'let for various works /lor it, total amount of '*63,5)1 IDs; (id. . Much, ot' the information in the .report has alreadybco'ii- published, but- tho following. Will' bii of .-interest:-- '

/ Clydo Quay Wharf i-:.'.This, Contract, ..whioh .'yes' let in October, ISO 7, for ', the ; construction: of/ a concrete -. wharf . to .Messrs. J. : M'Leaii : aiid .Koh 'for'.tbe." sum/ of :'.5!!0,765, is ./towards . completion, and /the' ;wharf.' should'bo available /for, .use about Jj'ebruarv-. next. : Up. to Septomber 3i) amounting;: to ..ai7,(ill 15s;/Cd.-;'had been niadb,'/lea\nng ■a liability: of JJ13.143 15i. Gd. / The date i'ovcompletion/of this; contract vis September HO, ison. . The ivork iVas. by/directibni of. the bond, stopped fo.* a tiino' ■ information . had. opeir recoived, as W.'tho p'i;obable lasting 'qualities'of: reiii-/ -forced concrete; .fip that the. cpntractor l? entitled ;tb . 'au extension ;-'pf time.*/' Considerable > liiiliojiUy''; has been experienced, 'in getting.: the' concrete": thoroughly; solid in/; soifts.;. places, more particularly .at thb iiitei'sections find 'junctions ! of' brakes,' and Also ': in.'-Jtho' 1 longitudinal': reibforceiiients,/because -of'.'the 'small ambunt-'/df between / the- bars. Work ;of ,this. descriiition.'should,.l' think, /b6- executed' by; uay'/labour at a comparatively low speed.'-/. Slight alterations m details tbuldthen readily be eil'ected, or variations' made froni • the design 7 from: tihiij to tune if found' advisable. '

Graving Dock. ■ '"A contract'' in January, .1907, to .'Messrs. . John:.. Jl'Lean and Son,.', fof ■ tho. construction of. 1 a graving L dock,; .and for: reclaiming : about- eight -acrei of;lahd adjoimnfe, .for tho sum of jC108,261 ss. '48. rho- con tractors -cojiipletcd . their, stating,;. . and. erected'/Storage tbins,', mixing:-,plants tramways - anilCranewayß ' during I'tftjj' ycaiv.'andi Commenced. 'depositing/ concrete -»i November, ISOB. Up to date, 8291 cubic ;. yards ! jiaVo.':.be'eh : deposited;' '/The work done .includes the ; face 1 . wall, 1 , po'rtioii:of the, firsticist c6ncrote;ih the floor, skk:extehcliiig; frtr : /abbut 110 feet,, and part of the sitlo; Trails. ■Tbe, rate df progressihas: been .sol-slow, |hat date of. ■ completion .- must.,.bo, considerably./ ovor too .contract ..time.-, Tho plant provided is' inadfcqiiato-.to,enable .tho construction to Pi'oCeed'.as rapidly;,as it obghtifb, .The. contractor, has ; experienced' i>, good deal ot in dealing' with the silt and ■ {® l JW»e#>y>')iich - havt; to .'be; removed fronitile bottom, before', concrete., can . be deposited... The pumps originally provided ■ JfP?" e .*>.t°9 small, bilt large' pumps ['have Been procured, arid //better' progress'-' ''is nott- being' made. . -'- '-v'v."Somei of ! ;tbb'concfcte in the, first cast of ,tue floor , slab has been found'not to be sotting .satisfactorily,' and is unsouiid. •It; is ,'esselitial;'tliat';^'this? pbr'tioh'; of /.'the work ■ bo..thoroughly-;solid.;. It 1; is.;difficult to. 'deposit /largo quantities; of concrete 'ii; -/l dee])/ water ./ and' obtain "sound w o rt;,.Experimohts;aroibeinfe.mad6-/'tb nnd,. , but, ' , f ;possible, what /Is : the -cause '? t '-W?/p 0 hayp/hfid'tobb but > biit''and,replaced with' hue v, concrete.; ; Paytnents tho year amount, to J3U,957'85. 3d.; addi-' pons "to 7 contract. ; .12a. 1 ; "leaviiig a' -liability of ,£164,3G7 95..2 d; The dock com tract, has progressing so ■ slowly thatit is not necessary- to place.ab/oriler-for the. dock . pulijiiing' plant. / ,\'Altpjhative; pricos. for steam; /electric; and; gas-driven RWM-./PTOVliscij /procured from/ selected lintish milkers; It /will be/neqessary/ to/ obtttin' confirmatory • quotations before iiii ,oiFer.;'if . (Thq', molive power for dnying. tjie. bunipiiig',' .niurhiriery is, now under consideration,. The„.Wellinjjton . tornpration,, has' agreed,v .under -" certain: Muditioijs, ~to supply the necessary cur- ■,?'/•-. i■'■"i" : ?^ l eventually / decided' to"".in'-. ®tAU..plepWcjj!ly;driyph V Works in Hand,

i; A' l ? principal-worksu6wiin:hand,:oh .a -comparatively, lnrge ;expehditurß V[ t at; 6ripo 'Quay sea wall "and c'ult .vorts •. coiittftcti: the-Waterloo Quay. Re-' olamatlon. iinoluding/filling; consjti'ucliftris' ,ot streets;./ atprtn >Avatoi\ .; and Sanitary' .drainage,'; -and.: reticulation of- water' mains; -the ; Graving Dock 1 contractcom-' pletlon of Olydd Quay' Wharf, the Mi fain ar .. reclamation■- ami. : sou" wall 'contract,'' • and the Miramar i extension - :c6n•'H9.%'.'. i' -*■" ii addition to ; .these', works'/, 'lia- •!?"*'?« , fe;' inourtred'-for'.vtUe-'^ebtiild-t6rials rebuilding, sor vlieavj-■repairs, ■of portionjof the Qneeii'a .-Wharf; ieafrahsement; ot -/ofhees, ; and'/provision; for electric lighting, plant. • • .'; , • • A lepoit .has .jet. to be made' on. a' proposal by.'the.. Hutt Bivor , BoartV ■to 1 constructa - .canal the hhrbour >td rl* s1 .t ih>':bo. constructed','on' £, low- steahieriS ;to ; ..discharge.'. .Th.is ; :,wiU ;be -JC 011 . ns time..-;is .available,"v!:-• ■: .pother -features .of lfr. : Marclibahks's re;head-