DEEP SEA HARBOUR SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2159, 27 May 1914, Page 16

DEEP SEA HARBOUR SCHEME

POSSIBILITIES OF POINT ELIZABETH. Great as aro tlio improvements made in tho river harbours, there are many people on tho West Coast who- argiio that ,tho requirements of this bia stretch of countryside- will never bo adequately met until n <s«ep sea port has been created, capabls of accommodating tho largest ocean Sifters, At-Point Elizabeth («r in earlfcr days, Port Curtis) there is to uq fo-ursd tho foundation oi what, it has loag been argued, could readily bo macb a firstclass harbour. Point Eliisabeljli is but seven miles north of Greymouth. akni£ tho coast by level wad, and is in the vicinity of some of the largest- eoa-E deposits in the district. Tlitt late Sir Arthur Guinness was f-o-f naaiw .years a keen advocate of the construction ef this harbour, and jiigfc twelve, ni-antha ago, shortly before lirs tfeath, forra-o?j a Deep Sea Harbour Lea-pio in Greymouth. ■ .

Expert reports gji tlie sehoae have been obtained from tiflio to tima, ono of the latest seeing tho da.yijgitt only lastyear, after five years' obscurity in official pigeon-holes. The fost competent person to mako an inspectjiwi of tho locality was Mr. Bnifour, then okjef engineer for tho colony, who visited it nearly forty years ago and was favourably, impressed with its possibilities. Mr. W. H. Harrison, wiio was about the samo time M.H.R.fof tho Grej* listriet., on several occasions bteught "tl» matter before Parliament and tho Government: Mr. Harrison's proposal was that a central prison should be- e«taljlished at Point Elizabeth and the harbour works built by convict lahottr. After considerable debate the> propasal -srae favourably received. Tf» residents of Greymoutb protested Against tl-te s-.m-po-r----tation jnto tho district of a-centio of malefactors, and the Government which, had many demands for tJio borrowa:} money it was then spe-ndhi.g' liberal'tv seized on this to shelve tho selieine. mdcfinitelj-. ..."

Jliich data regard-mg the formation of a harbour at Point Elizabeth was collected by Mr, E... I. .Im4 t a 'former iown Clerk of Greymoiith, aiid a qualified, surveyor. In .the hills abuttiiig. an

and overlooking the water of tho natural harbour is coal in.infinite variety, out mainly remarkable for tho existence, of anthracite, which stands at the head of all coals for smokeless-ness awl steam-raising capacity. At ha»d ami equally available, is tho rock fonnfltion necessary for tho constrtvrt-ion of ihfi retaining walls required by a harbour. More slightly remote, but Sttll eloso enough for all practicable purposes, are deposits of ironstone arid linwsto.no, hctli when found' in conjunction affording an cxliaustiblo field for liuttan iadiistry, and tho investment nS capita], Tho natural bay that has'.beer* left l>v Aaturo in a rudimentary stage could easily be made to enclose loiß or 2PQW acres of deep Water, protecteif from all winds that blow, wlicre vessels of a«y tomiago could freely enter ;wd kftve- it any time or in aiiy weather, mmn'scied by floods or any other malign influence. J'lio enclosed water woitW afford all room 'necessary for tho sueccssfwl carrying on of a vast expfirt of coal Ilie soundings taken in the bay show that tho water gradually deepens at tlio shore side, from two to- threo fathoms to seven and-eight at the roef which marks the outer line of the harliour Coal Creek, which empties into the bay deposits no appreciable -quantity of shingle, wliile the stream of grar-el that is. more or less constantly •' travelling along shoro from south to nortji troes well outsido of the chief- wall of tho contemplated harbour.

In 1007 plans for a harbour at tho Point were drawn up by r . JoJin iUomson, resident engineer of tho Public ' Works. Department at Greynwutl) Hie works proposed included a southern breakwater linking the islets and reels extending from tho Point, jihi a northern breakwater sweeping , out freiu. ih>< shore- to meet the southern one. Tim area of water to bo ■enclosed be about 200 acres. Tho cost oil tho whole work Mr. ILomson. put at £-1,750,00 D but if tho southern breakwater alone i woro built—which would afford excellent protection from • the heavy southerly SrSn nnT th<> SCh ° mo TOUld Absßth «& The length of tho southern keakwate would bo 5-150 feet, with a depth beside it ranging from loft, to 45ft, fiio northern breakwater would bo 4900 feet, with a depth of 21- feot at 2000 feet out from tip beacl), gradually increasing from this point to 37 I'cet at the pier head. Tho port us thus designed would coi»i fflrtably accommodate vessels drawing 25 feet. ' The scheme was criticised by Sir. J. P..; Maxwell on tho ground that tkufrift from the (irey River would b.n c;iiii'>d right orl to tho entrance of the" new liaibom-, and make it iinapproachablo without expensive dredging. M r . Maxwell favoured instead tho blitldiltg of an outer harbour on tho coast to" the south of.the Grey Bivcr. A report on tho practicability sf 'constructing P. naval harbour at t'ort Efeabeth was made by Captain, Bentsinefc, K.N., in 190S, and published Insft year. Captain Bontinck considered tisnt a naval harbour would bn -espnnsive to make, but 'thought thai this objection would not apply to' mnytltme like the samo extent to a eoinmorcial harbour. ' Dealing with tho shingle drift : tji4ory, .Captain Beiitinck said: "The rocks pro* jeoting for nearly 3000 yards from Point Elizabeth are the remains of a piQB3-.Qjt.

Tory which at o&o tinio existed there, turn consequently the ehingio moving up tlio coast still follows tiro lino of roctsg, otlterwiso tlw proposed site would have siltotl up voars age?; and as up- to ill© present no bar has appeared off tlie outermost reck, there is no reason to anticipate the formation of oho after tins breakwater joining them has been, built, as this will be bus recofleti'ttoting the okl gromontory." ' ■-.....