PIPITEA WHARF

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 156, 27 March 1919, Page 5

PIPITEA WHARF

TENDERS TO BE CALLED. At last evening's meeting of the Harbour Board it was decided to call for tenders for tho erection of the new Pipitea Wharf (north of the King's Wharf). Tho chairman in moving that tenders be called reminded the board that the plans for this structure were prepared and passed in 1914, but owing to the war any turtlier progress was out of the question, lie read a report from the board's engineer (Mr. Marcb'anks), which' set out that the estimated price (of 1914) would have to be reviewed, as the cost of material and labour was a good deal higher now than then. He proposed that as no one, could accurately gauge what the price of steel would be for some time ahead, that the steel he purchased by the board and supplied, to the contractor as his needs demanded, which proposal would relieve tho contractor of any risk as farw as the steel fbr the reinforced concrete piles • and girders) was concerned. The engineer also proposed, as the result of his observations abroad, that the shed, originally'designed to be 85ft. Gin. bv 7Glft. in length, be widened to 167 ft. That would mean the redesigning of the shed, which he proposed should form a, separate contract. Tho motion was carried. The engineer's report on the proposed ne-.v wharf, as set out in his 1914 report, read as i'ollows:—

"The plans show that the length of the wharf on the eastern side is 918 ft. Bin. and on the western side 764 ft. 10in., with a width of 186 ft. over the fenders. There is a' depth at llio outer end of 'ICft. Gin. below low water, ami 33ft. at the store end. Double piles are provided under all shed columns and at the outer end of the wharf, and raking piles are to bo driven at each of the cross bays, which are 20ft. apart. The fendcring consists of 16in. by 12in verticals of ironbark bolted to projections on the face piles, which are spaced 10ft. apart, with two rows of double 14in. by Sin. longitudinals, secured thereto with vertical packings of Win. by 12in between the longitudinals. Provision is made for two railway tracks with two double cross-over roads on each side of the wharf, Tho wharf is to bo cohered all over with compressed powdered rock asphalt, and the tops of the rails are to be flush with the paving. ' "The cargo shed is 761 ft. Gin. by Soft. Gin. overall, it is to be built ot steel and covered with, painted galvanised iron. The shed is divided .longitudinally by a row of columns spaced 40ft. apart, which will carry girders to which are attached" Hie tracks for overhead cranes.

"It is proposed to equip the wharf with hydraulic semi-portal cranes for outsido work. They are to be carried at tho inner end on trades attached to tho shed, columns. Tho inside of the shed will ba furnished . with overhead electric travelling cranes, arranged so that half of them may be grouped as desired sit any position on either 6ide of tho shed. Sufficient space is afforded and storage accommodation provided to enable large import cargoes to be worked cxpeditiously."