NEW PATENT SLIP

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 255, 22 July 1921, Page 6

NEW PATENT SLIP

PROGRESS WITH PRELIMINARY WORK. The Patent Slip Company is now constructing a second slip at Evans Bav, alongside the cradle which has been in operation for the past forty-eight years. The new slip will deal with small vessels only. A good deal of preliminary work hn« already been done. The Harbour Board’s Priestman dredge has graded the sea bottom. The ways will run out under water a distance of 500 ft., and over 600 yards of sand and blue clay were taken, out to secure a grade of 1 in 20. The cradle 'will run 60ft. into the hill-’ide, necessitating the excavation, of about 8000 yards of rock. The spoil is being used to extend the reclamation at the Kilbirnie Reserve. The total length of the ways will be 741 feet. The cradle, to be built of West Australian ironbark, will be 150 ft. with a breadth of 35ft„ and will lie capable of taking vessels up to 500 tons. It will lie of special design, with bilge arms and keel blocks readily removable, thus facilitating repair work. About 100 000 ft. of hardwood timber will be treed. The hauling plant is under construction by Messrs. Day and Summers, Southampton, England, and will weigh over 50 tons. W’ire rope, with a safe working load of 35 tons, will be used for hauling. The necessary rails ainred at Wellington recently from the Lithgow Steel Works. ... It is anticipated that the new slip villi be completed in a little over a J'WMr J Patterson, of the Patent Slip Company, is in charge of operations, and Air'. Fulton is the constructing engineer. _______