THE SHIPPING AT DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 3281, 26 August 1873, Page 2

THE SHIPPING AT DUNEDIN.

To the Editor. Sir, —I am delighted to find that you take very much the same view of Mr Balfpur’s report as I have done, and I do hope yoqv noticing it so favorably may tend tg increase the ■* very general conviction that we are not making the most of opr natural advantages in Dunedin, and that vessels of large tonnage should be loading and del.vering in our local bay instead of Port Chalmers.” I also quite agree with you that the first step to be taken is to have a thorough survey of the harbor made. This would not cost very much, and even if the works proposed by Mr Balfour were never carried out, this expenditure would still bear good fruit in the way of reliable information as to the changes taking place in both harbors, upper and lower, and the causes effecting these changes. For aught we know to the contrary at present, there may be evils at work of a preventable character, which may be slowly but: surely destroying our harbor at its mouth. So that Port Chalmers, as well as Dunedin, would benefit by this survey. I wish, however, to point out to you that though Mr Balfour’s estimated “outsidecost (f LIOO.OOO stg. ” is for a channel 21 feet deep, he also adds, “ Should it be considered necessary, the depth could be still further increased, but this will probably not be required for years to come. The depth of the Clyde at Glasgow at high water is at present no more than 22 feet.” Your objection, therefore, that heavy laden vessels would touch the ground every tide is easily got overby having the berths for ships alongside the wharves dredged deeper than the rest. I believe some four or five feet deeper would be as deep as any part of Port Chalmers Bay, Since the date of Mr Balfour’s report, it is well known that improvements have been effected in dredging machinery to such an extent as to reduce the cost at least one-fourth. Your illustration of Geelong and Corio Bay is, I submit, singularly unhappy for your argument. Geelong and Corio Bay are situated with reference to Melbourne just as Port Chalmers is to Dunedin, and as Port Glasgow was to Glasgow, about half way up the navigable waters of an estuary. All the dredging in the world could not stop the traffic half way, even though the Ballarat hallway was purposely brought round by a long bend to Geelong. So with Glasgow, in spite of its shallow river, which within the memory of living men could be waded across, in spite of the Greenock and Glasgow Hailway, the ships and the traffic have gone past both Greenock and Port Glasgow to the head of the navigation. .And «o it will be

m " 6lil I 1 trnmmmMm* here, I hare no doubt, in spite of Port Chalmere Railway ©r eVeh Deborah Bay ditto. The advantages to the whole Province of having the shipping at Dunedin are too great, and the difficulties in the way too insignificant to prevent its accomplishment iking long delayed, fconomy in onr import and export trade demands it ; sanitary considerations connected with the drainage of the City will compel it; and the bar character of our harbor’s mouth, coupled with the reclamations everywhere encroaching on the area of the water space, render it advisable. It is simply a question of money—at most of LIOO,OOO stg. but were it double that, it would bo a mere bagatelle to this City now. I am, &c., Robert Gillies. Dunedin, August 20.