THE GROYNE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1523, 3 August 1905, Page 3

THE GROYNE.

i The adjourned meeting of the Harbor Board was held yesterday afternoon, there being present: Messrs Townley (chairman), Hepburn, Lysnar, Clark, Matthewson, Whinray, Sievwright, Harding and Captain Tucker, The Chairman said the Board had met to consider the complaints of shippers vo •ho'groyne extension. Tho Board wore doing their best to improve the river. It was necessary to oxtond the groyne and get the sand out of the rivor so as to enable the rook to bo shifted, and the channel to be deepened. Tho extension should be completed before the results could bo determined. He asked the ssorotary to read the resolutions in connection with tho groyne. Mr SipvwrighS tljen proposed the following motion: —That wjjile desirous to give effect to any qaefnk suggestion of (iho deputation, the Board cannot stop the completion of the authorised training wail, and that to do so, upon a suggestion of the kind in the face of skilled advice that the work is ooocsssry, would bo foliy on the part of the Board.” Tha-groyno had done ail that was expeoted of it. Tbe groyne was blamed for the m’shap to tho Tawera sad Tibi when tho real trouble was that there was not suitable oraft for tbe work. The deputation could rely upon the Board doiDg its best to givo ihetn a good harbor. Mr Hepburn seconded. Ho said there was no doubt that tho.freshee in tbe river with southerly winds caused the sand to shift about. Had tbe work been finished in the summer they would have heard no complaints at .all. The accident to tbe Tawera g&vß'the Sepgtatiog a handle. The work must go on.

Mr Lysnar said ba could not agree that they had good engineering advioe on these matters. There was nothing in any of Mr Napier Bell’s rsports about the groyne going beyond the breakwater. Tho whole work of the Board since the inception of the work was a jumbled, muddled state. They ■topllPOalJy passing resolutions and then turning and repealing them. They were really carrying oujs. Mg Thompson's scheme and no other. ' Tbp Board waro the engineers. He deals at length with extracts from Mr Nepior Boll’s reports, drawiwg special. attention to the fact that tho report only msdo provision for the wall going the length of tho breakwater. Mr Napier Bell stated that tho groyneshould got out at least as far as tho end of the breakwa'er, aud further if possible. The extended groyne was m-.king an increased range, and they could not bring o’ne mastc-r mariner to say that tho groyne was an advantage. The Board had a great responsibility. • They were in the interests of the publio and had to safeguard those interests. If they were there to carry out their own whims and fancies it was a different thing. Mr Cjiark seated that this was the first work tho Board had undertaken under an engineer of repute. He c-in'aidered tha) it would bo a great mistake for tho Board,’ on their own reeponsibility, or on the responsibility of a deputation, to stop the work in a half finished stale- It would bo an injnstioe'tfo everybody to stop tho work at the present time. He considered tho deContinued on page 4.