THE HARBOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1667, 6 February 1906, Page 2

THE HARBOR.

(To the Editor of the Times.) Sir, —Is it a joke ? In porusing your oolumns I notice that the overseer stated that he wanted room for the Manuka on the Kaiti side of the river; and then again I noticed that Mr Harding was referring to getting the mutton boats inside. Now, sir, are we to look at this, as a joke, cr are we to take it in real earnest? If the latter, well, then, I think tho Board should

resign in a body for talking in such a way, when they know that mutton boats draw about 20 to 30 feet of water, and that there is not that within throe cables’ length of the breakwater. If a vessel is drawing 25 feet of water she mu6t have at lea a t another 10 feet of water to allow for rise and fall of the sse, for no master woold bring a large yessel into the river to touch on the bottom. I doubt whether the insuranoe oompanies would allow it. But this is the joke: That according to the nautical almaoao of 1902 you can find tbe Penguin survey shows that the river is getting worse all tbe timo, instead of better, tbe following being the respective soundiogs taken by the Penguin in 1902 and Captain CummiDg in January, 1906 :

Now, if any member of the Board will oompare these two, and tell the public how long it is going to take them to get the Manuka, or one of tho mutton boats, into the river, it will enlighten me.—l arn.eto., NUF SED.

1902. 1906. fs in ft in End of breakwater 15 0 10 8 Third bollard 9 0 8 2 Snark’s landing ... 9 0 6 6 Crane 8 6 6 10 Waikanae 9 6 7 0 Stockyard 9 0 7 2 Wharf 10 0 7 0