THE HUTT RIVER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2259, 3 August 1908, Page 1

THE HUTT RIVER.

PROPOSED CANAL. The Hutt River Board, which is an elective body appointed t 0 safe-guard tho interests of property-holders on the hanks of the Hutt River in the boroughs of Petono mid Lower Hutt, last month received ail exhaustive report from Mr Laing-Meason, engineer to tho Board, on the possibility of constructing a canal so that vessels can be accommodated. At tho present time Petono and Lower Hutt lias to rail all its merchandise from Wellington, though a wharf is now being constructed on the beach near tho Gear Freezing. Works; but Mr Laillg-Aloasoii’s scheme is t<> utilise the river near Gear Island. There would be no special difficulty in excavating a canal through the neck of land between river and sea, says Mr LaingiMeason, or in dredging a channel into Port Nicholson in continuation of the canal; and the river ‘itself, being still water, could be easily and cheaply deepened to any required extent as far up stream as the upper dam. A depth of 11 feet at low water would allow of tihe passage of steamers of the class trading to Wanganui, Foxton, and the smaller .ports of the Dominion, at all states of the tide; whilst at or near high-tidewater colliers and other vessels up to 800' to 1000 tons could pass in and .out. In the canal portion of tile channel, a bottom water of 50 feet -would be sufficient for such vessels; in the river 00 feet, and in the approach channel in the harbor, 130 feet. In order to shelter the approach channel in southerly weather, and also to prevent its shoaling by file sand being washed into it, it would be necessary to erect a training wall to seaward. Should the necessity arise in the future. ,the channel could he readily dredged to any required dimensions. A basin 600 feet by 250 feet, at the head of the channel, with a depth of 15 feet, would be necessary t 0 allow vessels to swing. Provision is made in the estimates for 700 feet of wharfage, which would allow for berthing two of the largor and smaller steamers, or one largor and throe smaller steamers. The spoil dredged from the channel could bo conveniently and economically disposed on the eastern side of the training wall, where it would Help to reclaim an area which would hecomo valuable land in the future.

The Hutt Park Railway crosses the site of tho canal. 'This line is now used only by tho Gear Aleat Company in connection with their manure works, and .by the Petono Borough Council for tht transport of the nightsoil to the sanitary depot. As the Gear Company purpose shifting their works to another locality, .and as the Borough Council will (Shortly replace tho depot by septic tanks, to which ■the sewage will be pumped, file necessity disappears ifor carrying tho line beyond the site of the canal. The city water .pipes and the proposed Petont 6ewago pumping mams cross the canal in a tunnel, which would have to be of sufficient capacity to accommodate the present pipes as well as any future multiplication of them. The tunnel would bo 400 feet an length, which it is considered would be sufficient for any probable futuro increase in the width of the channel.

It is .pointed out by-Mr Laing-Alea-son that he has considered the question from the engineering side only, and from that standpoint ho is .able to state that the scheme is perfectly feasible, and that tho cost would be moderate. He contends that no other locality in Port Nicholson presents the same natural advantages for manufacturing sites—for which some 300 acres would be available in tlie immediate vicinity—and that the price of the land, at .any other place, is at least four or .five times more than oil Gear Island and the surrounding area. He anticipates that it is not likely the channel scheme would be proceeded with until .a considerable number o.f factories were established. In the meanwhile, pending the developments which would warrant proceeding with tlie channel, he suggests that negotiations should lie opened with tlie Hutt Park ‘Railway Company, with a view to acquiring running rights over the line. The line, ho says, could he readily and cheaply carried across the lower dam and extended to the centre of the island, so that manufacturers could have direct rail communication to Wellington and the general railway station.

Tlie report is especially interesting to Gisborno residents as the property of Gracefiekl Ltd. is situated on the eastern bank of the Hutt River and close to tihe proposed canal 'site,