Dredging Change for Westport Bar is Proposed

Grey River Argus, 16 April 1948, Page 8

Dredging Change for Westport Bar is Proposed

Westport Harbour Advisory Committee yesterday recommended to the engineer-manager for the Marine Department, Westport, Mr A. _ C. Bascand, that consideration be given to the possibility of dredging from the outside of the bank on the bar when the conditions at low water do not allow of work from the front of it. The chairman, Mr T. Parfitt, said that he had noticed that the dredge was not working on Saturday, April 3, when conditions seemed very favourable, and. when it was desirable that any opportunity might have been taken to catch up with some dredging. Mr- Bascand said that there would have been little use, under the circumstances in sending the Eileen Ward out, as the low water would have prevented her dredging from the front. He admitted that it might be possible to work from, the back, but with not so good an effect. In reply to Mr F. Connew, after he had stated that his report on the condition of Westport harbour was the worst he had ever made, Mr Bascand said that engineers were

trying to find other than natural methods of clearing the bar. If they had been known before, they certainly would have been used. Mr J. Kilkenny: “If we had another war and the Yanks wanted this harbour, it would only take them six weeks to put in order.’’ The chairman £aid that nature was depended on as much as 80 per cent, to keep the bar clear.