WHARF COLLAPSES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 October 1924, Page 5

WHARF COLLAPSES.

PILES SNAP. DAMAGE ,£20,000. ACCIDENT AT AUCKLAND. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATIONAUCKLAND, Oct. 28. Damage to the extent of several thousand pounds was caused to the Western wharf to-day, when some of the concrete foundation piles collapsed shortly after 2 o’clock. The steamer Trelissick was working at another portion of the wharf, and the first indication to the men engaged at her that anything was amiss was the loud cracking of concrete. They were amazed to see a large surface area of the wharf near the sea end gradually subside till a portion on the western, side was almost at the water level. Large fissures appeared on the surface, revealing steel reinforcing girders. Stout wooden fenders on the eastern side vvere splintered and snapped in two.

The driver of a motor lorry was about to tip a load of soil over the side of the wharf when there was a sudden tremor beneath him, and although he, did not grasp the situation immediately, he had a foreboding of danger. Without delay he tipped the soil on the wharf, cranked the lorry and sped away to safer ground. At the point where the w r harf had sagged most of the reinforced concrete piles had almost disappeared in the mud, and the large boulders cemented together had fallen to pieces. Seven piles on the other side snapped as if made of chalk. On the eastern side the steamer Trelissick was berthed, but she was not affected. An electric crane was unloading cargo from the forward hold, but fortunatey it was some distance away.

The engineer explains that the disaster was due to the stonewall, built to support the wharf, collapsing and carrying away some piles, thus throwing an extra strain on the other piles, which gave way. The area that subsided is about i6O feet long, but about 300 feet will have to be rebuilt at a cost of £20,000. The part that, collapsed was built in 1921. The wharf is 1000 feet long, and cost £95,000.