HALF COMPLETED

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 75, 21 December 1937, Page 6

HALF COMPLETED

Work on Napier Breakwater Harbour DREDGING PROGRESS JCalf the work involved in the construction of the Napier breakwater harbour has now been completed, according to the report presented to the meeting of the Napier Harbour Board by the chairman, Mr Trevor kl. Geddis. Th© only major operation which has not proceeded with the desired rapidity during the year has been the construction of wharf No. 3, but since the board took this work into its own hands steady progress has been recorded. -with the result that all the initial difficulties have been overcome and the construction of the work is now proceeding apace. The efforts of the board, said Mr Geddis, have unfortunately been somewhat adversely affected by the rise in construction costs, increases in the prices of materials and shortage of skilled and general labour. It is not anticipated, however, that the cost of the works will exceed the existing authorities, iu addition of course to tne extra expenditure brought about by present-day costs. So much of the board's operations, sueh as, for instance, dredging^ has been of a preliminary nature or has been exeeuted beneath tho eurface of the water that it is difficult for the general public to realise that such a great proportion of the harbour development programme has been completed, says the report. To all intents and purposes the board has carried out lialf its total scheme of dredging operations and the breakwater extension is being weil advancel. Practically the whole of the shore works, including railway and road construction, have been completed. Now that wharf No. 3 has been brought under construction and the preliminary work for the large wharf No. 4 taken in hand progress effected henceforward will become increasingly apparent to the casual observer. ~*-