HOKITIKA HARBOUR.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1933, Page 3

HOKITIKA HARBOUR.

(To the Editor), Sir.—lt seeirts strange that- the Hokitika Harbour Board should find it such fi difficult matter to deepen the harbour ha,siii. 'Wfiy not hire the Grcymbutli or ahy other dredge ahd get it deepened' by dredging? MOgt .assuredly it would' be the most efficient and most economical way to overcome the difficulty. If it were dredged out it would last for years before it would need dredging again and the spoil could bp used to fill up and strengthen the inside of the wharf. A still-water harbour is ■always preferable to a heavy river cur-rent-harbour.

If you start any scheme of turning the river into the harbour •'basin, it will "'n the first place be a very expensive undertaking, and' if you succeeded in turning it, which is very; problematical, it would most likely, wlien the first flood came, take the whole rickety structure of the whiaA’f out to sea and you would have to start tofiuild fresh wharves and a fresh entrance .to the harbour, ■O/ if it did stand, it would be very difficult for shipping during flood time. 'Again,, if you only partly brought the river m you would have it eternally filling up the basin wih silt and gravel.

I maintain that the most effective and also the most economical way -of overcoming the difficuly would be to hire a dredge and to dredge out the- basin. I am etc., ANCIENT MARINER. Koiterangi, June -26th.