THE THAMES HARBOUR SCHEME.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4438, 10 July 1922, Page 3

THE THAMES HARBOUR SCHEME.

BENEFIT TO WHOLE. VALLEY. OUTLINE BY MR. C. W. HARRIS. An outline of the proposed Thajnes Harbour Scheme was given by Mr. C. W. Harris (Harbour Board chairman) at the luncheon given after the wharf opening ceremony at Turua on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Harris said the Thames Harbour Scheme was destined to benefit the whole of the Thames Valley. The harbour district extended to Morrinsvi.Ue, and he hoped it would soon extend as far as Matamata. The Board had a loan on the Statute Book for £275,000 to build an inner harbour.. There would be a. berthage for boats drawing 23ft. The work would be one of development.. The Board would have its own dredge, and every facility to increase the depth. They had before the House an amendment to the Bill for the area to be brought into the harbour district as recommended by the commission. The Waihou and Piako rivers, continued Mr,. Harris, were the main feeders of the Thames Harbour, .and it. would be the bounden duty of the Board to see that those rivers were kept open for navigation . It would, be the very life to the Thames Harbour Board, and of vital importance to everyone living in these areas. It would not be long before there were meat works and warehouses on the ,ha-hour frontage. The revenue derived from the warehouses would be sufficient to provide the interest on sinking fund. It was 30 years ago, he continued, when the harbour improvement scheme was mooted.. Mr. Blair Mason had spoken in the highest terms for the possibilities of the Thames Harbour. The Hauraki harbour would be one 'of the cheapest, ports in the world.