THAMES WHARF.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4799, 14 January 1925, Page 2

THAMES WHARF.

PILE-DRIVING CEREMONY. ■ 4 PART OF HARBOUR SCHEME. Yesterday might well be regarded as a red-letter day for the Borough of Thames, the occasion being the official commencement of the new Burke Street wharf, which, when completed, will form part of the harbour improvements for which the sum of £60,000 has been authorised to be raised by the borough ratepayers. The official ceremony was performed by the Hon. J. G. Anderson, Minister for Marine and Mines.

The present wharf was gaily decorated with bunting, and a dais was erected on a structure near the piledriving derrick. Seated on the dais, in addition to the Hon G. J. Anderson, were Sir C. J. Parr, the Hon. G. M. Thomson, Messrs H. Poland, M.P. for Ohinemuri ; T. W. Rhodes, M.P., Thames ; J. Mcllvride, M.P., Napier , R. Coutler, chairman of Thames Harbour Board : members of the Harboui Board. Hospital Board. Mayors and members of Thames, Paeroa, Waihi, and Te Aroha Borough Councils, chairmen and members of Piako, Hauraki Plains. Coromandel, and Thames County Councils, and members of other institutions, as well as a number of visitors and residents of Thames.

M' R Coulter, chairman <A the Harbour Board, extended a cordial welcome to the Ministers of the Crown and other visitors. He congratulated Sir C. J. Parr on receiving a knighthood. and expressed the hone that h" would be spared long to enjoy the honour. Explaining the object of the function, the chairman said that that afternoon marked a red-letter day-' ifi the history of the Thames borough, and he believed in the future progress of the whole district. The function would officially mark the commencement of the scheme that the board had dreamed of for years. The ancient history of the Thames Harbour had ended and the new and modern history commenced from, that date. The first harbour board came into being on October 31, 1876, during which year Curtis’ wharf had been built. In 1898 a loan of £lO,OOO had Veen raised for harbour improvemeiits but no rate had been levied or any further loans raised until, last year. The harbour had been maintained by harbour dues, butduri ng that time it had not been possible to carry out any marked improvements to the harbour or increase the berthage facilities. In 1919 a harbour improvement rate had been struck, and as the money accrued various proposals were given effect to. The loan of £60,000 proposed by the board over the whole area had been turned down by the country' districts, so, nothing daunted, the Thames ratepayers had agreed to shoulder the burden themselves, and had sanctioned the raising of the loan. (Applause.) In August of last year the Minister’s approval of the suggested improvement 3 had been obtained, and the work would be steadily proceeded with. So optimistic had the Thames people been of the ultimate success of the scheme, said Mr Coulter, tnat in May last, over three months before .the approval of the Minister had been obtained, the sum of £20,000, being part of the loan of £60,000, had teen raised by debentures to enable tne preliminary work to be undertaken and the necessary machinery for the scheme to he ordered.

The chairman then read a detailed report from the board’s engineer, Mr E. F. Adams.

After all, continued the chairman, harbour construction was more or less in the nature of an experiment, and it was necessary that such experiments should be conducted on a sound basis, and in that respect, in addition to outside expert opinions on the scheme, the board had the fullest confidence in its engineer. A glowing tribute was also paid by Mr Coulter to the secretary of the board, Mr E. V. Sandens, and to the members. He sai' 1 it had been a great pleasure to work with a body of men who pulled together so loyally for the common weal. He hoped that in-the near future the Paeroa borough would have a representative on the board, and that in the course of time the country districts would see the error 0. their ways in the past and come in and support the Thames harbour. (Laughter, and cries of hear, hear.) In conclusion, Mr Coulter said he believed that the work already undertaken was only the beginning of a huge scheme. He wished to eulogise the spirit and optimism of the Thames people, and trusted that in the fullness of time, with their help and cooperation, the work would be satisfactorily completed. He then called on the Hon. J. G. Anderson to address the gathering.

On rising to speak the Minister was greeted with applause. He said he ha<! great pleasure in being present. Sonfo seven or eight years ago he had travelled up the Piako River, and had then predicted that in years to come the Hauraki Plains would be used for fattening stock and support freezing works of its own. The Hauraki Plains was, in his opinion, too ricn for dairying alone. The Harbour Board had better land behind, it than any other like body in New Zealand. There was no doubt that in time Thames would have an overseas harbour of its own. There were no engineering difficulties, .and he would predict that the need would in time be for such a port. He urged the people to have faith in the scheme and back up the board. It was a tremendous haul by rail, to Auckland, and the harbour charges there were high, and there was no reason why the charges at Thames should not be very much lower. Every harbour scheme should show a reasonable chance of success, said the Minister, as too much money had been wasted on harbour schemes In New. Zealand in the past. There was no doubt of the success of the. Thames project. The prospect of the harbour, if properly managed,’was unbounded. The department had confldene'e in th? scheme, in the board, and in the

board’s engineer. He wished to con.-, gratulate the people of .Thames on their enterprise, and predicted that in time the ratepayers of the area which had turned dow the loan would realise the benefits they were receiving and would gladly come “with their hats in their hands” asking to be allowed to contribute towards the cost of the scheme and so lighten the burden carried by the Thames people. The Minister, accompanied by the engineer, then proceeded to the sixtyfoot derrick carrying a one and a half ton monkey, and at a signal released a lever, causing the monkey to descend on to the pile, driving it . : n several inches at each blow. Hearty cheers were given, and the Minister wished the board every possible success in its undertaking. By special request Sir C. J. Parr addressed the gathering, and said he wished to congratulate the people of Thames on the enterprise and initiative shown in endeavouring to improve their conditions. He said .that Mr Coulter had spoken with caution and prudence when he had said that harbour works were invairably in the nature of experiments, and so many of those experiments had proved unsuccessful and very'costly. The speaker counselled the board to ensure the success of, the smaller scheme before tackling anything larger. He also eulogised the skill and knowledge of Mr E. F. Adams, whom he had known for a long number of years, and whose opinion as an engineer he valued very highly. Sir James said that he believed the value of a good harbour with up-to-date facilities for handling produce would benefit the district throughout, fls far as Putaruru, and once the sue-; eess of the present scheme was assurred he had no doubt but. that the country district ratepayers would will- , ingly come forward and shoulder a portion of the burden of a larger scheme. He had no hesitation in saying that Thames would have one of the most successful and foremost: harbours in the Dominion. Speaking on the financial side of, matters, Sir James said that local bodies in the Dominion had borrowed something approaching 40 millions sterling, and that the Government had borrowed about two hundred millions, so caution in the .expenditure on proposals for improvements was necessary. Although New Zealand to-day was one of the most productive countries in the world, proportionate to ; her size and population she was carrying an enormous mortgage, and he: w as a strong advocate of not borrows ' ing money unless the work on which it was going to be spent would be reproductive. In a brief address the Mayor of Thames, Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., said he wished to endorse the remarks of the previous speakers with reference to the energy and unbounded optim- : ism display’d by the Thames people in shouldering the burden of harbour, construction unsupported by the country districts. He believed that the reason why the country had not supported the proposal was because, of. ignorance of the scheme and failure » to realise the inestimable benefit that; would.be derived from the harbour , in the future. The work of improve-; ment would be on progressive lines, , and he was confident that success., was assured. The advantage of cheap-. 7 er freights and the saving of transshipping charges would mean a lot to the town and farming community. New industries would be encouraged at Thames, and he had already reason , to believe that if a deep harbour became available direct shipments .of Nauru phosphates would come to. Thames and be ground there and dis- < 'tributed to the farmery at a saving of from £1 to £1 I.os a ton. As some - 50,000 tons of phosphate were used on , land within the harbour board’s are ithe saving on that line alone would be enormous. The facilities that - would be available for the direct ex-.*: port of dairy produce, meat, and wool from the district had also to be considered. The mining industry lad shown more activity' of late, said Mr Rhodes, and the prospects for the future" development and prosperity of Thames .: had never looked brighter. The sum. > of £98,000 had been spent on a sew-?., erage system, permanent loading had been undertaken, and, generally, the town was steadily advancing. It was a matter for congratulation the way the ratepayers had shouldered their •: burdens and had made such improver < ments possible. The Mayor concluded;: by saying that without doubt Thames would ultimately gain the confidence . and support of the country districts, and he wished the Harbour Board all success in its undertaking. The ceremony concluded with the singing of the National Anthem, and - cheers for the Harbour Board and Ministers of the Crown present.