THE FOXTON HARBOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 990, 11 May 1911, Page 3

THE FOXTON HARBOUR.

ENGINEER’S REPORT,

At Tuesday’s meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board the report of Mr Hawarth, engineer to the Wanganui Harbour Board, on the Foxton bar and river was placed before the members. The report was as follows : ‘Tu compliance with your request, I have the honour to furnish the following report on Foxton Harbour, more particularly in reference to the improvement of the bar. Owing to the financial position of the Board, works of a permanent nature cannot be considered ; it therefore resolves itself into a question of suggesting a remedy that will be within the means of the Board. After an examination of the entrance and channel I would tecommend the purchase of a sand suction hopper dredge to work on the bar of a type similar to the “P. King” at present in use at New Plymouth. A second-hand machine could probably be obtained in the Australian States, at a cost not exceeding ,£1,500, failing which a new machine could be built for about ,£2,500. Such dredges have been found too small for the requirements of large harbour works, but would suit the work required at Foxton, both as to draft and capacity. F'rom past records it appears that the river (tidal and fresh water) under normal conditions keeps the bar in a workable condition for at least nine months in the year, giving 12ft. at high water average spring tides; it may therefore be assumed that (at most) three mouths would cover the period of work required to be kept going to maintain the necessary 12ft. Allowing for the slopes of the bar from the crest, 600 ft. should cover the length of the cut, which would entail the removal of 3300 cubic yards for a channel rooft. wide and which the dredge would remove in ten days of eight hours’ work each, allowing for one hour to each trip. The dredge would also be available for removing shoals which form occasionally at Bartley’s and Robinson’s bends and at Duncan’s. The estimated cost of working the dredge, including all charges for period indicated, would be not more than ,£SOO. The dredge would have to be maintained during the time it was laid up so that it could be put into commission at short notice. The maintenance would be carried out by the Board’s staff. I examined the railway wharf and found it fairly sound, but as it is built of native timber and has been erected for thirty years, it may be considered to have seen its best days. It is well known that in all such structures built with native timber, after a period of twenty years they may be considered as haviug served their period o: usefulness. The timber may not be absolutely rotten, but it is perished. An entirely new wharf, in Australian timber and of a better and stronger design, could be built at a cost of ,£lO per lineal foot. With reference to permanent works at the entrance similar to what is being carried out at Wanganui, before an indication of these could be given it would be necessary to have very complete surveys and investigations made, but with such a good river discharge and fine tidal compartment the possibilities of a good harbour for much larger traders are beyond doubt.” The Chairman said he would like discussion on the report held over for a special meeting. He had a proposal to bring forward and he would like the Board to agree to a special meeting being held within three weeks to discuss same.—This course was agreed to. It was decided that particulars as to cost of dredge recommended by the Engineer, and terms of payment, be at once obtained.