THE FOXTON WHARF.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1127, 31 July 1913, Page 3

THE FOXTON WHARF.

REPORT BY MR JICKELL.

A report was read at the recent meeting of the Foxton Harbour Board Irom Mr S. Jickell. Borough Engineer, of Palmerston, who had inspected the wharf. In his report Mr Jickell said be was informed that the wharf had been constructed by the Railway Department about the year 1882, but it would appear that the work had been done at two different dates, as there were two separate designs, one portion ot two pile work, and the other (up-stream) of three-pile work. The timber (tolara) of which the wharf was originally constructed must have been of high quality, as was evident from its present state of preservation after be;u n position over 30 years. Speaking generally the timber of the original structuie did not show very prounounced signs of decay, but of course it was not equal to what it was when the wharf was first built ; there were a few braces and one or two headstocks which at present required to be renewed, and some few of the front sheathing planks wanted securing, but beyond this the wharf as a whole was in a very fair state of repair. From time to time some of the original totara members had been replaced by Australian hardwood as the necessity arose, and additional hardwood fender piles jiad been placed in position at each pier thereby greatly strengthening the whole structure and rendering it more secure at the time vessels are coming alongside. In conclusion, he would say that if ordinary attention was paid to the repairing of the wharf (as had been done in the past) with hardwood immediately on the necessity arising, it would do efficient duty for many years. The said repairs up to the present had not been very extensive, but would be slightly greater in the future ; but if they were carried out as suggested, and unless it becomes necessary to alter the present arrangement of the river front, there was no reason why the present form of structure should not remain indefinitely.

The chairman explained that he had not previously been aware of the amount of renewal that had been affected by the Railway Department to the understructure of the wharf until the inspection was made the other day with Mr Jeckell; a good number of the stringers had been replaced with Australian hardwood. The length of the wharf was about SSO feet, and the engineer estimated that a new wharf of 600 feet could be constructed of ironbark for ;£o,ooo. In giving ,£IO,OOO for the present wharf, the Board would be giving nearly double what it was worth. The engineer pointed out that the reclamation work that had been carried out had a.lot to do with the price of the existing structure.

The chairman and the secretary (Mr Bock) were authorised to sign the petition to be presented to Parliament.