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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1148, 19 December 1879, Page 2

As interesting conversation took place at the laat meeting of the Harbor Boar*l relative to the disponing of the harbor. The Engineer had laid «n the table, for the [ Hoard's information, a P»™ •>* thl - i .<<e?uini>> as oriv'in *v pr'»:>«>3ed.and the Sccrv:rary<r.at»r<i th:\* '.lftri.u Wimrj »Wirll«r } a-t f.*r tts.V. a-; twuM '■>"■ i report the results tiv th«> •»t»r*c «l a f«» • ,Up. H* stat.-d thv. fifteen borings had been nin.fi>'. arid thr* intti were it'»v» at the 9txt»'«.'tith, which would take in the last p»>int necessary t>> make the shore seri«\* nE tests complete. I" answer t«> cnq-.irhrf by different members »>f the Hoard, it w;w elicited that, with the exception of the point at the north-west corner of the Nornianby Wharf, the bottom presented no serious obstacles to dredging. _ In one or two CH3C3 foot or two of irnpsictt?u shingto on the surface of the mud being the only hard notorial found, except at the point referred to. have been at the pains to inquire as to the nature of the ground at the Nnrmanbv Wharf, and have examined the specimens of rock obtained there. The rock is of a hard aandj nature, indented all over the surface with holes made by some boring mollusc, and itK3«m the surface of the mud, an immense stab of about SO to 100 feet in length, by about 40 feet in breadth, and from 9 inches to IS inches in thickness, evidently deposited in its present position by the agency of ice, as it is quite different from the rock forming the shore. It is considered that a few shots of dynamite w il] nevke this slab easily removable. The tf 13! borings have been made at intervals frpm the end of the Breakwater along the cross wharf, round the Nortnanby Wharf from the shore end of that structure to the beach, and along the beach to the lacoon, the rods being sunk to a. depth (without fimfflbg rock) which shows the possibility of obtaining 30 feet of water at low spring tides by the simple process of a channel and basins ; and as this can be done as easily at the frontage t<> the railway as at any other point in the harbor, a question arises as to the expediency of making an effort to bring the shipping «f the port mainly to that point. There can be no question aa t«> the advantages which wuuld accrue if this could be accomplished. Placing the jetties in immediate connection with the railway would result ill a saving of some thousand* of pounds yearly and the business .»f the town being greatly facilitated in every way. Of course, this means the extension of the Breakwater to a point sufficient to cover the north wall or mole, the construction of the whole or a portion of that mole to protect the foreshore from the " range," the obtainmcnt of a dredge, and other matters which will n« doubt be dealt with in the Engineer's report. In the conversation referred to, the members of the Board expressed a lively interest in the advantages which would probably arise from the information obtained, and requested the Engineer to send in his report ai as early a date a3 possible after the completion of the borings.