DEPTH OF CHANNEL

Otago Witness, Issue 4033, 30 June 1931, Page 7

DEPTH OF CHANNEL

CAPTAIN M'DONALD’S STATEMENT CRITICISM BY MEMBERS OF HARBOUR BOARD. A question regarding the accuracy of a remark which Captain Coll M'Donald was reported to have made at the pre-sessional meeting of the Otago Expansion League led to a breezy discussion at the meeting of the Otago Harbour Board on Thursday evening. Mr D. F. H. Sharpe said that Captain Coll M'Donald had stated that the deptn of the channel had increased from 17 to 23 or 24 feet at dead low water. The harbour master stated that the correct figure was 20 feet. Captain M‘Donald had either made a mistake or had been wrongly reported. Captain M'Donald said that his statement had been quite clear, and he had been correctly reported except that one word had been omitted. He had said that when the Otago Harbour Board had been formed the depth had been "17 feet, but the depth in the channel now averaged 23 to 24 feet. As a matter of fact, the average was greater, but he was a conservative man and was always on the right side. He was too old for a lot of members and knew too much about Otago Harbour for a lot' of members. He would say that there was no reason why all the cargo required for Dunedin’s 72.000 people should not come up to Dunedin. If ships were built that were unsuitable that was not his affair. He had made the statement to show the progress of the board and was not concerned with what shipping companies wanted to do. “1° take exception to Captain McDonald’s remark about what the shipping companies want to do,” said Mr F. Tyson. They wanted to do nothing but what suited the importers. The maximum depth was 75 feet through the islands. If there were bumps where there was only 15 or 16 feet that was what was used as a guide. He was surprised at Captain M'Donald’s talking about average depths. The shipping companies wanted no favours as far as bringing ships up to Dunedin was concerned. If the board wanted advice it would get it from the haibour master. It wanted no advice from Captain M’Donald. He wanted to make that tain M'Donald. He wanted to make that clear.

Mr T. Anderson rose to a point of order. This, he said, was not the subject under discussion. Mr Sharpe: The depth is 20 feet at low water. Captain M'Donald: Ask the engineer and harbourmaster. The chairman (Mr J. Loudon): Captain M'Donald is probably wrong in averaging. Mr Sharpe: Ships can’t jump over bumps. The chairman: The strength of a chain is in its weakest link. The harbourmaster (Captain-' J. MacLean) said that the least depth in the channel was 20 feet on one or two ridges At a- later stage Mr H. C. Campbel) said that the Port Dunedin was due on July 4. Early in 1925 she had arrived at Dunedin on her maiden voyage drawing 23 feet. He hoped that she would do the same this year. If she did not come to Dunedin it would look bad The chairman: We will get her up.