ENDOWMENT WANTED.

Patea Mail, 13 August 1881, Page 2

ENDOWMENT WANTED.

Few persons know how easily the Patea bar can be deepened to 16 or 18 feet. Look at these facts. The breakwater is 1200 feet long, and the amount paid on contracts is only £12,510, besides £1,377 for engineer’s salary and expenses. The average cost is therefore about £I,OOO for each 100 feet in length. Then what would be the cost of extension, and what the depth attainable on the bar ? The conditions of construction are made much more favorable by changes since Sir John Coode was at Patea, The sea has thrown np behind the breakwater an inexhaustible supply of shingle suitable for mixing with cement to mako large blocks, thereby cheapening the work immensely by saving cartage from a distance. This shingle, even the finest part of it, is proved by experience to be just what is wanted, and it should be recorded that the late Chairman saved a large sum by first pointing out and testing the suitableness of small shingle for making cement blocks. The future work must consist of large blocks, and the material now lies piled high against the breakwater. Nature has by accident been depositing the required material in the required place. Taking the cost so far at £I,OOO for each 100 feet of length, and having regard to the cheap facility of making future blocks, we may safely estimate the cost of extending the wall at 100 per cent, more than previous average cost, thus : 400 feet extern-ion, concrete blocks £B,OOO Plant and contingencies 2,000 Cost of extension £IO,OOO This extension is calculated to ensure, with unfavorable circumstances, a depth of 16 feet on bar at ordinary spring tides, and a depth of 10 feet at low water. That is to say, for a farther outside expenditure of £IO,OOO, the bar can be deepened at dead low water to the same depth it now is at high water. Ships which now enter the Patea river at high tide could, for £IO,OOO more, enter the river at low water. But the results are likely to be much more favorable, because the depth already attained is lar greater than Sir John Goode’s estimate provided for. Sir John Goode’s scheme shows an eastern breakwater With a proposed length of 1600 feet -; that is to say, 400 feet longer than at present. He estimates the depth on bar to be then “at least 16 feet at high water ordinary Spring tides,” or 10 feet at low water. Allowing a dip between waves of 4 feet, he estimates a minimum depth of 12 feet for navigation, and he says this would he under unfavorable circumstances. It thus appears that for a farther expenditure of at most £IO,OOO, the Harbor Board can increase the depth on bar by 6 feet, eqnal to an increased depth of one foot for each £1,600 as the work proceeds. But the actual results Will probably4r be much greater, for sound reasons. Sir John Coode promised a depth of 16 feet for an outlay of £47,000 on the east pier. A depth which now varies from 10 to 11 feet, according -to period of year, has been attained for ft total of £18,887 spent on the east pier; and the depth on bar was only 2 feet at low Water When the Work commenced, and is now sor 6. The costliness of the work to reach a certain length of wall is evida»tly much less than he estimated j

and it follows that the actual outlay to attain a farther given depth will be much below his estimate, A second reason in favor of better results is that the snaglifting in the river has contributed materially to hasten the outward scour and deepen the bar; and this snagging can be continued farther up the river with a large direct benefit to the bar. Thirdly, the removal of eel-weirs up the river is itself a work of such importance that we hesitate to discuss it in the present stage of negotiation in that matter. The west pier, when necessary, will be a more expensive work. We have reason to believe Sir John Goode regards this pier as desirable but not indispensable. The outward current has proved strong enough to beep the entrance well open against all influences ; and it will probably be found that the increasing depth on the bar will diminish the West spit as an obstruction at the entrance. So long as the channel keeps straight and deep, the narrowness opposite the spit is of secondary importance. It seems to us a sound proposition to say that the west pier is required to give completeness to the scheme of improvements, by ensuring a broad channel for navigation, but is not necessary for the immediate purpose of deepening the bar. Its greater costliness puts it out of present contemplation, and must do so until very largo funds become ► available. Probably the facts and suggestions we have set forth will justify a more confident view of our harbor prospects. A deep bar and a straight channel appear to be attainable for so small an outlay ; and the present work stands so Well, and is so remarkable an improvement to the navigation, that the Patea public Can offord to face the future cheerlully. It seems that for £IO,OOO more, and probably for a much less sum, the breakwater can be carried into deep water on a clay bottom, where silt ceases to be throv a np by the “ break ” on the shore. That is the point to be reached.