South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1893.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7065, 10 February 1893, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1893.

The Harbour Board Elections, next I week, are the moat important that have been held, at all events since the breakwater was started. The retiring Board have perhaps taken too narrow a view of the possibilities of improving the harbour, but, if narrow, their view was directed to necessary and attainable aims. Three great improvements are desirable ; one is absolutely necessary, the other two would be considered so if the first were out of the way. It is absolutely necessary to prevent the shingle from going round the mole and blocking up the entrance. It is highly desirable to increase the depth of the harbour, and to cut off a great deal of the “ range ” that disturbs the harbour in rough sea weather. These are the three things that need doing, if means will allow. Shifting the shingle »by any process will do the first, the absolutely necessary thing ; so would extending the works. And extending the works would do much to destroy the range, while shifting the shingle would not. And extending the works will not deepen tho harbour, while the appliances ordered for shifting the shingle will. The contending parties on and off the board have taken different pairs of the three desirables, as moat desirable. One party prefers to fight the shingle and deepen the harbour ; the other party prefers to fight the shingle and tranquilliso the harbour. (A smaller section looks only to dealing with the shingle, being satisfied, it seems, with the depth and quietness of the harbour.) A further question is brought in, whether it is or is not yet necessary to take steps against the shingle. On this point the shingle itself gives warning that it cannot long be trusted to pile up, without danger. The real question of contention is : Which is the most desirable, to deepen, or to tranquillise, the harbour ? The answer must largely depend on another question : What would either process cost 1 The shingle advances at least 100 feet a year, so that the mole building to check it cannot go on at a slower rate than that, to meet the requirements, and at the lowest estimate of £SO a foot, there is £SOOO a year required, for the double purpose of dealing with the shingle, and, in course of a few years, considerably tranquillising tho harbour. On the other hand, th« cost of working the new plant, aceor . , to the chairman’s report, will not ] £SOOO & year, for the double purpo stopping tho shingle and. in the cour-i-,-a few vears, oouaiderably deepening •; harbour- - with a towing service th.-=.-.vr-

in. This comparison brings out equal annual cost. It may be asserted on one side that the shingle makes more than 100 ft a year, and that mole work will coat more than £SO afoot ; but on the other side it may be assorted that coat of working and repairs to the new plant will as much exceed £5900. The comparison may therefore, for the present, stand. Supposing that tor an equal annual expenditure the shingle can be dealt with and the harbour deepened, or the shingle dealt with and the harbour tranquillised, which is the more desirable pair of desirables ! Omitting tho element common to both, which is the more desirable, to have a deeper harbour, or a quieter one, if either couid be got for tho same money I