OUR HARBORS.

Southland Times, Issue 1574, 7 May 1872, Page 2

OUR HARBORS.

Capt. T. Thomson, Chief Harbor Master for the province of Otago, makes the following reference to the Southland Harbors in his annual report for the year ending 31st March, 1872: — The Bluff. — Throughout the past year 229 vessels, representing 43,908 tons, entere i and cleared at this port, and owing to the narrow entrance, contracted by foul ground on one side of the channel, in most cases the services of a pilot are taken ; therefore, the Harbor Master with his boat's crew are fully employed ; and with the absence of a tv?, their work with sailing TcsseU is rendered difficult, and frequently attended -with great risk. Therefore, with a view to avoid such risk, and to establish communication between this port and the Toi Tois, on the one hand, and Riverton on the other, also a fortnightly trip to Stewart's Island, I would recommend that a subsidy should be offered for a suitable steamer that would carry out such service, towing included. Ido not make the recommendation before the time, as it appears to me that this important centre demands the service referred to ; and I am convinced now, that it is the .only satisfactory way to work the several harbors too far away from Dunedin for small steamers to ply with profit. So much is expected of steamers now-a-days, that whether night or day they must go-ahead, and as the Bluff is the first port of arrival and the last port of departure for most of. the Melbourne steamers, and as they occasionally arrive and sail at night, I am of opinion that to preftnt a recurrence of the wrecks that happened here, a harbor light should be erected on the foreground near .the Ocean Chief, or a. small light vessel as the cheapest way to provide the accommodation ; it is alio necess iry that there should be a light on the upper and lower corners of the jetty. And here 1 may mention that the jetty is quite inadequate to the trade of the port, although the cutting made last year through to the basin almost doubled the accommodation for shipping ; still, in order to meet the present requirements, it is necessary that there should be an extension outwards, so th it coppered vessels loading wool may not take the ground, and also lengthwise to give another berth for vessels of large tonnage. There are many buoys in use m this harbor, necessarily so, and expensive to maintain ; meantime, they are all in fair order. The buildings at the pilot station have been kept in good repair, at the Harbor Master's own cost. He is at present absent on leave for twelve months, having gone home to England, with a view to patent an anchor invented by him. Captain James Greig, formerly Harbor Master at Invercargill, is acting in his stead. New River. — During the last twelve months 92 vessels, representing 4457 tons, entered and cleared at Invercargill. To save the expense of maintenance of buoys, the channel has been marked off with Btakes, which is a sufficient guide to the regular traders, but not to strangers. The signal station at the entrance to this river is in a very dilapidated condition, and will require an expenditure of about £100 to put the whole establishment in proper repair. Eiverton. — The signal station, including the Borkor Udctcr'a t<«e» ol tbia p/irfc, ia, if anything, in a worse condition than that at the New River. Authority was giveu to repair the dwelling house at a cost not to exceed £40, which is being attended to. Since the old flagstaff was blown down, only a temporary one has been erected, for want of funds, but which I am hopeful will be completed this year. As at the Bluff, the increase of jetty accommodation here is not keeping pace with the increase of shipping to the port, indeed all there is is simply a landing stage for one vessel. I would again respectfully recommend that there should be an extension of the present jetty, or a new one run out at a more convenient point, a little further down the river, to meet the present requirements.