WAIUKU CANAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 745, 19 August 1929, Page 10

WAIUKU CANAL

MINISTER HEARS DETAILS OF SCHEME INSPECTION OF ROUTE . (Front Our Own Correspondent) MERCER, Saturday. Luring the visit of inspection of the Waikato River today, opportunity was taken to place engineering data regarding the proposed Waiuku canal before the Minister of Public Works, the Mon. E. A. Ransom. The chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. M. IT. Wynyard, indicated that the economic position of the canal was before a special committee which was collecting information for the purpose of ascertaining whether the construction was justified at the present time or in the immediate future.

A full investigation and surveys had been made, stated the board’s engineer, Mr. D. ITolderness. Of the several schemes suggested, the one most favoured was estimated to cost £282,000. The annual charges, inclusive of iiir terest, sinking fund, maintenance and operation, were estimated at £21,000. The scheme provided for a dam and locks at the Needles on the Waiuku estauary, the effect of the former being to maintain the level of the water at high neap tide. This would materially reduce the amount of excavation necessary in the canal without resorting to locking. The distance from the Needles to the river was 8?. miles, of which 2| miles was in the estuary. The maximum height was 00ft above mean water level. He went on to say that the design of the canal was ad l mirably suitable for barges carrying up to 400 tons of cargo and drawing 4ft 6in of water. Such craft would be capable of navigating the river without works of any magnitude being undertaken therein.

The drainage of the swamp lands at the Waikato River end of the canal would be improved, as compared with the present conditions. Provided there was sufficient traffic through the canal the tolls necessar3' to meet the annual charges would be very small.

Other members of the Harbour Board who made the trip were Messrs. J. B. Johnston, W. F. McCallum, E. Aldridge, A. E. Greenslade. Campbell Johnstone, the superintendent. Mr. H. B. Burnett, and the harbourmaster Captain H. TI. Sergeant. After leaving the river the members motored over the proposed route of the canal to Waiuku.