THE HARBOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 252, 23 November 1903, Page 2

THE HARBOUR.

Wharfage Accommodation. PROPOSED EXTENSION. Mr Marchant, Consulting' Engineer, ■nifhmtW'i the following report to live. Harbour Board on Friday, regarding proposed improvement of the harbour nW:<immndutn>il '.—

Kir,—T have nratle a general inspection of the harbour works, and have noted on a memorandum attached a list of 'details to which attention should he yiveti.

'l'll** chief points to which I was instructed to direct my attention at the present time were the questions of suOiciency of tho wharfage accommodation and condition of the wharf structure, and also of the state of tho dredging plant. Wharf,—Some four years ngß I made a personal underwater inspection ttf lhithy of the piles of the wharf, arid thereupon advised a detailed survey of the whole of the piles in it by the Bound's rlivbr. In consequence we. renWwed 30 of the piles shortly afterwards, making a total of 17 new piles out of a total of 400 'in the whole structure. Current repairs to the braces and walinjrs have also been made, and new planking added. The consequence Is that the wharf generally 'is in A gijod twrage state o>f repe.il', though WVw piles must be added from time to iihith

The defect In the wharf frbkn the beginning is its Insufficiency of width., ,F6r propel- and safe traffic Wtv ll when vessels are being worked on both sides, the wharf should have been half as wide again as it was when built.

I have gone into the question of improving it, and providing further Ircrthage accommodation for vessels, and advise that It be widened and extended inshore as shown on the lithograph attached hereto. If this were done it would provide another shipping berth, inshore of the Harbourmaster's shed. The extra width thus afforded would admit of the erection of a trans-shipment shed, and providn sufficient area also for the t>tlier necessary buildings. I do not anticipate any difficulties we cannot surmount in excavating the berthage to a. depth of 12, Or perh«ps 15ft at low water by means of the plant We have. It will no doubt be a slow process, mid some Of the hard concrete ground underlying the sand deposits Will doubtless require brooking up with dynamite. Allowing for the removal of a large amount of the material over and above that required for the excavation of the actual berth its-elf. I estimate the cost of dredging it at less than £6OO. It will be necessary to employ a night shift of men while the excavation is proceeding, so that the work of maintenance dredging may not be interfered with. I have made a survey of the wharf, its approach, and railway connections, and until 1 can prepare a plan and work out details I cannot give a close approximation of the cost of the addition advocated, but it may be taken at present as costing £3OOO. Such an addition would be the basis of a future widening of the whole wharfage when funds are available. With the present shelter provided by the Breakwater it is quite impossible to make any seaward extension of the wharf from its outer end as it now stands. As a matter of fact the wharf has now less shelter than it had some years ago, due to the loss of a piece of the outer end of tho Breakwater for one thing, and also to the greater depth of water between the outer end of the Breakwater and the wharf. I should be glad to near that the Board could lind means to add, say, 100 ft to the length of tho Breakwater to begin with, so as to give better cover to shipping at the wharf, as the position of the Breakwater relatively to the wharf is such that every few feet added to the Breakwater would considerably decrease the range of vessels at the wharf, with ccneelfluent decrease of wear and tear of both rope moorings and wharf itself.

Dredging.—l have looked through the dredge while afloat, and find that she is in good working oreler. The hull will probably require repairs before long, but to what extent I cannot say without opening out the bilges, etc. Without seeing the vessel high and ■dry I cannot say how long the plates may be expected to last. When I first'inspected the vessel she was in a very bad condition indeed, but so many repairs have been effected and her maintenance so much improved in recent years that interiorly she is in much better condition than formerly. It is probable that with patching and current repairs she will keep going for some years yet with careful usage and good maintenance. In the matter of difdging work a new development is taking place which must be dealt with. A considerable accumulation of mud has settled about the wharf, which can only be removed by tne grab. As graibklredging is a slow process 1 advise that the dredge be worked toy two shifts of four men each until the mud is cleared away. Until this mud is removed as suggested the mud is merely circulated, through the hopper when being dredged by the pump without actually removing any of it.

I have gono into the matter of bleaching the vessel for cleaning and and repairs. The old grid-iron is ■broken and useless at present. 1 aidvise that no more money be spent om it, us it never was a proper and satisfactory arrangement. The vessel might either be beached on the sand or temporary stuys set for it, or u cheap shipwny with, a sliding cradle might be built so that the vessel could be hauled up to above hull' the mark, which would give time for cleaning and repairs to the hull. Such a shipwny might be built for about £3UO. I am not desirous tirfct the Board should build such a sivipwuy, us I hope one of these days to hear that it lias been decided to procure u much larger und more powerful plant for the proper maintenance and deepening of the harbour. In that case uny expenditure on such a sbipwuy as 1 describe us being sufficient for present plant would be thrown awuy.

P. W. MAKCHANT, M. Inst. O.K. Mr Maxwell moved that the engineer's report l>e adopted with the variation that the whole of the wlmif extension, including widening to 30ft right out to the end, be carried out. He desired to see'better awl safer accommodation for vessels ami also more room for the trawlling public. It seemed to him that Mr Marclmnt's recommendation to extend the wharf inwards would increase the accommodation and at the same time widen and strengthen the structure. Prolni'blv when the wharl wiis complcU-d they could go on with the extension of the mole Mr Mclean seconded. He referred to the danger to the public caused wy the narrowness of the wharf. The widening of the wharf would not interfere with the "range" of the har-

Mi 1 rice moved as an amendment that the report lx> adopts j- n i| S entirety. The recommendations- of the engineer should -be taken. Mr Maxwell asked the engineer if his suggestion clashed with his (Marclmnt's) p] tt „ s Mr Murclmnt said it was not « matter oi engineering, but entirely of policy lor the Hoard.

Mr Dingle recommended going on with- the work in- three sections. the Chairman said they could only go on with the work at -a very slow rate, as trafiic -had to go oil ull the time. They could go- on BHiairying at tte game time antf

£IO,OOO might be spent to oneyeaf as they had no overdraft at pre* sent. Certainly tho Breakwater did twit at present, RfPiWl mifllclrtit »h*t-l*-r Wr Ihl l thtliU Ihfit visited tho jiort. The two works should be gone on with simultaneously. Mr Maxwell was prepared to alter his motion, Mi«ssrs lliliftti' am) Price disapproved of the amendment of the resolution after H forma] had been inovt'd: Thr- Chairman upheld the point tH order. Tin- amendment was put and car* rK '''- On the amendment being put 01 ,'h* .substantive, motion, Mr Maxwell moved his former resolution as an amendment, with the addition ■ of provision for extending the wall 100 feet simultaneously with the wharf extension. Mr Dingle opposed the amendment, fearing that thoy were going l ahead i>f the revenue available, Mr Mimvell's tt-muisdmeht was then put and lbsti The motion fbr the. adoption ol tire report in its entirety was then put iind fcttrried. Mr McLean moved that the engtneer he instructed to prepare plana for extending the width of tho wharf for the whole length. 4 Tho Chairman seconded, and tha resolution was carried.