The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1904. THE HARBOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 117, 21 May 1904, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 21, 1904. THE HARBOUR.

It is satisfactory to note that the Harbour Hoard is losing no time now in pushing on with the extension of harbour facilities. At yesterday's meeting authority was given to the engineer to purchase the necessary plant for the work of extending the present breakwater for a distance of one hundred feet and for the provision of a new berth on the eastern side of the wharf. As to tho necessity of the work there cannot be the slightest shadow of doubt on that score. The protected area of waten available for shipping purposes now is totally inIsufiiciert for the growing requirements of the port, and the breakwater as it stands does not perform its work as efficiently as might bo wished, whilst the wharf accommodation 4s so wretchedly inadequate as to be almost ridiculous. If tho harbour is to benefit the district as a harbour thero should be greater facilities for lading and unlading ; more room for working ships ; a largo increase in decked area for the shunting operations on the wharves; and substantial improvements generally. It is the primitive arrangements that now does duty as a wharf that increases the harbour charges and brings down tho wrath of tho country setters upon the harbour board administration, and it is the absence of working space that is the principal factor in creating this objection. Wo are ;quite satisfied (hat if people in tho country districts could be brought in to see the port on a busy day, when at a narrow wharf three steamers are being worked, each at two hatches, they would receive such an eye-opener, such an education, that on returning to their homes they would be convinced that the need for harbour extension is not merely a theoretical idea, but a matter of absolute necessity. In this direction the Harbour Improvement League might do good work. The plan of tho work now to be constructed out of general revenue is not pretentious or extravagant, but a plain and well-directed attempt to secure efficient protection and improved accommodation with the least possible expenditure compatible with good engineering and trustworthy workmanship. Mr Marchant has given the board a plan of the work intended to bo carried out, and yesterday explained his scheme, which favourably impressed those intrusted with tho administration of the port. First of all, there is the extension of the breakwater for a hundred feet, following the' trend of the present wall. The manner of operations will be simple, cheap, and we hope effective. About sixty feet of the wall will be constructed of rubble, consisting of large blocks of stone from the board's quarries. Tho heaviest stono will be used on the sides of tho wall, and the rubble in the middle. This latter, though described as smaller, is not by any means to be compared with the ordinary moaning of small stones, tho minimum being approximately blocks of two or three feet in diameter. When this has had time to become firmly settled the big stones from the top of the new wall—big stones must be used there I*o withstand ttfie ooJ.ion of the waves during course of construction—will bo stripped for a length of thirty feet and a depth of six feet, and tipped on the weather side of the wall aa protective works. Then in their place will be constructed a concrete monolith, made of blocks of concrete about | ten feet in length by six deep to bind the whole structure and present a hard and permanent surface to tho onslaught of the rough sea. It will readily be seen that, nothing but a concrete inonolith could be made permanent here, as the force of the waves in heavy weather would soon shift from the lee side any stones obtainable here. Then the stone wall will be pushed on to its full length of one hundred feet, another thirty feet stripped and capped with concrete, and lastly the outer end similarly treated and protected by tipping over the end the heaviest stones obtainable. As Mr Marchant explained yesterday, this will make a permanent and effective breakwater at a small cost as compared to the expense incurred t.. constructing one of solid concrete. The wharf extension proposals pro vide for a new wharf for berthing steamers on the eastern side of the present structure —a much-needed work. This plan of operations is to Ixj carried out without delay, and we most heartily congratulate the members of the board on having so administered the harbour afl'airn as to be enabled now to undertake these very necessary ini- i provements out of the general funds. Mr Connett and his colleagues deserve infinite credit for this happy state of affairs. This work now undertaken will be watched with intense interest, as the success of the breakwater extension will mean the removal of much antipathy to the scheme on which the ill-fated Harbour Bill was based.