The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 22. THE HARBOR WORKS. ON THE FOURTH PAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 98, 22 May 1909, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MAY 22. THE HARBOR WORKS.

ON THE FOURTH PAGE.

The wisdom of the Harbor Board in deciding some months ago to secure the | advice of a shippiug export on the harbor proposals before finally proceeding with the works, has been fully justified, as will be seen in the result of the I Hoard's deliberations yesterday, Last I week Captain Bone, in company with the Board's consulting engineer, made a thorough inspection of the harbor and the projected works, and the value of his recommendations, based on expert

knowledge of the best conditions essential to economical working of ships and cargo and the navigation of ports, is ■ appareut to the most casual investigator of the various schemes. As most of , our readers are no doubt aware, the /' previously proposed and partially adopt,ed plans provided alternately for theextension of the present wharf in a straight line for 300 feet, or an extension of 500 feet to be built at an angle froih the end of the existing wharf, and nearly parallel to the line of the breakwater. In either case, the berthage for 1 ocean-going -vessels would have been provided in water much nearer the end of the breakwater (and the sea swell) than the berthings at the present wharf. Captain Bone, in expressing liis disapproval of both schemes, supports his view with arguments that are incontrovertible. On a single narrow wharf of such great length it would be impos-

j sible, owing to the congestion of traffic, I to economically and expeditiously work Ia number of vessels at the same time. The cost of upkeep would also be a not inconsiderable amount. It should also be obvious that the closer large steamers were berthed to the open sea, ihe more would they be exposed to any swell in heavy weather, thus increasing the strain and wear and tear on the wharf and mooring gear. Further, in the event of an accident at any time to the wharf, enforcing the idling of the whole of the portion on the seaward .side of the damaged portion, serious loss and inconvenience might lie occasioned to shipping and the Board.

The foregoing reasons were, therefore, quite .sufficient to justify the consulting engineer in making fresh proposals for the consideration of the Board, anil the new scheme, whfrh has the entire approval of Captain Bone, had been 'definitely adopted. Instead of the long, narrow zig-zag structure previously proposed, a shorter, hut broader, and much more commodious wharf has been decided upon. The existing wharf will not be extended seaward lyyond its existing point of termination, but will be widened, on the town side, giving a total width of 80 feet, quite sufficient to accommodate, in addition to the railway lines, the transhipment and sorting sheds necessary for expeditiously and inexpensively coping with the coastal traffic that will assiffedly "follow direct shipping. Dredging to a depth of thirty feet at low water will provide berthage for ocean-going steamers in perfectly undisturbed water and alongside a substantial and commodious wharf. The dredging of the iu-shoiv end of the wharf, at present unused, will, with the western side of the wharf, give all the accommodation required for medium draught vessels for some time to come. To our mind the new scheme is infinitely superior (o tho.-e it has superseded. As the trade of the port increases in volume, the time must come when additional wharf accommodation will be required, and it ought to be obvious that future wharves, to give the befit results, should be erected parallel to the present one, and running out from the shore. In the future, therefore, the advantage of short wharves, as compared with a long structure spread-eagling the harbor, will be more, apparent than it is at the moment. The new scheme possesses still another advantage., and one that overcomes to a considerable extent any uneasiness that might have been felt through a modification of the original plans consequent on the curtailment of the loan issue. .11 y the adoption of the short wharf, it will not be necessary to extend the breakwater so far as would have been necessary to secure adequate shelter for shipping at the end of a long wharf, for all practical purposes, the breakwater now provides all the shelter required by shipping, at the wharf, and another C 20,1100 spent on its extension and completion will enclose a completely sheltered wharf sufficient to accommodate the shipping for very many years to come. Host satisfactory of all is the assurance of Captain Bone that shipping companies would not hesitate to send their large steamers to Xew Plymouth when the proposed works arc completed.

Xo time will now be lost in proceeding with the work of completing the harbor. The building of the dredge in England lias already been commenced, the breakwater extension is being steadily proceeded with, and tenders will shortly be called for the material, etc., for wharf-widening. With careful management during the next two years, a I wonderful transformation will be effected at -Motnroa. firadpally the old prejudices against the port are passing away before a progressive policy the advantages of which are too apparent to be ignored by the biggest sceptic, and we believe a liver an.'l warmer interest will be evinced in the harbor of the province henceforward than lias ever Been exhibited in the past. Having now safely negotiated almost every obstacle in their way. we congratulate the member* of the JtoaTel on the zeal and thoroughness with which t'hey have brought the various schemes down To a concrete working basis. To those who profess to be indilferi'iil. or sceptical regarding the possibilities or success of the completed harbor, the chief salisfa'clion will lie that there is practically no prospect of the Hoard levying a rate for many years to come, if at all.

Sporting. Commercial. Alllll.sClUenU. Ilavlmr Hoard. Harbor Extension. 'J'liu Ojiiiiiuku Railway. Shaved by a Madman.