The Daily News SATURDAY, AUGUST 21. NO MISTAKE THIS TIME.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 179, 21 August 1909, Page 2

The Daily News SATURDAY, AUGUST 21. NO MISTAKE THIS TIME.

\Ve fuel certain the 'harbor loan guaran- , tors—happily they arc "Jio longer Harbor ratepayers—throughout the province will read with satisfaction this morning that the long versus short wharf controversy has ended in favor of the modem idea of a short wharf. That this decision was unanimously arrived at by the Board only serves to emphasise the unten-

ability of the long wharf advocates' | contentions, when applied to our par- * I titular circumstances. It is not our 1 I aim, however, to deprecate the opposi- 1 tion that has been oltered to the Board's * policy, for it has been the means of largely increasing an intelligent consideration by the public of the merits of the rival schemes. As we anticipated throughout, the members of the Board, Alessra. King and Connett, who were absent in England when the Board decided in favor of a short wharf, only waited long enough to secure thorough' grasp of the new proposal and the reasons whereon it was based, before agreeing with the wisdom of the decision, espoused particularly by Messrs Maxwell and Wilkinson. In order that these gentlemen might havifc as full tion at their disposal when framing their opinions as had the members oi i. « Board when the new proposal was decided on, Captain Bone and the Board's consulting engineer were again invited to New Plymouth, and accordingly they were in attendance at the Board's meeting yesterday. Previously, in company with Mr. King, Mr. Connett and Captain Hood, the experts visited the harbor, and the whole of the proposed work was .passed under review. And the result was exactly as was manifest from the outset. Captain Bone was emphatic that berthage for ocean liners must be provided as close inshore as possible, and not a foot further seaward than alongside the existing wharf. There is no occasion for us to reiterate the cc.i .i.icing reasons for inshore bcrthuig ol o.i-an liners, but the outstanding advantage may be summarised in a sentence: that tlie reputation of the port as a safe harbor in which to berth and work in all kinds of weather need never occasion the slightest apprehension. Naturally, I in the face of such convincing, 4fnd, withal, logical expert advice, Messrs. King and Connett had no hesitation in endorsing the policy adopted by the Board in their absence. We neve;

doubted for a moment that such \vould be the case, but at the same time we cannot refrain from congratulating the Board on the unanimity with which they I have, after the most thorough investiga- | tion, allirmed the principle of the short wharf as opposed to au extension of I the existing structure. That principle once affirmed, it only remained to settle matters of detail in connection therewith. There was lirat of all the matter of providing further accommodation for coastal and interprovincial shipping in t'he event of a possible congestion occasioned by the presence in the harbor at the same time of a liner and several smaller vessels. The harbormaster desired tliat the present wharf should be extended about 100 to 150 feet seaward in order to provide an additional berth on the western side of the wharf. This proposal for a time evidently met with some support, though clearly understood by all i parties that this extension would not be utilised by ocean-going vessels, wliic'i j . would be berthed in accordance with | j Captain Bone's recommendation, inshore : from the end of the existing wharf. This extension would cost something like cost, to our mind, out of all

proportion with the additional convenience. In any case, a very occasional

congestion of shipping for an hour or two need not occasion* the Board any worry; such an experience is not un-

known to the best ports of the dominion. When the trade of t'he port has v-.>. increased as to demand additional ac-

commodation, there will be time to consider the question hi the light of the then existing circumstances, when, we venture to> predict, the scheme that will meet with favor will be a new wharf altogether, rather than any extension

of tile present structure. This question of additional accommodation has, therefore, been wisely postponed until the circumstances warrant its reopening. Meanwhile, the Board will proceed with its reclamation proposals, and steps to secure Parliamentary sanction ol the scheme are to be taken immediately. The ultimate object of the reclamation works, of course, is to provide all the shed and other accommodation neees

sary for the sorting and shipping of cargo at the base. of the new wharf, which will sooner or later be built from the shore at a point about 800 feet distant-from and running out parallel to the present wharf. Touching the question of shed ae-

commodation, file decision to abandon the proposed sheds on the present wharf

occasioned practically the only modification of the Board's short wharf policy. Mr. King, probably the strongest achfocate on the Board of shed accommoda tion 011 the'.wharf, is now of opinion that it would be impossible to provide sheds of sufficient dimensions tor requirements oil an 80 feet wide wharf. To further widen the wharf to permit of the enlarged sheds required would entail too great an expenditure. Accordingly the question of wharf sheds lias for tile present been deleted from the programme. That being so, it w;n ;io longer necessary that a wharf of the proposed width of 80 feet need ho adhered to, and accordingly the wharf will now only be widened along its whole length by 20 feet) making a total width of 72 feet. This provides sufficient space for five lines of rails—two o:i either side for loading and unloading purposes, and a centre line for more

expeditious and convenient -- shunting operations. Another very important decision arrived at was to further deepen the harbor by three feet, providing a total depth of 33 feet at low water. Notwithstanding the pessimism of our contemporary regarding the possibility of dredging to a depth of 30 feet alongside the present inshore wharf, the engineer yesterday assured the Board that he had not the slightest hesitation in endorsing Captain Bone's recommendation that dredging be carried to a depth ol 33 feet. The wisdo..i nj this departure should be apparent when we point out that the-, harbor will then be able to give floating room to me largest vessel trading to the colonies on a full-load draught. As it is possible this port may be a final port of departure lor liners carrying dairy produce, a class of vessel that is steadily increasing in tonnage, it is of the highest importance to the district that ample provision shall have been made for every contingency. There

* is another highly 'important factor in * the Board's decision that should afford * the liveliest satisfaction to the public. It is being found that the breakwater is providing a much greater sheltered area than was anticipated when the extension was decided on. At that time, of course, the engineer had only the experience of the plain upright concrete wall to guide him in forming his plans, but actual experience is proving that every foot of extension is providing a relatively much greater area of sheltered water than was previously the' case. Whether this is due to the new I method of construction, and the ''apron" on the seaward side of the breakwater | breaking the force of the swell before it sweeps into the harbor, or to some other cause, is immaterial—the fact remains that it is So. In all weathers complete shelter is now afforded at the wharf, and as it has been decided not I to extend the present wharf, it will not now be. necessary to extend the break- | water to probably much more than half the originally decided on unfinished portion. Had the wharf been extended to any appreciable extent, the extension of the breakwater must have gone on. The short wharf, therefore, means a considerable saving in the amount allocated for breakwater extension—at least for some considerable time to come. To I sum up, therefore, the Board is to pro-

coed as soon as possible with tie dredging of the basin and ocean berthage to , a depth of 33 fee-t, and widen the wharf j by 20 feet on its eastern side. Break-1 watoy extension will be carried on only so far as the engineer considers necessary to completely safeguard shipping at the wharves. And, also, the necessary steps are to be taken to secure the passage at the next session of Parliament of a Bill empowering the Board to proceed with reclamation works. We congratulate the Board on its' business-like policy, which we trust will go forward without liitcli. Should nothing unforeseen occur, wc have little doubt that ere two years have, ehvpsed the long-talked-of ocean liners will be in regular communication with Moturoa.