HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 126, 18 November 1911, Page 7

HARBOR BOARD.

• :-rOXTITLY MEETING. The monthly meet-in™ of the Harbor ■ :&ard was held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs ,1. B. Connett (in the ehair), Newton King, K. Doekrill, C. E. Bellringer, C. A. YVilkmsor,, D. J. Hughes, W. Swadling, and E. Maxwell. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. The -harbormaster (Captain W. .7. Newton) reported that for the four weeks ending October 10, 22 vessels had worked the port inwards and outwards, of the aggregate tonnage, of 21,HT0 tons. The total imports for that period amounted to (i(i2s tons, of which 1031 tons were coal (002 tons for the railway and 1'029 tons for private use). The exports during that tin e amounted to SS."> tons. Owing to unsuitable weather, the usual soundings of the harbor had not been taken. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

Mr. F. Henderson (superintendent of work-s)' reported that the dredge Paritutu liad dredged with the buckets on 111 days (net time 177 hours) and removed 34 loads (equal to 13,G00 tons), also 33 large boulders. The trunk of a tree 25ft long and lift circumference was also unearthed from a depth of 21ft and pulled up by the wharf crane. The whole of the time was occupied at the second cut parallel to the wharf, which had now been carried in for 270 ft at a depth of 25ft and for 20ft at 21ft. It was intended to continue at 21ft as far inshore as possible to clean off the overlying sand and spoil so that the bottom might be effectively blasted. Five days were -lost through stormy weather, during part of which time alterations to the door chains and other repairs were accomplished. The Thomas King dredged on 16 days (net time 160 hours) and removed from the outer harbor 104 loads of drift sand, equal to 8320 tons. At the wharf widening 34 piles had been driven, and the cap walings, deck beams, etc., were well advanced. Eijrht more piles would complete up to No. .2/1 Yn, where the second section of the Widening terminates. The whole of the bracing, decking, etc., would then have to be completed before proceeding further with piling. This work had been seriously delayed through wet weather. Light on breakwater.—A commencement had been- made to instill the proposed electric light at the end of the breakwater. A sin trench was being cut along the whole length of the wall to receive the pipe containing the wires. About 400 ft had yet to be cut. A 32ft tower to carry the light was being constructed by 501bs rails, and a lantern of brass and copper was also well in hand. It was expected to have the work completed early in the summer. j THE DREDGE BUCKETS.

In accordance with a resolution passed 1 lat last meeting, Mr. F. Henderson' (superintendent of works) submitted the | following report in connection with the: Paritutu dredge buckets: —The dredge Paritutu had only been at work for a I few weeks when tha plates of the buckets ; began to kulge inwards at the side and later on the side flanges at the bottom , eastings began to break. Every means | were adopted to preserve the buckets, the working speed was reduced, and while I dredging among boulders systematic | blasting was begun to loosen the ground, j and the larger boulders were pulled up j jiy the wharf crane with the assistance iof the diver The buckets were earc--1 fully watched and each one that showed j signs of cracking was taken off and ! fitted with si %in. steel plate rivetted iuI side across the bottom and about oin. up I the side. This work was done in Dune<lin, proving most successful. The whole if the buckets have been similarly trcate ■. and though some have been work in? over twelve months not one has yet given way. On point of strength the cracked buckets, after being- fitted with plates, are not as strong as sound ones, but the plate flanges allow a certain amount of spring, while the cast flangeSj b(.'ijig. absolutely rigid, will break under a severe pressure. Ten new buckets have been received from Home, i and I recommend that they be fitted with plates before being used to avoid all ri k of them being damaged permanently. Tli bushes, lips, and pins of the impor buckets are of the highest grade | niang e steel. I have not seen steel | of equai ipility used in the Dominion. ' In designing a bucket to be made entirely of wrought steel, and to work on the ladder in conjunction with the existing ones, I was .met at the outset by a difficulty. The buckets of the Paritutu have four links incorporated in tha bottom casting, and' each ibucket is connected to the other by two forged links, whereas wrought steel buckets, as 111 the Dominion, have only two links on the bucket and are connected to each other by four forged links. I had, therefore, to introduce an extra plate with two flanges at the bottom of the bucket to carry the extra pair of links. This alone nearly doubled the labor in manufacturing and added largely to the cost. Two of these buckets were supplied by Messrs. A. and T. Burt, of Dunedin, and placed on the ladder oil July Ist. After live weeks one had to be taken off, the lip having cracked right across the centre. The other has worked five months, but the lip has cracked, and it will not work much longer. These lips are made of spring steel, nine inches wide by one inch thick, and ought to stand any amount of hard wear. The steel, however, seems to be of an unusually brittle nature, although at t'he same time it wears much faster than tile cast manganese lips. I have written to Messrs. Burt on the matter, and they suggested trying spring steel lips l'/iin. thick, which they have lately supplied to the Otago Harbor Board's dredge No. 222. This was open to the objection of unduly increasing the weight, but as there are only two of them it may be as well to have them re-lipped with the heavier steel. The Hps were the only apparent weakness. The otlufr material* are first-class, and the workmanship creditable. I would not recommend any more being made unless a full set was required, as they could then be fitted with only two links, and the price would then about equal the .imported bucket. The cast steel bottoms of the imported bucket hail three advantages. First, they give a wide and even bearing on the tumblers and rollers. Secondly, they are not liable to twist; and. thirdly, less than half the number of rivets are required. The two points of weakness arc the ilanges and the piece of unprotected plate on each side of the mouth. If the Manges are made %in, to '/, in. thicker I at the roots and the lips are extended 12in. on each side so as to overlap the Ilanges, they would be much stronger. In ordering additional buckets from the makers these alterations should be specified.

The works committee reported that it iliul been decided to iidojvt the superintendent's recommendation to forward tlie ten now buckets to Dimedin lo be strengthened us suggested.—Adopted.