LAST WEEK'S GALE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1920, Page 4

LAST WEEK'S GALE.

ITS LESSON. _: / U was only to bo expected that the gale, of last week should have given gvavd concern to the captain and officer* of the Otnrama, which was in port at ■he time. Probably it wan the worst gale, from the particular quarter .It '■ came, experienced since the breakwater was laid down, and out at sea, we can'. ■ glean from tlio trying experiences of' ~ - tho Kgakutu, which wlis at Moturba ft few days before, the gale mutt have been'terrific, Capfain A. L. Hughes, the captain of the Otarama, has written us on the matter, and what he gays should. gtjr the Harbor Board to increased «ctiv> ■sty. • : ..i . "U e got up stearn as soon, as Hip. weather showed signs of becoming bftd, and when the hawsers parted we, bad full steam up," He points out that 'Wtpresent there is no room for a ship of the Otarama's size to swing round and come head to the wind. This would prevent accident in such heavy weather" The swinging basis must be enlarged. This is being done. It's a big and »I))W job, for the hard conglomerate forming the bottom lias to be blasted away. Again, the lengthening of the.. breakwater is an urgent necessity, providing as it will perfect security for boat* » should ever a gale arise froiruthe unusual quarter that; caused the Gtarama's officers such concern. It ha* to 'be Mid that the Board is alive to the need for pushing on' with this, work, and. if doing' so to the utmost of its ability. Th{t also is slow work. \ \ -i .■ "You can pawn your ahlrt on ytfjir harbor," said Captain Bone, marine »Bp- - erintendent of the New Zealand Shi}ping Company, at the luncheon given BJT the Taranaki Chamber of Oomm,erce «n Monday, and thia picturesque advice Ota be followed by every man having intrtests in the province. Harbor improve ment is a work of the very first import' ance, and should be concentrated uptft. We may not have for another twenty years audi a big gale as we had toft week, but the point is that #b mtwt make the port absolutely safe for HiP largest boat trading to the Dominion! no matter what the nature of the weatiMr is.