STONE FOR THE HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1921, Page 8

STONE FOR THE HARBOR.

NEW SUPPLY SOUGHT Vx PROPOSAL TO QUARRY PARITUTU. A subject materially affecting the development of the New Plymouth harbor scheme, namely, the supply of stone for the breakwater extension, was discussed by the New Plymouth Harbor Board at the monthly meeting yesterday. In the course of a debate round the table, the members reviewed the progress of the local quarrying operations, and the "possibility of securing supplies from the Mt. Egmonfl quarries, and incidentally discussed the matter of quarrying Paritutu for stone supply. The subject was introduced by a report from Messrs. Blair Mason, Lee and Owen, on enquiries made regarding the cost of supplying stone at Moturoa, suitable for breakwater extension purposes, from Mt. Egmont quarries. The report stated that a letter had been sent to the resident engineer, Public Works Department, asking for a quotation as to the cost. As a guide the Department was informed that though at present the board was not able to state the quantity required the appropriate estimate would be about 100,000 tons, varying in size from i-ton to 7 and 10-ton blocks. The reply of the Public Works Department stated that the approximate price of stone per ton, at bottom of ropeway, would be ss. The stone could be made available in nine months from acceptance; average amount of stone per week 1500 tons. The railage charge from the crusher site to the breakwater was estimated by the District Traffic Manager at 5s 7d per ton. After referring to /the replies, the engineers’ report stated :--From the* above quotation the price at Moturoa works out at 10s 7d per ton, a price quite unacceptable to the board. In conversation with the. Traffic Manager we find that the freight has been based on ordinary rates, not on half rates, as allowed to public bodies for metal for road purposes. It is reasonable to suppose that on representations being made to the Department in Wellington, these half rates could be obtained. but even with this reduction the price is considerably higher than what the board could supply at, say froifi Paritutu. EGMONT STONE FAVORED. In company with the Public Works and. District Railway Engineers, an inspection was made of the Mt. Egmont quarries. The stone is in unlimited supplies and of better quality than that obtainable from Moturoa. With the exception of removing some of the stripping from the top of the quarry, no work has been done in opening out a face. The outcrop shows, with few exceptions, good - solid stone, which will break out in blocks.

" At the place quoted, viz., 5s per ton, the board would not he justified in entertaining the proposal. We consider that under -the favorable circumstances this quarry would be working, that is in having customers not only for the laijge stone, but for the broken metal, the working costs would he on the

most economical basis desired, and that the price of 5s per ton could be materially reduced. , As regards quality, size, etc., there are advantages in favor of Mt. Egmont fitonc as compared with that from, say Paritutu, but when it comes to price, Hie advantage in favor of Paritutu is due mainly to heavy freight charges from Mt. Egmont. In company with your resident enginecr, we interviewed the Traffic Inspector on the question of freights, waggons, and handling at the Breakwater The Department have not had time to give the proposal any serious consideration and are unable to make anv official statements re the quantities that could be handled daily, and th" position with reference to delays that would arise at times due to bad weather conditions. If Paritutu is to be opened up there will be no necessity to consider the Mt Eymont quarry, but if not, Mt. Egmont "presents ft favorable source of supply In the meantime we would recommend that further negotiations be entered into with the Public works and Railway Departments with reference to obtaining the conditions of supply and delivery and the price at Moturoa. COST TOO HIGH.

Mr. J. ,S. Connett expressed the opinion that the cost was top high. Ju reply to Mr. Is. Maxwell, the resident engineer (Mr. W. B. Lowson) said that the cost of the Mt. Egmont stone i would probably be about twice as much, las the local article. ' The chairman (Mr. Newton King) said the whole subject would have to be gone into financially. Mr. Maxwell said that something definite should be put forward, because if they were going to interfere with Paritutu there, would sure to be opposition, and the board should acquaint the public fully of the position. In the past they had given the public the idea that’ Paritutu would be protected. Now they were abandoning Moturoa, which was a complete reversal of the past decision, and they should state the reasons as to whether the stone was not satisfactory or the cost too prohibitive. 1 Tn reply to Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, Mr. Lee said that the stone being obtained from Moturoa was not as large as expected. It v;as, of course, principally intended for tlie Moturoa wall, and if they used til? larger "stone now for the purpose of the breakwater extension there would be no material later on for the wall. He did not think Paritutu stone was likely to be better than that from the Moturoa quarry. Mr. J. 8. Connett said that the buddinc of the wall to Moturoa was a secondary consideration, compared with the breakwater extension. Mr. D. J, Hughes agreed with Mi. Maxwell’s suggestion that full particulars should be obtained on the .subject. Although he bad beep against interfering with Paritutu the harbor must be developed. People talked about sentiment, but really they took no interest in Paritutu If they had done then dutv they would have had beautiful gardens round the reek, and in a case the board could not talked-of •interfering with it. PROSPECTS IN PARITUTU. Mr. Maxwell said that the discussion seemed to have- elicited some definite statements, namely, that the Moturoa stone was not very valuable and was not first-class, and that a Paritutu output was not. likely to be any better. In face o'f this there was a possibility that the board would never start wors on Paritutu at all He teheved it bA the duty. o£ the board to con-

i tinue negotiations with the railway Department as regards the transport of Mt. Egmont metal. He believed they would be able to get it at a lower rate than the first estimates seemed to indicate. The board had had difficulty, in carrying, on the quarry work and though they might pay a little more for the Egmont stone it would be better in the interests of the work. If they were able to get houses and secure men the stone supply could later be augmented by the board’s quarries. There would be strong opposition to the board in any move that would imperil the existence of Paritutu. i Mr. J McCluggage saio he believed j they could get the stone from Mt. Eg--1 mont for between five and six’ shillings per ton. Mr C. A. Wilkinson said he understood that there was some difficulty in carrying on the board’s work, and until finance was arranged it was useless to discuss the matter. Apparently some board members were not fully acquainted with the present position. In regard to the stone, the Railway Department stated that supplies would be available in nine months from the date of acceptance, but he did not think it was -wise to depend too much on this calculation. The board would be only one of many local bodies getting stone and the supplies would be intermittent. The board would have to look to local supplies to keep going, and the cost of getting stone from (Moturoa Island to put on* the breakwater extension was too great when there was a possibility of securing supplies on the land. He* always had been in favor of the reservation but, a« a country member, his opinion was that Paritutu must not stand in the way when it was a. question of carrying out the breakwater work. This was an undertaking that was absolutely essential and Paritutu seemed the only possible source of getting stone at a reasonable cost. . The chairman reminded the board that they had yet to prove tliat Paritutu stone was equal or better than the Moturoa output. Personally, ho did not think it was. The idea should not be gained that the board was going to rush in blindly and decide to quarry Paritutu-