HARBOR SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 October 1921, Page 2

HARBOR SCHEME.

■FIRST STONE FROM PARITUTU. WORK RE-STARTED YESTERDAY. Breakwater extension work was recommenced at Moturoa yesterday, when the first stone from the Paritutu quarry was lowered down the new tramline and deposited on the extension. After preliminary preparations over the weekend the work was commenced fin earnest yesterday morning and proceeded without a hitch, a total of about 240 tone of rock being deposited on the line of the breakwater extension. This output was about equal to a good day’s work at the Fishing Rock quarry, and with the installation of another crane and other gear at the Paritutu quarry the output is expected to reach about GOO tons a day. Before tipping from the trucks over the end of the breakwater will be proceeded with, the apron of heavy stone on the seaward liide is to be repaired. Since the heavy storm some months ago no stone has been available for this purpose, owing to the Fishing Rock quarry having been worked out some time before and the tramway to Paritutu not being completed. The work at the quarry will not) be in full swing until the approach is widened by the removal of earth and additional sets of rails are laid so that a second crane can be engaged. Then it will be possible to tip from trucks at the end of the breakwater and keep the Thomas King running at the same time. With the one crane now in use only one of these operations can be carried on at a time. The widening of the quarry will be attended to when the weather is too rouch to permit of the breakwater extension work being carried on. The incline on which the weight of the full trucks coming down returns the empty ones to the top provides an interesting sight. A horse drags the trucks in and out of the quarry. At the top of the incline the loaded truck is made fast to thrf* end of a wire rope, which passes twice round a surge-wheel and the other end of which is attached to an empty truck at the fort of the incline,. When the loaded truck is released its weight carries it down and the empty one is thus pulled up, the two passing at a half-way point where there is a loop in the line. A brake on the surge wneel governs the speed.