GROWTH OF TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1922, Page 3

GROWTH OF TRADE.

SECOND WHARF AT PORT. AN URGENT WORK. FIRST STEPS TAKEN. “We want to get going pretty quickly,” remarked the chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board (Mr. Newton King) at yesterday’s meeting, when the subject of discussion was the proposed new wharf. The consulting engineers (Messrs. J. Blair Mason and G. A. Lee) were in attendance at the meeting to discuss the new wharf. Mr. Blair Mason said he had considered the plans of the resident engineer (Mr. Low son), and the proposal was really an attempt to deepen dredging by taking advantage of. the natural deep water. It embraced an alteration in the proposed line of reclamation, giving the board a further area of 36 acres. The position of the wharf would be dependent upon a survey, which would have to be pushed on with. It would also 'be advisable to get in touch with the Railway Department so that an agreement could, be come to on the question of plans, thus obviating any disputes afterwards. Asked how long the completion of the plans would take, Mr. Blair Mason said this introduced the question of whether it might not be better for the board to construct the wharf themselves. He pointed out that if it was decided to call for tenders it would be necessary to complete the whole plans first, and then the contractor would have to make out his tender, and this would take time. If the plans were prepared for carrying out by the board the procedure would be that immediately they were suffi.crently forward to know what materials would, be required the quantities could be ordered. This probably would be not more than two months from the time the plans were started. There was a point in this which it was well to remember: It was advisable that concrete piles should be five or six months matured before being used for this class of work, and he had come to the conclusion, in view of the fact that the work was urgent, that it would be better for the board to undertake the work if the arrangements could be made.

BIG DEPTH SUGGESTED. In reply to the chairman, the consulting engineer said he had not checked the rough estimate of the cost made by the board’s engineer. Mr. C. E. Bellringer raised the question of whether the board should not decide to have the new wharf cut dredged to 33ft. He was strongly of opinion that if the ground was of a favorable nature that an effort should, be made to have the depth 33ft. This opinion was endorsed by Mr. E. Maxwell, who said it would be a mistake to drive the piles of the new wharf before the dredging was down to 33ft.

Touching on this point, Mr. Blair Mason said that in his recent travels in various parts of New Zealand he had found there was r strong disposition on the part of shipping companies to insist that ports must be prepared to take large vessels. He instanced the Bay of Islands, where preparations had now been made to load meat on to vessels of the second and third class. He believed it was advisable to get the extra depth. Mr. <?. A. Wilkinson said the question which loomed mostly in his mind was whether the work should be done by contract or by day labor. Perhaps a contractor might push the work on quicker, though there would be a delay in waiting for the plans. The chairman pointed out that on the other hand the falling market was in the board’s favor.

Mr. Wilkinson remarked that the progress of the work the board had been doing was very slow. He thought the public was extremely disappointed with the slow progress. Though he was not endeavoring to place blame on anyone, he did not want to see the next £200,000 go the same way. Mr. Bellringer: A lot of money has gone in plant. CONTRACT OR DAY LABOR? Mr. Maxwell favored the board carrying out the work. Though he believed in the contract principle, he thought the particular circumstances warranted the board doing the work. Calling for tenders would mean a long delay, as the plans would have to be completed and the dredging finished before they could invite prices. On the other hand, if the board was doing the work they could proceed on the assumption that the dredging was to go to a depth of 33ft, and make preliminary preparations. Then as soon as the dredging was finished at one end the work of driving piles could be commenced. Mr. Wilkinson advocated that the engineer should bring out a schedule of the time that the work ought to occupy, so that the public would know what to expect. If they called for tenders they would specify the date, and if they w’ere going to undertake the work they should have at least an idea of the progress that could be reason ably expected. Mr. Bellringer looked with confidence to getting better results in the forthcoming period than in their previous experience. but, at the same time, he believed the work should be pushed forcin’reply to Mr. C. H. Burgess, Mr. Blair Mason said that, given proper management (and he believed the resident engineer was capable of the work) andgood service, the board could do the work cheaper than any contractor. Mr. Wilkinson asked if Mr. Blair Mason could give an estimate of the iost. and what time the construction would take. The consulting engineer replied that he could not answer these questions at present. Mr. Maxwell moved that the cut for the new wharfage be dredged to 33ft. This was seconded by Mr. Bellringer and carried. Mr. Lowson was instructed to prepare a locality plan, and also a sketch of the wharf and approaches, for submission to the Railway Department.