THE HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 September 1922, Page 6

THE HARBOR.

PROGRESS OF WORKS. REPLY TO CRITICS. At yesterday’s meeting of • the New Plymouth Harbor Board mention was made of recent statements criticising the harbor works now in progress with particular reference to siltration and the breakwater extension. The harbor master, Captain W. Waller. submitted a report, which stated that the harbor was extensively sounded on the 4th, 18th, and 19th inst. The three-fathom contour lines gave a channel 720 feet wide at low water springs. The sand bank inside the breakwater was smaller in area, than it had been during the past nine years, and. in spite of the fact that very little maintenance dredging had been done during the past twelve months, very little siltration had taken place. The breakwater extension foundation carried an average depth of 9| feet at low water

! springs for a distance of 600 feet. The • new beacons on the south aids of the harbor marking the approach to the port from seaward had been completed. The lights were installed on August 28, and j had proved very satisfactory. Mr. Bellringer said that the report disclosed a most satisfactory <state of af- . fairs. Despite the fact that there had 1 been little or no maintenance dredging, there had been so siltration, showing i that certain stories which had been cir- : culated were absolutely incorrect, and 1 that those responsible for them were , speaking without any knowledge of the j position. The breakwater extension w r as i evidently holding up a lot of sand. The average depth of water on the extension showed that the extension was steadily coming up. Mr. Hughes enquired about the stone which was dumped on the extension, but which, according to the man in the street, was all over the place. Captain Waller: I have not found them. Mr. Wilkinson was of opinion that it was strange that all these rumors arose in New Plymouth and one never heard them outside.