SIR JOHN COODE'S REPORT.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3344, 10 September 1879, Page 2

SIR JOHN COODE'S REPORT.

To the Editor of the Evnnra Sum. -f Sib,—Sir John Cobde's report on tit* Works to be undertaken to make • Hitbor for the .Thames has arrived, and it ii just what everyone hare aatieipatedrra very elaborate report, allowing how' large aumi of money maj be apart on—how not to do it—not from any want of slillcathe part of Sir John Cooie, bnt from a total want of local knowledge. I take,, the items seriatim:—Tarara jetty, 40 feet wide, to be extended 000 feet in a W.N.W. direction, so that vessel* apay lay end on to the prevailing wind and aca. Mr McFarland who has the Hh*ff ledge, gained by aeveral years rcaidewe* and experience, recommends - the jetty (the Rise named by Sir John Ooode is a good one) to be earned oat in a W.S.W, direction—to which I add the railway reclamation worka at •Grahamstown hare shown «s all quite plainly how to form cheap and eftment sea-walls, by placing a good thiekaees of durable, rough, large atones on the on*; side, with a good slope. What I beg respectfully to suggest for the consideration of the Harbor Board ie that,/ when desirable Tarara jattj should be" extended in accordance with Mr McFarlane's plan—because everyone here cam see for themselves that it ia the best— and that the north-west side of the jetty; fhould be planked with four* and cc*. side that large rough stones from thte Tarara quarry should be thrown over for a sufficient thickness, and with ailppe of •ay 3 to J, the end of the jc% to be protected by extra pilea. 1W ad?antage of this arraagemeat Wiiglj be, that vessels layinginside tho jetMft' would be thoroughly protected kt ff. breakwater from the prevailing WjET.W* gales (and the work of loading .apt unloading eoutd go on in ear woaiSor a thing utterly impossible if the teasels were laying end en to the seas that roll in there frequently) and by the jetty being constructed W.S.W. also from the „ occasional heavy gales aerbes the jjklf 1 from the west. Jtopa Wharf is at present large enough, and cam he extended when necessary, as directed by Sir John Coode. The improvement is the outfall of the Xauaeraaga Biver by dredging a channel from Taram to the lamp-post commends itself to every reei-7; dent, and should be commenced as soon a* < the ifarbonr Board funds will allow. This could be done the first tbiagaa theexpensive Tarara jetty it a«s yet required •' But if an inexpensive and cAeieat dredge) ; (nothing like our late-visitor the "JUd Hippopotamus") can be procured, the proposed channel (which might be tmt present one improved) would be marked -,r. out by tall tUree rode*and the dredge could work from towards Tarara to the Kauaeranga bight, making first a shallow ? channel and returning again and agaia \r£ necessary to deepen it and assist the sec/sir of the water until it reached the requvrtsl depth, such a channel would pasa aoroti 1 the end of the present Barke St. Wharf : aitid make that structure available tor ' boats at any atate of the tide. It wovld * also give some data aa to the stttiag up - or otherwise of the larger eharuul pro. posed to be cut across the bar.' Dredge ing a. channel 300 feet wide 1 aid over two miles long across the Bar, so as to make a tatter entrance to Kopa, looks all very well oa paper, boll think the dredge would require atrouc gear to lift the numerous snags that would be met with; and, in fact, aa all tfce> ' expense would only serve to introduced ships to a •mall piece of the river—sax at the outside eight miles. bag, who*e> banks at Kopu and ail along this aid* (and I may add the other aide, except^' at Tairua and occasional patches aa^c this side of it) are unfit for hasaak habitations unless perched oa poati at least three feet above the prceeat level :,, lof the scarcely solid mud. I think tkie •'.- part of the plan is evidently too ooati# for our present means, not to say disproportionate to the amount of good it WoaM < do. I should be glad if some of year . < correspondents will take up the other cmv ; of this question, so that what k right and true may be shown clearly. That it may be seen by all I have no personal end te serve*, but only the general good, I eigtt " my name.—Yours, &c., GxojoirDiiTßT*