NELSON HARBOUR AND OCEAN STEAMERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 7 November 1910, Page 4

NELSON HARBOUR AND OCEAN STEAMERS.

THE REQUIREMENTS OF CAPT. McDOU GALL. THE BOARD IN REPLY. THE OUTER BANK ANTD DREDGING. SAFETY OF THE BAY AND DREDGINp. At the monthly meeting of the Nelson Harbour Board to-day, Captain McDougall replied to the Board's letter of last month. Appreciation was expressed of the Board's intention to improve the fairway in the harbour, but regret was expressed- that there was no intention to dredge the outside fairway, where a bank existed. He would also like to be able to report to his head . office that ocean steamers would never have to wait outside. In regard to the bank outside, referred to by Capt. McDougall, Mr. Grace said that before doing, anything the Board would have to obtain the opinion of the very highest authority. The work referred to was never contemplated by the Board. The Chairman said that all chr.rts showed that the bank referred to had always existed. All the ocean steamers had come in and gone out without difficulty., To do the work outs(ide would mean' that the Board would have to fro to the ratepayers for a quarter of a million. The ocean steamers came in at either neap or. spring high tide—it was never contemplated to bring them in at any state of the tide. Air. Franklvn said that- the Board never contemplated dredging outside. It would be a very costly work. It was resolved to reply to Capt. McDougall that dredging outside was never included in the scheme submitted to the ratepayers ; that the conditions outside wore no different from those existing since the chart- of 1850; that the two larsrest vessels had entered the cut r-ince Captain McDougall's first letter was written—the verv largest without the assistance of a tug. The, Chairman Mr. Grace were authorised to prepare the reply. The Chairman pointed out that- the N.Z. S. Co.'s fleet of 15 steamers ranged from 12,000 tons to 8595. The Opawa. now in port-, was the fourth largest of the fleet, with a tonnage of 10.660. With on e exception all the P. and O. steamers were of less tonnage than the Opawa.