HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 156, 3 July 1888, Page 5

HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS.

MR MCGREGOR'S FAREWELL.

Mr Jno. McGregor, whose engagement with the Harbour Board as Engineer berminabed on Saburday lasb, submibted a lengbhy report to the Board to-day on the works placed under his charge since taking office,-and offering a few suggestions as bo what in his opinion are necessibies bo the port of Auckland. He regretted, from an engineering point of view, tbab the Board had nob pushed forward wibh greaber vigour the first section of his general scheme of harbour improvements contemplated by the Harbour Improvement Act of 1886 ; but at the same time he recognised the fact that, however disappointing it might be to him as an engineer, he had no right to criticise the policy of the Board in deferring the construction of several important works recommended by himself, and that were in his opinion almost a necessity for conducting the shipping traffic in Auckland Harbour in accordance with modern requirements. He urged the necessity of providing a firstclass berth for ocean - going steamers, improved shed accommodation, dredging at Hobson-street Wharf and Auckland Graving Dock, completion of schedule works at Calliope Dock, and the reclamation of Freeman's Bay. The latter, he wrote, would be a great improvement to the appearance and sanitary condition of the western portion of the city, and the Board could now reclaim the land at a lowcost compared with any previous reclamation works carried out in Auckland. He considered the reclamation of the Bay more of a commercial than a marine engineering question, and whether the land could be let after it was reclaimed and a fair rate of interest obtained on the capital expended was a question that required forecast of the future prosperity of the city to answer. It should not be forgotten that a certain amount of money had already been expended on the work ; that this capital would be idle until the whole wa3 finished. Mr McGregor concluded by suggesting that it would be o the interest of the Board to retain his ervices for two or three months longer till ertain works now in hand were completed.