A SLIP SEAWARDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 259, 30 October 1914, Page 2

A SLIP SEAWARDS.

ON A HARBOUR RECLAMATION.

KKT.UNI\<; WALL HIVES. TROI'BUE IX MEJL'ETAXrCS' BAY. It is rather an extraordinary coincidence that on both iU l.iir reclamation works the Auckland ilnrbuur Board slioulii have experienced serious mishap. It will he remembered that some time :i;_'u tin , tiorth-ea*-t coiner of ihe concrete retaining wall of Um> Freeman's Bay reclamation collapsed :iuV! foil into the sea. tlie oveident representing a lose to tbv Board of many thousands Of pounds. Although so fur by comparison a fortunately much le=s disastrous occurrence, it is diequie.tinfj to find that a. considerable portion of the western wall of the rteAv Mediajito' Bay re : iJaraation nt the present time appears h~ if it might at any moment be pushed into ihi , sea. For a

spare of nearly one liundrcd yards this wall bulges out in a broken lino, and in places has been pushed out of position to the extent of five or six feet. A VALUABLE RECLAMATION. Tlw «.>rk mi Mechanics' Hay red run a - iiiiu ban now boon in prognsu for, y considerable period. . Whereas a year or two ago the tide washed up to K.i"n£fi Drive, tiir sea lias now been fmvi'd lurk so a* to provide v reclaimed area oi pome :iii acres, which is to be utilised by the Kathvay Department in connection with it* h\-j Improvement .scheme. T-trc wall which hulds -fotwk tho-#ea extends from (ioldio'a Mill towards Cantptieire Point for a distance <>f half a nrilf. Originally there was put down a fiapa filHupr. hiitit nt the regulation angle oi 4."i degrees, with a stone facing to withstand the buffotim: of the sea. Behind this waJl lias -l»een poured.the spoil brought up by the suction dredges. Originally ii w.u- intcrulcd tba; about halfway .ilou;:. at the point where the wall has now »iven, a de>p .-anal should run into the reclamation. The mud at thie point could he dredged, according lo Harbour Hoard plans. Io pve a depth of 34ft. When the Railway Department's desire* lieeame known, however. it wo* decider! tn reclaim the complete area., and.*o tiu , ".ill has been run rielit out the full length ot the reclamation. Presumably, whatever the foundation of Ihi- wall consisted of.- -it was not MifTi.ient t-u hold up the weight of spoil behind it. and so. a short time ajio, l>.-<ran a slipping process by winch tlie wall for a length of a hundred yard?. h.i* slipped nn a mud bed seaward-.

OREDCTMi STOPPED. ttf course immediately .-tupped The suvUon dredge coased work, Ot-tcn-fii-bly to unde.rpn an overhaul. !>ut work on the reclamation ha.* practically (.•eaeod. 'Hie only pfiwju.- ut present CJttptprcd arc those enga-roj in lmiWai.a up tlio broken stone fact , . W-hcthcr the wall has come lo a eolij foundation, after flipping five "r six feet, remains to lv seen. It U 'possfbte. of course, that the mud pushed outwards will form a Mip[iort. and as.->i=t in any further slip when tfrijfllt ir- a.sain pu r «n !>«w the inside. Meantime tlw fi.imii?rp i-it-pparenlly restrivU-d to «" uiniffhtly biilp.-. M-hivh iuiu fvr a •li*lance alony the wall.

en (; rs BHR's kx l■ la saTios . Thp TTarbeur Board yriginpor (Mr. VC. ■TT. TlairieT) 'Cpi r n"Ti~ii -n 'P : lar " tive tUU morninji. .U-<-l'.m-,l to conewler the tnat'tor seriously. AekoJ «whctlior it wn* not po«sil)!r tn" build ' l rwlametion ■wall wliich -w-olahl uot plfp fcavrardj?, but u : o!il<i maintain the accurate lino fc-hirli •hv plans origrinally iiitonded. .Mr. Uamor .-a i<l what had happened was 7iot at all unusual, and vortainly not uncvprctnl. 7i. was a thitijr whii-h mipiit happen on any niihvay embankment, anj frequently ili'l hop-pen. Tlii- ,-lip-rmri takni ploop -onif wepk* a?n. and was not likc-ly to extend. It was nrr corvet-t t=ay that the wall had simply bopii built, uti the mail. It Jiu.d born fon.-irurtrd "n :i rcx-k fotfndation. Tlie incident, ln< deciarcJ. \vte"nt)t n-ort4iy of serious, consideration, ami -n-niil.fnnt roprosrnt any financial I , Ihe rinHinur Roan!.