HARBOUR ACTIVITIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 51, 1 March 1915, Page 4

HARBOUR ACTIVITIES.

■ . j j chairman outlines his < SCTEME. ' ' 1 KEEPING UP THE STAFF'S STRENG3&. . < The Auckland Harbour Board has now completed arrangements with the Government for the first instalment of works in connection with the new railway outlet scheme, and. a start is about to be made therewith. The chairman (Mr. J. H. Gunson) informed a reporter this morning that the embankment through Campbell's Point to the present end of i the embankment of Quay Street con- i uation would be pushed on with all pos- o srble speed. That, he said, would pro- v vide employment for a very large num.. ber of men. ° In further discussing the works of the ,j Board, Mi. Gunson said that they were i just about to close down most "of the (. work at Rangitoto quarries, but they g hoped to find employment in other dircc- p tions for all those at present engaged. •/, The scheme for the closing of the Auck- rland Dock would also provide employ- c ment for a number of men over a period of several months. In that wav they t should get into the winter full staffed. s '"At the end of the present month," t remarked Mr. Gunson, "I propose to t have a return made up showing the re. D lative position for the first quarter of p this year, and I am hopeful that the q Board will be. able to at once put" in j, hand several works, which will not only „ meet with much-needed requirements in n connection with the progressive scheme v in hand, but which will also enable us jt, to -provide a maximum amount of em- U ployment." The chairman observed that for some !♦] time past the Board had Jiad an enor- 1 mous amount of work in hand. The pay sheets had contained the name of as many as 400 men at one time, while at present ther e were 300. "ff am of opinion," Mr. Gunson added, "that it is the duty of the Board, even if it involves some amount of strain, to keep things going at a normal rate of progress, while at the same time exercising the' prudence which present condition's de- F inand." He remarked that there were t : several minor whaTf works, such as im- 1 provements to the Devonport coal-land- t. ing wharf, and the new wharf at- Kauri s. Point, which were embraced in the o scheme outlined. ' „ The continuation of the roadino- of 1; Quay Street reclamation is. according to n Mr. Gunson. to be carried right through d. to Campbell's Point as soon as the ciii- ti bankment is taken across. I„ addition v. to these works, he points out that thee( Board has its dredging plant fully en- ci gaged in furthering the development of b the port. "There is absoiutelv notliin"- tf" at" present." remarked the chairman*, p • that conditions are going to be more h seriously affected than has been the case to Mate. New Zealand is very fortunately situitcd. and, giveu brdinarv weather conditions throughout this period, we should be able to look for an fc even more progressive year than the one ! ef which has closed, which, in turn, should Mc reflect itself in the business of the port E;