THE DOOMED DOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 62, 13 March 1915, Page 9

THE DOOMED DOCK.

DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS. RE-ERBOTTON PROVIDED FOR. SHIPOWNERS' ATTITUDE. After a career of usefulness extending over more than 35 years, the Auckland graving dock is now in course of demoI lition, as a result of the Harbour Board's decision that' the land it occupies must be taken for other purposes— notably the continuation of Quay Street westward to the Hobson wharf. The old dock found a good many champions when the proposal was firet made, and a number of arguments were urged for its retention. One of the most weighty of these was that there was every likelihood that the Calliope dock would be in use for months on end if a big repairing job had to be done—ac witness the Kaipara mishap —and the port "would, therefore be left without any docking facilities whatever. It was also argued that the Admiralty had a prior claim to the use of Calliope Dock, and that in war time some damaged warship might quite probably want' it for a long time. The Harbour Board, however, contended that the' Calliope Dock and the recently-opened slipway in Freeman's Bay would meet all the needs of the port for many years yet, but in deference to the wishes of the opposition it was decided to dismantle the dock in such a way that it would be possible to utilise the materials and machinery for a new dock somewhere else Oμ the waterfront. At the present time the dock presents a very forlorn appearance. A gang of about eighteen men ie at work detaching the stone lining blocks wfcih pick, hammer, and chisel. The blocks are hoieted ,by a floating eteam crane on to a punt, and removed to Freeman's Bay reclame- I tion, where they are etack'ed. Every '. block is numbered in white paint, so that if it is decided to uee them for the lining of a new dock there will be little difficulty in fitting each into ite proper place. There arc something like 4,000 blocks in the dock, and the stone, ac euch, ie estimated to be .worth about £8,000. Already several hundred blocks have, been removed from their concrete setting, but at present nothing has been done to the caisson or machinery. The attitude of the Shipowners' Federation towards the whole matter was ehown at a. well-attended meeting of that body yesterday. At the meeting wer e present Messrs. W. B. Leyland and H. ©. iHeather, who are seeking re-elec-tion to the Harbour Board as representatives of the payers of dues on ships. When asked to state, their attitude towards the dook question, both gentlemen said they would support the re-erection of the old dock or. the erection of a new one if at any time it 'became evident that extra docking facilities were required. The meeting accepted this statement, and reeolred to support Messrs. Leyland and Heather for the vacant seats. It wae also unanimously resolved that in view of the fact that demolition had commenced, the question of retaining the Graving Dock on ite present cite be reregarded as closed. Speaking to a "Star' reporter, Mr. E. A. Craig (president) eaid that the Federation had vigorously opposed the Harbour Board's proposals re the closing of the dock, and iiad demanded that a substitute be provided. The new elipway was now open, but there was some difference of opinion as to whether it was a real substitute for the dock. Personally he considered that it wae. The Federation intended to keep the mater in eight, and to agitate for more facilities if they were needed.