THE TIDE DEFLECTOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 71, 24 March 1915, Page 9

THE TIDE DEFLECTOR.

ANSWERING ITS PTJRPQSE.

,NO EXTENSION CONTEMPLATED !-' AT PRESENT. [ The first portion of the work in connection with the western tide deflector jof the Auckland Harbour is now completed, and. according to the testimony of the Harbour staff is admirably servI ing its purpose.

The original plan of tlie deflector, as included in. the comprehensive scheme of 1904, was to extend it at a slightly different angle beyond the point "which it has now- reached. That portion of .the work, however, it is not intended to carry out yet. stated the chairman of the Board (Mr, J. H._ Gunson) when seen by a " Star" representative this morning. The only other work that was contemplated.for the present, he added, was the little filling that might be necessary to make up settlements that might from, time to .time take place. The deflector had been carried out on exactly the same line as that originally laid down in 1904. The object of carrying the tide deflector out to its present length was to benefit the berthing conditions at the wharves. This was all provided for in the original scheme, of which the deflector was a very important "part. Most material advantage had already been felt by the Harbcfljrmaster and his staff, and the conditions of berthing were now quite satisfactory. and" required no further work in this connection.

Mr. Gunson further explained, in reply to the criticism that the deflector was too far east to provide any protection for berthing on the western portion of the reclamation at Freeman's Bay. that the idea in projecting the defleotor from the point which chas been chosen was to enable a railway wharf to be built over the deflector and to allow for shunting operations on-the westernmost frontage of the reclaimed area. In this respect there had been no divergence- from the original scheme.

The chairman of the Board added that all the Board's works at present in hand were being carried to completion, and as far as could be seen at present the next important work -would.."be the central wharf. As little as possible was being done by way of maintenance to the existing wooden ietties. which are to be 7 3em«fisKed-W-wiake Tray- for titer.'modern structures.