AUCKLAND'S BUSY PORT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 124, 25 May 1920, Page 7

AUCKLAND'S BUSY PORT.

INADEQUATE BERTHAGE.

EXTENSIONS RECOMMENDED.

A 1000 FEET WESTERN WHARF.

An important report on the berthage accommodation of the port of Auckland was presented to the Harbour Board this afternoon from the harbourmaster (Captain H. H. Sergeant). In the course of it he stated that the berthage accommodation at the port was quite insufficient for the demands now made upon it, and that the shortage was becoming more acute each month. Everything, he pointed out, pointed to a very big future for the port of Auckland in particular, and he etrongly urged upon the Board, as he had already done, the necessity of providing as much additional accommodation as possible. He recommended: (1) The immediate construction of the Prince's (Hobson) wharf to the length as shown on the plan of the proposed harbour extension, together ™ththe provision of sheds and cranes. (2) The pushing ahead of the Western wharf, Freeman's Bay, and the lengthening of this wharf to 100 feet, instead of 600 feet, as at present arranged. (3) The construction of an outer face to the breastwork of the north wall to the eastward of the new Western wharf, to. enable a depth of not less than 20 feet L.W.S.T. being dredged there. (4) The construction of the eastern tide deflector and the completion of the breastwork to the eastward of the King's wharf, to enable the construction of the new wharf to the eastward of the King's wharf being proceeded with. (5) The extending and completing of the western tide deflector, as recommended in his report of June 28, 1919, with a view to adding an additional 400 feet to the Queen's wharf and the new Prince's wharf.

Captain Sergeant -went on to recommend that as the berthage accommodation for small vessels-was very limited and jnsuffieient the timber of the present lobson wharf should be used to construct an additional wing to the Albert wharf 300 ft by 50ft; for the extension of the Fitzroy wharf to 200 ft; and for the construction of an additional small wharf to the westward of Fitzroy wharf 200 ft by 43ft. It would then be possible, he added, to find accommodation for Messrs. Bradney and Binns at the' Albert wharf, and enable the use of the breastwork between the Queen's and Central wharves for vessels up to 300 ft in length. The acting-engineer (Mr. Holderness) reported that the cost of extending the ■western wharf from 600 to 1000 feet would be approximately £25,000. If authority were given for the work ft should be possible, provided no undue delays occurred in the shipment of material, to carry out the work without any stoppage when the portion already authorised was completed. On the suggestion to increase the width of the north wall, the acting-engineer remarked: "I do not consider the cost of the. work would be warranted, U the depth to rock over a considerable part of this berth will, not permit of 20ft of water being obtained except with' costly and tedious rockcutting. A depth of 17ft 6in cut be given in the existing berth £y 'dredging alone without endangering the structure." The secretary (Mr. H. B. Burnett) reported that if the moneya "advanced from general account to loan No. 8 account be refunded, and the acting-engineer's.esti-mate of £25,000 for the extension <}f the Western wharf be not exceeded, the Board should have little difficulty in paying for the extension out of general accoent. It would mean, however, strictly curtailed expenditure on all other works.