PUSHING AHEAD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 146, 22 June 1937, Page 8

PUSHING AHEAD.

HARBOUR BOARD WORK

RECLAMATION AND WHARF.

GOOD PROGRESS RECORDED.

The report for the mouth of the superintendent to the Harbour Board, Mr. D. Holderness, which was tabled at to-day's nice ting of the board, shows steady progress over a wide range of activities. At the breastwork and reclamation at the foot of Nelson Street, for example, 1158 cubic yards of hard filling were spread, making the total to-date 21,707 cubic yards. When completed, the reclamation will be a valuable area, and to this end an assessment of the allotments available is in the course of preparation to guide the board in fixing rentals. The news that 2681 tons of stone was tipped in the banks of the boat harbour at St. Mary's Bay will be welcomed by yachtsmen. To date 498!) tons has been used for this purpose, and the lower bank now extends for a distance of 1400 feet, while the upper bank, which is being tipped as the filling proceeds has been begun over 350 feet. Aiding in tlie work is the suction dredge, which has pumped 16,000 cubic yards of spoil to provide deeper water and reclaim territory for roadway and boathouse sites. Not the least busy man on the waterfront was the operator of the rolling lift bridge, which was opened 886 times to allow 722 vessels to pass in and 719 vessels to pass out of the basin during the month. On one day, June 8, the bridge was opened no fewer than 50 times to permit the passage of 83 vessels. When do'vn, the bridge has been busy also, 52 railway locomotives drawing a total of 256 empty oil wagons back and forth over it. The electric crane drivers have had their hands full, too, and worked 6112J hours during May, a 16.3 per cent increase over the figures for the corresponding month in 1036. For the eight months to the end of May the total hours worked were 47.073, or 28 per cent greater than for tlie same ucriod last year. Over the water, works have been pushed ahead and the reconditioning of the Calliope wharf, which is being carried out under tlie terms of the new naval agreement, is proceeding satisfactorily." In this connection the old training pier will soon be demolished. Three new capstans have been delivered to the Calliope dockyard s>te and their installation is under \v>iv, while bollards and fairleads are being installed as the opportunity arises. Good progress has been made with the installation of flood-lighting brackets at the main berths. For some time workmen have been engaged in improving the office accommodation for the harbourmaster's office on the top floor of shed 16 on Queen's wharf.

Improved facilities at the eastern and western viaducts for supplying fishing launches with water are in the course of installation and the water supply pipes at the (M)O-ton slipway have lieen extended to meet the requirements of vessels using the slipway.