THE TOWN WHARF.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5486, 18 March 1910, Page 2

THE TOWN WHARF. .'.

The largest contract in wharf eon stru-stion which has so far been ti t:mpt d in Tauranga is now just, boot completed. Last year the IwJ • Council decided to call tenders f , extensive improvements to the T«J_ Wharf Mr J. Braiu being J^ ccssful tenderer The work was oat - in hand as so.m os the timber arrival from the North, but in this the-* *» some delay owing to the burniDff 3 tbe sawmill from which the supply JZ drawn aud the delay of the first v*2 ■ through bad weather. The wo* undertaken consisted : Fi-stly, of^T siderable repairs to the o)J structure! necessitating the driving of a score » ' so of new piles. Secondly, the widen, ing of the approach to the tee from 17ft. to 24ft. Thirdly, the extcS' of the tee outwards an average distant* cf 35ft. Fourthly, the removal .S ' enure rearrangement of the shed c* commodation. Fifthly, the provigU of greatly improved landing facilities for small boats. The additions to tLg tee secure 3000 square feet more deck area. The shed, as remodelled, afford. 2200 square feet of floor space. For the greater convenience of vessda " lying upland down stream the caste* face ot the tee has been constructed at a different angle to the former front of the wharf, so as to be exactly parallel with the line of ebb and flow of tide The additions have also provided better- ; berthage athwart the stream both ' j above and below the wharf, vessels being able to Work cargo at bothoi ' these in place of only the northern one" as formeily. The shed has bees placed towards the northern side of tbe tee, its greater length running etst • and west. Eight largo doors are pro. videdfor working cargo, viz, one at each end and three on cither side there being exactly qpp site to each other and will admit of vehicles, if necessary, being taken right through ' the sbed into any position. The shtd as now constructed, may be worked in hiiy weather suitable for vessels to discharge. The passage of vehicles aud trucks in and out of the shed has been greatly facilitated by tbe removal of the former upstanding sills, fuj' which have been substituted slots and metal rebates to keep the rolling.domt ' in positior. A temporary small office for the Northern Steam* hip Company has been erected in the corner of tie' shed nearest the approach of tl« wharf which, as already staled, has been widened to 24ft. and the old mete] raib removed. A handrail on the northern side and a heavy curbing on the southern enable pedestrians, carts and waggons to use tbe whirf simultaneously with safety and go*. fort. Tho landing stage, on the southern side of the approach, k ■ placed two spans shoreward of tnt tee, and projects southward for ■ distance of 39 feet, beiDg carrkd on three pairs of piles, the tops of which all stand above high watermark. A sloping gangway, 15ft long by 6ft wide, gives access to the first stage, ■ which stands loins above high water mark, and is 12ft long by 6ft wide. From this a flight of steps leads to a lower platform, which stands about 2ft above low water mark Mooring facilities are provided on all the piles, and boats can lie upon either side of the structure, there being about 3ft of water at the lowest spring tides. The total cost of the work approximates to £1850, giving the town • ilrncture thoroughly in keeping with the pto. gress of the district, and one likely t^ meet requirements for a few years, w$ less an utterly unlooked for develop ment takes {.lace in the central Bay (I Plenty. The contract has been carried out in a substantial manner by Mr 9. Brain from designs prepared by Ut Qt. Arnold Ward, architect and civil , engineer!