TAURANGA ONLY NATURAL HARBOUR AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8616, 13 June 1924, Page 8 (Supplement)

TAURANGA ONLY NATURAL HARBOUR AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON

During th© last few years one cf the principal subjects cf discussion in the Bay cf Plenty, cf intsr-e-jt equal to railway construction, has teen that cf Tauranga. Harbour —its past hiriory, its present cc.no.ilien, and mere particularly, its future pcsibilities—an accurate knew; ledge of the twe' first! being of the .utmost value, we might almost say essential, in. f: recasting the last. Known to the Maaoris from the days cf th© groat immigration from .Hawaiki by the “Arawa” and other canoes, Tauranga Harbour did not enter the white man’s history rib something less than a century agey when env cr two trading vessels and a Mission schooner ventured to test its hospitality, being followed in 1853 by H.M.S. “Pandora,” when j ‘t|ptain Drury r and his officers were carrying cut a careful nautical survey of the coast. Tire harbour then cam© in for critical examination, and was first properly charted, that chart forming the basis cf all hydrographic lore cf th© harbour to- this -day. So accurate was tjhe work then done, that but few minor corrections were needed from time to time, and though a further complete survey was made by the, stiff cf H.M.’s surveying ship “Penguin” in 1901-2, this later work did little move than emphasise the stability of conditions existing in the harbour during the intervening half-century, and the care and ability of its first* surveyors. This result is, however, of the greatest importance, and tends to give the utmost confidence to, those in whose care the harbour new is, to •fir creed to carry- out such improvements as the present trade of the port; and its mere immediate liilurc prospects seem let warrant. Purthur than this, the past and present history justify fully the conviction that the works outlined in the proposal for a loan of £125,000 authorised by the ratepayers a few years ago will, when complete!, raise Tauranga to the assured position of a safe and good second-class port. When that is done, it is only a question cf a comparatively moderate further expenditure, when trade requirements justify it. te raise it . to the position of a first-class perl, second to none in capacity or equipment in the Dominion. While there is ample depth of water in the entrance preper and ever a considerable area inside for the largest! existing oversea trading vessels, the cuter entrance 1 shcals for o short distance to between 19 aud 21 feet across it's whole width, these depths being obtainable at lew water spring tides. Tire cause is obvious, namely, the great reduction in pice of the ebb current, due tc the widening toll-mouth cf the estuarv, giving the waters so much more lateral space ever which to escape. As the current in the entrance preper has kept a. channel averaging ’over forty feet deep for more than a mik, it is obvious that if the outer entrance bp artificially restricted in width, the increased scour wilt seen secure added depth when-© it is needed, the material of which dhe bottom consists having been proved, by a series of borings taken for the Board, to consist of nothing more formidable than sand and shells to a tested depth of thir-ty-three feet. These ambitious projects are wisely left in abeyance until such time as there may be signs that they are soon likely to ho needed. Meanwhile the Board is proceeding only with those weeks deemed necessary for the immediate requirements of the pert First and foremost is the construction cf a new wharf at Tauranga. to give access to the railway now about to be opened. Hoard at its last meeting instruct- * ed its engineers to prepare the necessary plans for the wharf preparatory to calling tenders for its construction. When this workis completed the shipping demands of the dis- ( txict for many years will be fully and adequately met. Later, as the increase in trade demands, the Board can proceed with the other works planned, as indicated above, to make the harbour a good second class port

Pongakawa, 2-1 miles by rail front Tauranga, and 28 miles from Awakni. the present railhead. The company owns 6000 acres of tush land, estimated tc contain between 60 tc 100 million, feet of millablc timber. This timbered land is on the north bank cf Lake Kotciti, and is the only large block of valuable bush within easy distance cf the East Coast railway. The. Bay cl Plenty Timber Company has formed a tramway from thei Pongakawa Railway Station to the mill at ihe bush, a distance (f ten miles. This tramway is new down to the Covin out standard as regards curves and grades. It would be possible to con-

Plenty Tiint.r O inpauy lias ahead/ formed nearly half (it • dislanr:, ;nd tills < cu!d. hv tl n j nditure ( f a few l!it.usa’id unds, la nnidi fit to carry (Tt. -cnniieii!. o Ming ■- 1. ok. At tlu Juif.’tion of tin? Iv- !si. . (IVngakaw.i Htaticn) i- th • Wadii Revamp. lie tv Luing di'a-ir I ; ini - ill up by the Govt rumcnl into smaU farms and the ‘JOIJO acre.' v\i 1) m 111-- near future 1 canying ever 150 fami'ie;;. This swamp bind ;■ ■ 1 the tcji. during tic kite t!< , .I.;, anil is going be a splendid mveT in cut boll) for thy fiuall fai mvr end llv. Government.

r L 1 11' •: Milne 1 IV; (Ik; - Cll -l 11' ■! i’! ;■ f Hie : ( i l l .i :i (t railwav I . Uv, M 'i iki jiii an ! (||. Waux - Hive.- !;;• vI;'-.) |;l, in i-i :i!i ].> If (ic;l will mllTanninga ;■ is■ 5 H- nasi mg ini" t Av,k ,H, with lli laain iai! way :-v; ■' m i-i liti' Ni vt h Maud. T!i< ■ I I !l-'l!invn a! Vl!,f ll’ Ill' tl l (:i' i I’M 1 > I'' V. :; A I, ,! ’ 111 -w in sight, pul h • at1v mi n Humid, :ur! n< ■ d- ati will, i.i.w in tinn. ,! lu ■ nin, Uni: K, l< - rue will- 11 1 e East Coin! Bail wav. This c niu cli-'a imisi UK' cut ual - iv. bid unli! it d< as Taunmga bar-b-cur (an;!.,) I--, ni ; -.1 - -1; ;; rvc the vrnl cMf.nl t f ccunliv wl>!< h natnn undcubi nil y intend.;.l it sh-mkl.

need up Rotorua and the East Coast Railway at Pongakawa over this route, within two years, and at a cost of between £200,000 and £250, 000. There is only one bridge needed across the Kaituna river, and no r"ck is seen on the. whole route. Tiiis route is entirely free from flood conditions, and has only cue heavy cutting. A railway from Rotorua would pay from its inception, and would bo an admirable feeder for Tauranga harbour. There is enough timber on the route and around Lake Rcfoiti, the freight on winch should pay the whole cost of

ranga Harbour, and crnimuulca(iun with the town of Tauranga is by means of a regular ferry .service, which has ha on conlndl d for many years by Messrs 1' aulkucr Pics. Mount Maunganui has a line; .Aii-bcli of hard sandy beach, with break l rs, winch permit of surf bathing and makes the Mcunb the best patronised surf-bathing result in (lie- Bay of Plenty. During the summer months ]! attracts hundreds cf visitors Ann Auckland, Rotorua, Waikato and coastal districts, and the mime reus houses and cottages which have been built cf late years, arc eccu-

the line When this is cut. out the State forests at Rotorua are placed wit-bin less than 60 miles of Tatvrauga by rail. It gives one JC-..1 for thought when the distance between Auckland and Rotorua by rail (ISO miles) is compared with the distance from Tauranga to Rotorua via Pongakawa. 57 miles, Rctorua to Taupe, 54 miles, Taupe to Tckaanu SO miles, and Tokaanu in Waionru—"on the* Main Trunk line—4o miles, a total distance cf 1 SI miles. There is nothing more l certain than that, in the near future. Rotorua must bo connected up with its natural port— Tauranga Harbour. The Bay cf

pied right through the finer part of (he year. Mount Alanngamij, tlie natural sentinel which guards the entrance to- Tauranga Harbour, was tire scene of many struggles during the period of warfare bet worn the various tribes cf Maoris, and stirring stories aro told of the lights that have taken place there. The Mount may be ascended by a wellgraded track and from llm- Miimnii is obtained a magnificent view. The waters in the neighbourhood of Mount. Maunganui offer splendid fishing. The natural charms .cf mere, ..into prominence every year, and as time gees on and

The area of country that the poffcef Tauranga is destined to serve is nol as widely known and understood as its importance demands. Nothing could more forcibly illustrate this than the possibilities which have been opened up by tin* Lav of Plenty Timber Company, Ltd., whose h eadquarters arc at

I Situated and designed by nature to serve large area of country. Port destined to develop into one of considerable commercial Importance, Loan authorised for development j