SILTING UP OF LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9670, 8 March 1897, Page 3

SILTING UP OF LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

TO THX EDITOR 07 THE PRESS. Sir, —In your issue of the 3rd inst. I see a report of a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, at which among other business a report was read from the Harbourmaster with reference to soundings taken in Camp Bay, and expressing the opinion that the mud deposited there was not being carried up the harbour to Governor's Bay, as was thought.

I, as one of those that do not believe the mud all remains in Camp Bay, will just venture to show my reason for so doing; but at the same time would remark that I never for a moment thought it went as far as Governor's Bay, but that it is being deposited all over the outer harbour. The Harbourmaster, or rather the Board in its report, gives us no figures as to the difference of the depth of the water now compared with what it was formerly, but merely says that all the mud put in Camp Bay has remained there. I suppose the Board will admit that if the mud is all there the water must have been gradually getting shallower. How is it then, if such is the case, that official reports have been made by officers of the Board at former meetings that no perceptible difference in the depth of water had taken place ? Where, then, was all the mud ? Had it gone up the hill for a picnic or outside the Heads for a day's fishing, to come back again after those soundings had been taken, and peacefully repose in Camp Bay. My contention is that had the spoil that was put there remained there would have been a good section of dry land at the present time where there is three or four fathoms of water, as all the loads were dropped about the same spot. As to the harbour being filled up, of course I can only venture my opinion, out of one thing I am sure, and that is that the formation of some parts of the harbour bottom is completely changed from what it was before dredging was begun. For instance, I and many others formerly used to dredge for oysters from in a line with Church Bay and Case Bay nearly ar far as Parson's rocks. The bottom then was very hard, live shell, but soon after dredging was started the bottom began to get soft, and at the present time is a dungeon of soft mud, and it would be impossible to move an oyster dredge over it. Where has this mud come from ?

I see the Hon. J. T. Peacock pats himself on the back, and tells the Board it was he that selected such a good resting place for the Lyttelton mud. This is worth knowing, as in the future perhaps it would not be easy to find out who was responsible. Mr Pitcaithly ventured to think as I am inclined to.

Captain McClafcehie was certain the Camp Bay mud had in no way affected the depth of the harbour. It would perhaps be more to the point had he told us how he can be so sure on this point. Is it from personal observation, or from reports similar to that of their Harbourmaster ?

The remarks of Mr Waymouth are the most amusing of all. He Bays the little silting up that is taking place is caused by the ploughing on the hill sides being washed into the sea, does Mr Waymouth think the land owners on those hills are a set of fools, that they would continue to plough their land if they found it being washed away. I can show him paddocks on these same hillsides that have been ploughed times and again during the last thirty years or more, which have sod fencee between them and the sea, and there is no sign of any accumulation of soil against these fences, which is proof it any is wanted that this is wrong. Although I have been acquainted with the harbour since 1863, and almost daily on its waters, I have not been in the habit of taking exact soundings, but that at lease a good proportion of the dredgings that were put there have not remained in Camp Bay. I am convinced, for the very good reason that if it had, a good proportion of the Bay would now be dry.—\oura, &c, Robert Andebson. Charteris Bay, March sth, 1897.