HARBOUR AT WESTPORT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22443, 2 July 1938, Page 13

HARBOUR AT WESTPORT

Maintaining Goal Facilities

GOVERNMENT’S PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENT

[From ,Our Parliamentary Reporter.!

WELLINGTON, July 1

The importance of maintaining Westport harbour in a fit condition for handling the export of coal is appreciated by; the Government, according to a statement made to-night by the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb). The coal trade had shown a steady improvement in Westport. The figures for coal shipped for the last three years were: — Tons. 1935- .. .. 295,000 1936- ' .. .. 345,500 1937- .. .. 426,000 For the first two months of the current year—April and May—the amount shipped was 15 per cent, higher than for the same months of the year 1937-38. “That this increase has been maintained with the bar in a poor condition is a fair indication of the possible development of the port,” said Mr Webb. “It is hoped that through the scheme of improvements now being taken in hand the amount of coal passing through the port will be considerably increased, because of the facilities that will be offered to large tramp steamers to bunker there. Depth on the Bar “The most important requirement for the harbour is the maintenance of a satisfactory depth on the bar. The opinion of the Government’s engineers is that the best means of ensuring this is by increasing the tidal compartment inside the maintaining walls, and it is proposed to dredge 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 cubic yards of material from the shallows, chiefly on the west side of the Eullcr river. This will allow a greatly increased amount of water to ebb and flow over the bar, and it is expected that the additional scouring effect thus obtained will prove the most effective means available for maintaining better depths. “It is a fortunate coincidence that a large aerodrome site is now being prepared on the west side of the harbour. The ground requires considerable filling and regrading to make it suitable for large machines, and it thus will provide at once a means for the useful disposal of the bulk of the material dredged from the harbour, and save the expense of taking it out to sea. It will be necessary to build a shallow-draught dredge for these works—one capable of excavating to a depth of three to four feet below water and with sufficient power to pump the dredgings ashore on to the aerodrome site. , Filling for Aerodrome Site “Officers of the Public Works Department had been instructed to prepare immediately detailed plans for dredging and for the formation of the air field, and at the same time plans and specifications for the dredge were being prepared by the Wellington staff of that department. For the maintenance of the harbour the dredger Ruby Seddon had been refitted and was now at work in place of the Eileen Ward, which developed an uncommon type of - boiler trouble and was now laid up in Wellington. It was found impossible satisfactorily to repair the boilers of the Eileen Ward in New Zealand. After negotiations with a firm in Scotland, an order was placed early in May for two new boilers. These should be delivered in New Zealand about the end of the year.

“In addition, the future administration of Westport harbour is at present under examination, with a view to possible reorganisation, should the projected development of the port require this to be undertaken," Mr Webb added.