GREYMOUTH HARBOUR CLEARANCE

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24364, 16 September 1944, Page 6

GREYMOUTH HARBOUR CLEARANCE

FRESH GIVES INCREASE IN DEPTH From Our Own Reporter

GREYMOUTH, September 15. There has been an improvement of nearly seven feet in the low water depth on the Greymouth harbour bar as a result of the recent freshes in the Grey river, which now gives a satisfactory depth of 25 feet at high water, and all restrictions on ships’ cargoes are lifted. There is now 16 feet at low water on both the inner and outer bars, compared with 9ft 6in recently. As was to be expected there has been extensive shoaling at the berthages where four vessels were tied up during the fresh period in the river, and immediate dredging will be necessary to remove several hundreds of tons of deposits. Seas had abated sufficiently on the bar this morning to permit of the departure of three vessels, which have been bar bound for some days. The Karu, which has been in port for the last 15 days, and bar bound for the last ei"ht days, sailed with a timber cargo for Wellington, while the Pakura, with coal for Wellington, and the Kiwitea, with coal for the North Island, also took their departures. The Kaimiro. which has been in the roadstead since Sunday, entered port, but the Titoki and Rata, also in the roadstead for several days, were diverted, the former to Westport and the latter to Wellington. The Poolta. which has been bar bound for several days, and is loaded with 2000 tons of coal for Wellington, remained at Greymouth this morning, when a member of the crew was taken ashore after receiving an injury, Notwithstanding the provision, in the case of bar harbours, whereby vessels can sail short-handed, the crew declined to take the vessel to sea, and a union member from another port had to be secured, with the result that the vessel did not sail until late to-night.