IMPROVEMENT OF PORT

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24801, 15 February 1946, Page 6

IMPROVEMENT OF PORT

REPORT TO HARBOUR BOARD PROPOSED EXPENDITURE £1,450,000 The building of new breakwaters to enlarge the inner harbour, the dredging of a new approach channel and basin, and the removal of 700 ft of the Gladstone pier, are works recommended for the improvement of the port of Lvttelton in a report made by three harbour engineers to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, which has been released for publication? The report states that the proposed lay-out of the breakwaters would provide, at an estimated cost of approximately £1,450,000,' a safe and commodious harbour, : capable of development as required by reclamation, roading, and the building of new wharves ana the reconstruction of existing wharves, to meet all reasonable needs of the port district. For some time the board has been considering the improvement of the harbour, and towards the end of last year it appointed Mr D. Holderness, engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board, its own engineer, Mr A. J. Charman, and its consulting engineer, Mr P. W. Fryer, to investigate and report upon the question, having as a basis a plan prepared by Mr Fryer .in 1936. The engineers’ report was dis-| cussed this week at a special meeting of the harbour improvement committed, which consists of all members of* the board. This committee agreed that the improvements suggested were necessary, and recommended to the board that the engineers’ scheme I should be endorsed in principle, and that ways and means of financing it! should be considered. The recommendations will come before the board at its next meeting on March 6. Increased Area The proposed new breakwaters would have a total length of 7000 ft, the eastern one commencing at Stick-i ing Point, and the western one spring-i ing from the reclamation wall. The', present harbour has an area of about! 105 acres, and this would be increased to 310 acres if the breakwaters were built, while the entrance would be 750 ft wide instead of 500 ft. In their report the engineers state! that they are satisfied the works con-' templated in Mr Fryer’s report are practicable, and the removal of the cuter 700 ft of the Gladstone Pier and, the construction of new breakwaters on the alignments contemplated would provide a commodious harbour of ample area and dimensions to meet all reasonable needs. “It might not be found necessary to construct the western breakwater to the full length indicated, but this is a matter which should be further investigated, and could be determined more accurately as the work proceeded,” adds the report. “We consider, however, that it should be included as part of the plan, and be provided for in the estimate at the outset It might also be considered desirable to alter the alignment of the dredged channel more to the south at its western end to improve the proposed entrance to the inner harbour, • but this would not add materially to, the cost, and could be decided when • details and working plans were being prepared. Probable Cost “We have given considerable thought. to the probable cost of the new break-' ■waters, the removal of portion of the Gladstone Pier, and the dredging of i the new channel, and. have examined the cost of marine works of a similar; nature recently carried out in New Zealand. In this connexion we would draw attention to the. heavy increase in cost of executing work to-day com -1 pared with 1936, largely attributable to; increased wages, reduction in effective , Working time of men engaged in : quarrying, and increased cost of stores and materials. We estimate that the works outlined would, at to-day’s prices, cost approximately £1,450,000. *‘We consider the construction of the

new breakwaters and the removal of j -the outer 700 ft of the Gladstone Pier would provide adequate manoeuvring room for all vessels trading or likely! to trade in New Zealand waters,” adds! the report. ‘‘We would call attention,! hqwever, to the restricted space between wharves in the present layout! of the harbour, and the difficulty of safely handling large vessels in such; confined spaces.” Reference to the tunnel road is made in the report, which says that if it-is brought into being as a highway without cost to the Harbour Board, its existence must exercise a profound influence on the future development of harbour works in Lyttelton. Any attempt to remodel the existing wharvqs. within the present breakwaters to render them suitable for operation both by road and rail must inevitably be accompanied by a considerable reduction in existing berthage space. The works outlined in Mr Fryer’s 1936 report are, in the opinion of the engineers, the bare minimum which would enable the wharves to function jointly for road and rail access. Unless an additional area or areas of reclamation were undertaken at the base of the wharves to provide apace for the numerous additional activities that would require housing and space near the waterfront under the dual system of working, the waterfront would still be unreasonably conto the board’s ability to I finance the execution of this work without such increase in harbour dues and charges as would lead to the diversion of trade now centred on Lyttelton to other outlets, we would recommend its adoption as a desirable harbour development,” concludes the re-