NEGOTIATIONS FOR DREDGE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25552, 21 July 1948, Page 4

NEGOTIATIONS FOR DREDGE

REPORT TO DRAINAGE BOARD WORK ON HEATHCOTE’ AND AVON RIVERS Authority for the tenders committee to act in the purchase of the Nokomai dredge, Central Otago, was given at last evening’s meeting of the Christchurch Drainage Board. The dredge would be used in the lower reaches of the Avon and Heathcote rivers, and possibly in the Estuary. The works committee reported that the dredge consisted of a steel pontoon, 25 feet by 30 feet, and had two 12-inch gravel pumps in series. The pontoon was in very good condition, and the pumps were in fair condition, with a number of spare parts. The board would not require the two 175 horse-power motors on the pontoon, nor any of the electrical equipment. For work in the Estuary and the lower reaches of the Avon and Heathcote rivers, a 60 horse-power motor would be sufficient. It was suggested that one 12-mch pump would be sufficient for immediate dredging purposes, and would require a power unit of about 100 horsepower to drive it and tq drive a revolving cutter head, which would stir up the sand and silt at the mouth of the suction pipe. Bow and stern winches would be required to keep the dredge up to the dredging face.

Offer of Piping Estimates were being prepared for the power unit and other auxiliary equipment. The engineer to the Lyttelton Harbour Board (Mr A. J. Charman) had confirmed that negotiations for the purchase of the dredge were warranted, because of its present availability and the likelihood that new plant would not be readily available and would be more expensive. The works committee’s report added that, included in the propositions made by the receivers for the Nokomai dredge company, was an offer of about 1200 feet of 18-inch pipe. There was also offered an option, for four weeßs from acceptance of the main offer of the dredge and piping, over about 4500 feet of 15-inch, 19 : inch, and 20-inch pipes in Foster’s siphon. The exercise of this option* would depend on how much dredging be undertaken in the centre or the Estuary. The cost of dismantling, carting, and rebuilding the pontoon and pumps would be at least £2500. The board’s engineer (Mr E. F. Scott) reported on an inspection of the pontoon, and recommended negotiations for the purchase of the plant, without’ its electrical equipment. He also recommended that . negotiations for the pipes in Foster’s siphon should be held over in the meantime. Mr Scott suggested that the pontoon should be used at first for dredging the lower reaches of the Avon and Heathcote. It could later be adapted as an excellent dredge for the main Estuary—a job which would have to be tackled some day. The board decided to hold a conference with other local bodies interested in the Estuary on August 16. The chairman (Mr H. G. Livingstone) and Messrs W. P. Glue, D. Lake, J. E. Jones, F. Robinson, and C. G. Burgess, were appointed to represent the board.