DEVELOPMENT OF HARBOUR

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26441, 7 June 1951, Page 10

DEVELOPMENT OF HARBOUR

LYTTELTON BOARD’S PLANS MODELS TO BE BUILT IN ENGLAND The Lyttelton Harbour Board will have two models of the harbour made in the new wave basin being constructed at Wallingford. Berkshire, by the British Hydraulics Research Organisation. The board’s engineer-in-chief (Mr J. A. Cashin) reported yesterday that an offer from the director of the organisation (Sir Claude Inglis) to construct the models, which Sir Claude Inglis estimated should cost not more than £BOOO and should be finished in 18 months, had been accepted. “These models will form the basis of a comprehensive investigation to determine the most suitable size and disposition of breakwaters and piers as regards wave effect, siltation and scouring, and speed and direction of currents which might affect shipping in the enlarged harbour,” said Mr Cashin. The total cost, including charges for work done at Lyttelton to provide the information required to build the models would be about £12.000 he estimated. This would be a small proportion of the cost of the finished harbour works, which would be several million pounds. Having first been associated with harbour models in 1923, he was convinced of their value in harbour planning, continued Mr Cashin. Sir Claude Inglis, in a recent letter, had told him that a large wave basin was now being constructed by his organisation. This basin was scheduled to be completed in August, and if the Lyttelton board wanted its models built and tested in it, he would need early confirmation of the board’s acceptance of his offer. Mr Cashin said that with the approval of the chairman of the board (Mr F. W. Freeman), he had accepted the offer. “I think we should go for the very best and latest models. They will give us very good information for the siting of services, and will give us an idea of what to, expect from the new works.” Mr Cashin said. Mr Freeman said that while in London he had seen a model of Prae Harbour, in the Straits of Penang, where more than £1,000,000, he believed, had been spent on concrete wharves. They had not been properly sited, however, and not one ship had since tied up to them. “This example shows the value of hydraulic research.” he added. Members of the board expressed approval of the building of the models. Mr George Manning emphasised the urgency of the work.