GREY BIVER BAR

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26847, 27 September 1952, Page 2

GREY BIVER BAR

IMPROVED DEPTH RECORDED FURTHER SHOALING AT WESTPORT (New Zealand Press Association) GREYMOUTH, Sept. 26. A considerable improvement in conditions on the Grey river bar enabled the first sounding of the week to be taken to-day. At high water the depth was found to be 18 feet 9 inches, showing that the recent fresh had cleared mote than three feet of shoaling. IMs depth was sufficient to allow the small coastal vessel Melva to leave the port at about 2 p.m. with a cargo of posts for Wellington. Tire Melva had been held up at Greymouth lor nine days. The Zephyr 11, of similar size, was able to enter the port with cargo from Wellington during high ’ There was still too great a swell on the bar to permit the departure of the larger colliers, the Kaiapoi and Kaitangata. The harbourmaster, Captain H. Moar, said it was possible that these ships would be able to leave the port during the high tide this afternoon. The Kaiapoi will then have been kept in port for 22 days, and the Kaitangata for 17 days. A 1.8 degree frost at Greymouth today was the heaviest registered for some weeks. It appears probable that a sunshine record for September will be established, as 165.6 hours of sunshine have been recorded on all but two days.

Swell on Westport Bar A heavy swell on the Westport bar has caused a deterioration in conditions at the Westport harbour during this week, says our Westport correspondent. When soundings were taken today by the harbourmaster (Captain A. Ross) the depth of water recorded was only 18 feet 6 inches. This depth will not allow the /larger type of colliers using the port to be loaded to full capacity. There was only a slight flood in the Buller river after ram earlier this week, and this had no effect on the sand deposits on the bar.