NEW HARBOUR > WORKS

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28528, 6 March 1958, Page 16

NEW HARBOUR > WORKS

Progress With Reclamation

The output of the quarry had nearly doubled in the last month, the present scheme seemed to be well up to schedule, and there were good prospects that with more machinery the rate of the work would be improved, said Mr F. I. Sutton to the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday. He was discussing a report on the reclamation quarrying work at the port, and said: “There is excellent progress on the new harbour works.” Of the reclamation, the engineer-in-chief (Mr J. A. Cashin) reported that drilling through the newly-placed rubble at site R 1 had been completed, and showed a sinkage into the original harbour bed of six feet and a half. That, he regarded as satisfactory. There had been another subsidence last month. During the month, 48,360 cubic yards of rubble were quarried and placed, and 40 cubic yards of facing stone quarried. Work had proceeded on the second bench and a start made on removing rock 50ft above the bench. Was there enough rock in the quarry to build the breakwater, and for filling? Mr W. B. Laing asked. Was the rock suitable? Some of it seemed to him to be poor material to stand up to the heavy sea swells. He realised that rock for Gladstone pier was brought from a quarry on the other side of the harbour. “There is .definitely enough rock,” Mr Cashin replied. There was a good stockpile of big stones for facing, and indications were that there would be enough. The board had bought an old dredger hull on the West Coast, and if it was necessary to get facing stone from another part of the harbour, the dredge hull would be brought to the port, reassembled and used to carry rock. Plant Schedule

“I have asked before that we should have a schedule of plant required, but it has not been forthcoming,” said Mr L. G. Amos. “I believe we should budget for our machinery requirements.” He also complained of “sketchy reports” on the harbour extension work. The chairman (Mr W. P. Glue): You complain that you are not aware of what is going on. A year ago. I asked you to go on the works committee, and you would not.” Mr Amos: I deny that vigorously. Mr Glue said that to save time the works committee had decided to call tenders for a bulldozer, but the purchase of it was a matter for the board. Mr Amos: What about a schedule of plant that is wanted for the next 12 months? Mr Glue: We don’t really know yet. The engineer doesn’t know. Mr Amos: Well there is something wrong with them. Mr Cashin said there had been no complaints since the board had instituted a system of warnings before major blasts at the quarry. The board accepted a tender of £15,513 for the supply of a bulldozer. The board also ordered an air compressor costing £3125. and two rock drills, one costing £1175 and the other £2353 10s.