NEW BREAKWATER AT LYTTELTON

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 7

NEW BREAKWATER AT LYTTELTON

Engineer Reports On Progress Of the projected length of 1400 feet, 810 feet of the breakwater for the eastern extensions of the port have been constructed, the engineer-in-chief (Mr J. A. Cashin) informed the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday. The breakwater was now 110 feet past the intersection and was heading towards Diamond Harbour, said Mr Cashin, replying to Mr W. B. Laing. It was not entirely completed; about 30 per cent, of “A” stone had been placed on the face. It was now proposed to take the breakwater further south, as determined by the operation of the dredge Canterbury. The second bench at Gollan’s Bay quarry was producing a very satisfactory quantity of “A" and .“B” stone, said Mr Cashin. The quantity was higher. The bench was producing 60 per cent, of heavy stone at present and the last shot had produced 80 per cent. Rate of Settlement Was the engineer-in-chief satisfied with the rate of settlement of the breakwater? asked Mr G. Manning. “Yes, but we have difficulty in finding out how much it has settled,” replied Mr Cashin. An effort to record the settlement by seismograph had not succeeded and drilling in new rubble was difficult. The D.S.I.R. had been asked to do work to find out the depths to which the stone was penetrating. Three bores had been put down, and, to his surprise, the settlement was to within 10 feet of the calculated depth. Information on the progress of the building of the new dredge in Scotland was sought by Mr F. W. Freeman.

The progress was indicated by the board’s progress payments amounting to £61.000 to the builders, replied Mr Cashin. The keel had been laid and a great amount of plating put into position. The progress payments were primarily for the ordering of materials.