HARBOUR DEVELOPMENTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 December 1907, Page 9

HARBOUR DEVELOPMENTS.

TO COPE WITH A GROWING TRADE. If Wellington, as its proud motto proclaims, is really " suprema a situ;" it is because' its sits ■ is on ,it-s .6wri magnificent harbour, operi' tl» K£, lbng'JcoastS" li df i .tlie; Dominion anil, jnidway',. bottjfefcnNorth''';-"and. South;' ThowFflr<) l ..''W6lMng;to'n!Sh&''.'"nrb' i: :KMn' to ha.vo Port Nicholson kfcpt lip to' 1 datS, fitted and" furnished with;. all ,t)iat' v soa-boriio coinmerca needs': for and- safe; 'bDStowal. . *" '-V;-. i :Tl»o indreasci. of trade lias made now' 'works necessary,, and some of groat importance aro now'in progress. There is tile now dock at Clydo Quay, for which a contract for £196,000 has been lot: ; Messrs.- 'j. M'Lean and Sons aro actively prosecuting tho work', 1 but -it is held in- sorno quarters that a mistake .has boon mado'in tho location v of tho dock.; The critics dcclaro that tho sito is too much exposed to tho winds, both northerly and southerly,. and that the space between tho water and; tho railway lino is too confined ,for,;,tho buildings that should naturally , rise around tho dock. .The work is,- however, as' already remarked, proceeding, for the Harbour Board evidently thinks it' knows more' than, its critics. ■ Another great work is tho now- King's Wharf, where • Mr. F. Pulley is making good progress with what will ultimately bo a very lino piece of work,' and' will bo highly appreciated by users of tho port Tho twelve twoHon gantry cranes, with which tho wharf is to bo furnished, will cost to construct and erect £16,170, and it is to learn .that,nearly half that aiiount'will probably bo spent on labour in, th<S Dominion. '.-A greater' harbour'work than any which has been achieved during tho yoarb now in--contemplation. This is the reclamation of upwards of 100 acres, of land at Evans Ray, to fornv a new .industrial area with water ■ frontage; -- . This- .schemo was - first mooted in the City Council by Mr. J.-:'-,P.-, Liiko.' It' has been 'the subject of comprehensive - rccommcndations by tho engineers bf tho Harbour Board and .the City. Council, and • negotiations between . those two bodies are still pending. There is, howevor, ho doubt that tho scheme will take practical shapo, and that tho actual work of building tho seawallji dredging tho bay, cutting down tile: hillsides,, and making the now' land will be . commenced at 110 ; very, distant, dato by tho Harbour Board. ; Closely connected with /this question is that of the' ownership : of the Patent 1 Slip at Evans Bay. . The Union Steam Ship Company lately purchased a controlling interest ,in tho property, and the Harbour Board, regarding the matter as ; ono of 1 vital importance to. tho; reclamation 'scheme, is now negotiating with a view to tho absolute acquisition of the Slip. - ' •• '' Tho leasehold lands of the Harbour Board at To Aro have,' during the nast year, been practically covered with buildings. ■ ' ; A jlotublo : feature of the year is tho retirement of. Mr. "W. Ferguson from the secretaryship of the Harbour 'Board. • Mr. H.' Nicholls succeeds thim from January 1, but tho. Board will continue to havo Mr. Ferguson's valuablo services as engineer.