HARBOUR EXTENSION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 221, 11 June 1908, Page 7

HARBOUR EXTENSION.

CANAL OR DOCK. ' REPORT TO THE LYTTELTON ■ ' BOARD. {FY TEI.Eap.AI'H—rttSSS ASSOCIATION.) ■ Christchuroli, June 10. Tho report- of tho London engineers ■(Messrs. -Cnodo, . Son, and Matthews) on tho Lyttelton Harbour Board's schemes for Harbour Extension was submitted to tho Board at the mooting this afternoon. Tho report states that a canal with an entrance at Sumner and docks at Hcathcote would present no insuperable engineering difficulties. A dock at Linwood would be inadvisable, because tho cost, would ,bo increased enormously without any corresponding advantages being derivoH. The. scheme could bo completed within ton years, and tho cost would , bo. £1,921,360.' The Engineer considered, however, that the Board would bo-better .advised ,to turn,jits attention to the construction of a new harbour at Gollan's Bay, where tho immediate requirements of the port could be. met; aud ample space given . for future' extension. The cost of the works suggested would be £655,430. The works would bo situated within the "magnificent natural harbour of Lyttelton, which can be entered with perfect easo and safety in all' weathers." "After full deliberation," writes the Engineer, "we aro of opinion that apart from questions' of financo the Board would on the whole be-best advised in adhering to port Lyttelton for futurq harbour extension." ,

Dealing''with the Gollans Bay Harbour,, the report states:—"A reclamation of about thirty acres in extent would be formed affording valuable space, suitable for offices, sheds, warehouses,- railway sidings, etc. We have provided for jetties 1200 feet long. Theso jetties, however, need only be constructed 800 feet long in the first instance, being extended' 1 hereafter" as required.. The report states, dealing with tho canal scheme, that the proposal to form a dock at Linwood is open to objection on account of tho expense. It would necessitate the construction of nearly three miles of additional canal, and 'tho dock would le constructed upon ground already occupied, thus involving heavy expense. At Heathcoto the dock could be constructed upon ground of' little value,_ and for the most part below the present high-water mark in the estuValuable property in the 1 immediate vicinity of tho dock could bo formed by reclamation. A harbour at'• Heathcote would be as convenient as at Linwood. Tho extra haulage would really affect only goods intended for consumption in Christchurch, and the small advantage ; gained by tho 1 throe miles of canal would not justify tho 'extra cost, estimated by Mr. Williams (Harbour Board .Engineer) at £690,000. ,Tlio moles should, in tho opinion of the Engineer, provide a clear waterway of 700 ft. at the full depth at the entrance. Tho canal should give a bottom width of at least 250 ft., and the curves should form a radius of not less than 10,000 ft. A dock basin about '3500 ft. in length by 1750 ft. in breadth, is suggested. Tlio north and south sides of tho dock would be provided with breastwork quays 2000 ft. and 2500 ft. in length respectively, and within the dock would bo constructed two largo jetties 2000 ft. in length by 300 ft. in breadth. It is suggested that tho canal and dock should, in the first instance, bo given a minimum depth of 30ft. at low water of ordinary spring tides. "Tho approach to tho proposed dock .-it Heathcoto would bo through a narrow channel some 3£ miles in length," states tho report, in weighing the relative merits of the two schemes. "This in itself would always bo to a certain extent inconvenient to navigation, and in the case of strong winds blowing across the channel navigation would bo difficult. Tho passage of vessels up and down would necessarily bo regulated by signal, and delays would be inevitable. There can io no doubt that tho entering of a comparatively narrow channel in heavy weather would bo attended by a certain amount of difficulty. On tho other hand, the proposed works at Gollans Bay would bo situated within the magnificent natural. harbour •of . Lyttolton, which can bo entered with perfect ease and safety in all weathers, tho width between the Heads being upwards of a milo in oxtent, all in deep water, this doep and amplo waterway, moreover, extending practically to tho' entrance of tho proposed liarbour."

The report will be considered at a" meeting to l>e held on a date fixed at the next Board meeting.