FERRO-CONCRETE WHARVES,

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 269, 6 August 1908, Page 9

FERRO-CONCRETE WHARVES,

RUST AND FRACTURES AT. AUCKLAND/' (BY TELF.GUAPH—-PRESS AISO'CIITIOS/.) 1 '!"'•!, " 1 • • Auckland, lusust A matter of considerable importance)!,as affecting the Auckland wharfage.; scheme, upon ' which tho Harbour Board is* sending. half a million in present coVtrao{s,;and'li'as~ provided for; a. total.expendi'tuto'" of- two*, millions, on works,, was ''mejitipned at„,the Board meeting yesterday "triiochairman stated thal .'ho. lowing cable to'Mr.''H'^me'ri;tli6 en-., gineer, at present-.iii, r AYharf, oxidisation toof;^par^t; v j)il"ss w'liero" joined to .struts show apparent at -,'jFel : rj,.;,'Que'eii's, aiictBirkenhead wharves, sliovi'iug" rust.' jlhspect; Southampton anil othei 1 ' sea. works, jmakb, ih-i quiries, arid *cablp".'"'cj4'iK^o/ 5 «^." '."v--.Corirl', sider it advisable you.'to- shp'He'ffi'Holidayra'rid.' return." '_ ... v" Tho chairman's and ' the Board appointedcomnusoo., ,to go fully into the question stops should be taken to' tion, aiid as to future . sti^<^UMs;..in'"'f6rro'-'' concrete or dther, ")'' r Mr. Moore,.-, chief' cngi&ccr r !x|r. tli'o". Fori;oConcrcto . Company, when, it was quite ij^o ! 'thor6;.\^ere^ !, n^pp^'bf < . rust spots and diagonals had penetrated. Th'is, fa'iir.'w'as /oSser.vea two years ago, and ho 'had' \yaJi;ed7je'vclbp-° ments. Lately the mark's . had :' veloped. In some cases of -tlio. diagonal had cracked. Tho"Jirst tho Railway AVharf was bwilt' .Jo," provide berthing accommodation, .diagonals being moulded day and liigHt. ,i.lt was quite possiblo that tho ramming night was not so' good as light. In cases where ther^prk'jiad,broken, away it had been rcjointed,"an<i..thci i c\ha'd' been no sign of further rusting.'.^.Ho! assorted' that any defects could be p||t„ cost. '■■i-ru'i' iu-'Si' i''j Tho Board by eight rotes four;'decide3 J to' erect a small wharf at reinforced concrete at a coa^.p.^.^O.Qp.,,!;

.! (bt telkGiurn.—special coREMroNMNih'J.™, Auokiindf:>Aug{)stv6!".<: ; ; Mr. A. Loman, in a letter i-ioi.ithcycHsrr',' bonr Board in reference to 'ffe, forro-'concrote, • wrote', stating ;:tlwtrj:hs:!'Jvad;; found salt a very 'powerfulv:corrosiyev injthia ; respect, eating, its way , most j rapidly.tvihtb., , the concrete and , reducing", it iilti>;.:a\:'.form' of. clinker. ; _Ii might'be proved-that' concrete .was not effective in . j ' The ' Board passed a. resolution,-■,,f)ni. l t)ie. , .motion of Jlr. W; J; Napier,,, to :.tlio ;£oltore,\ ing effect: "That in view;'of-.,tlio:pressing;• necessity for "moro steamer;:l)6rt]iagfjvaccom- ■ modation than exists at.- preseiit-'fltho •Board;; in committee 1 do consider .and report, w)iQthe£ ; ifc' is • not desirable, to' extendvin lejigthctiio; Quay Street Jetty No. 2 andr Qnajv.-Streeti - Jetty No. 3 400 ft., or.such- distnucoj-as, l taay> , bo; determined, in- , Mr. .'SspiSt; stated that , moro • steamer?-Wrtjjwge:-..sjOfiiotlfe; modation was urgently required.--;.- : , : -If 4jic;. improvements: ho. suggested were '.constructed;, in wood it would , moan that the .woric might;. bo completed in about one-third-.of the. -ti^io;; required if fcrro-concrcte were used- .Labour .would be easily available, aa"more men wero accustomed to the uso of than" with;. the other material. . At the Board was constructing King's' Wharf, probably the best in tli,e'.Dominion, of,--hardwood, and lio felt sure that such wharves could 'be itia.de to last for thirty yearsj and the cost would not be too-great. By merely extending these t-wo'wharvesj : asl'sugljeSeQy.thel i Board could obtain four berths for vessels up. to COOO tons. ' If the BoaVd-iTeinpVcd'the' existing wharves and '• structures, it. would meanincreasing*: the cos't- '-- tcn times .over, and the time Occupied''four-:" 1 fold. Some', timo ago he 'Wad'BUggestcd. IS'• the Board tliat when'the-Railway and Queers 1 Street Wharves were completed-' the, Board should wait for somo ten years'- and ; -'see what - happened. They should rest-on"'th-Hr-oars; - for a time, and not put all-their-eggs N in one' ; ; basket. ' Ho still, believed'-'that' the'-''re-"' 1 ported damage '-wns-■ comparatively trivial— (laUghter)—aiid - that- ; with tho exeroisb of' caro»fthd."-'6tip6rvfei&fe- < there would not bo any cause to tCgrCKtliati ' this material had been" used*>;'fek rc