THE DOCK TROUBLE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 6

THE DOCK TROUBLE.

CONCRETE THAT;WILL NOT SET. ... ''.■;-,;;.'.-vEXI J LANATION .WANTED.'-'i'-The'-Weliington' Harbonr Board has its hands fairly full' of trouble at tho present time. Ihe works at Miramar are now estimated'to exceed the original estimated cost. It had poor, luck with its wharf at Bona Bay, and the erection of the wharf at Petoue and the subsequent inquiry, intoits'subsidenco-shows that it will cost quitoa lot ofiiuoney to set right. Then came the: complaint in - connection with the discharge of the Warrimoo's dried fruits at the Taranaki. Street wharf; the;complaints against the King'sv Wharf for. berthage when; quick dispatch is'needed, .and now, most serious ot all, is the trouble at the. dock. . . ■ , " To understand clearly what is, at fault at le Aro, tho .nature of the wo-k involved in the construction of-the dock" should be clearly, understood.'The basin is to' b'e'.a long rectangular enclosure, of concrete, which narrows down m steps :to a solid i concrete; floor. It is on. this, floor that the, contractors (Messrs...N. andi Jl. M'Lean) have 'been'.engaged for'some little time past. The bottom; of .tho basin, which has '.been 'dredged, is' lovellcd and.boxed off m sections by diver*, and-into; these-the concrete, made ready iu a patent mixer, is lowered_in o (square iron box or basket by means; of _ a derrick and winch/ When in position j tho bucket "opens Up,' spills -its contents, and is hauled up for use:onco more. This work has been attempted at a depth of .about 4a feet, and it was thought that ;all was well Until an inspecting diver was-.sent down, by, Mr. Marchbanks': -'He,', an, old 'and .experienced', diver, reported that the concrete';was not setting as it should. It -is understood' that it is-impossible to keep the-silt from, mixing .with the liquid

concrete when it'is put down; and'that admixture is -believed, to rot the cement of ■■■. its 'ad-' ■ hesivo qualities. This, of course, is for tho ex- : perts to decide;- ~ : ;„"',"..-• .. '•..-.,.■ !"• The discovery was 1 made ;tlie sole business of the hoard at ; . its'meeting-on Thursday after-; noon.'lt was. stated'that the customary pro-, cedure with such'work was to first;construct a coffer dam round the hasiJa, which''.w6uld-.en- ' able.'the'work;.,tobe done .with, on'tfrthree'; or : four feet' of water; in (the "basin, .^itistead, qL 45' feet. Jt • appears; that in this case. -no. cofferldain; was provided'for.'in-.the specifications'] .aha. tab; contractors 'were'-within ..their.' ; rigbts/. v in. pro- , ceeding as they-had done. It was moved, that . Mr. wV Ferguson;, who-was-the board's engi- . heer'at 'the time, the specifications.we're-drawn up',' should be. asked to" at ..'once report ■; on ; the dock in relation, •to ; the position reached. ■ This report,; it .was: moved, 1 is to be'-considered < at:.a special, mooting -.called Jfor.itho- purpose for 1 '- Monday next..",;; -.'-.. : . ,•.;'.-•.' ;■ :