BOAT HARBOUR AT PETONE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 225, 19 June 1929, Page 13

BOAT HARBOUR AT PETONE

WANTED BY YACHTSMEN.

The necessity for a northern boatharbour at the month of the Hutt River below the pipe bridge was pointed out by a deputation headed by Mr. J. W. McEwan (chairman of the Harbour Board), which waited on the Hutt River Board last night. , „ . Recently, said Mr. McEwan, members of the Motor-boat Club and Heretaunga Boating Club had joined forces, and wished to secure a safe harbour for tiieir craft. At present the boats were moor, ed dust below the pipe bridge, He suggested that the River Board should go into the muttei"of providing a harbour, as something would have to be done in the future if it were not done at present. The number of motor-boats was rapidly increasing, and the owners were anxious that the matter should be brought before the board. They would be prepared to assist the engineer as far as possible 1 in investigating the position, and the cost could be discussed later. Mr. Hook, vice-commodore of the Heretaunga Club, said that three years ago Mr, W. T. Strand (chairman of the board) and the River Board’s engineer had gone down and had a look at the place. At that time only four powerboats were on the river, and no definite agreement could be arrived at. He thought that now, however, with the financial assistance of the club and the revenue from the river, a good boatharbour could be made. The boating men would like to see some scheme put into operation. In reply to a question from Mr. J, Mitchell, a member of the deputation stated that the present anchorage was rapidly silting up. “Is there not a possibility of the Harbour and River Boards joining in the matter?" asked Mr. Strand. The area was under the jurisdiction of the Harbour Board to some extent. . . . Both boards could get together and do something really worth while to encourage the sport. ■ After the departure of the deputation Mr, Strand said that lie did not think the legislation gave the board power to build whnrveg or sheds south of the pipe bridge. That- authority was vested in the Harbour Board. “Perhaps/’ he added, “we could get them to build a nice little harbour and join our interests there."

Eventually it was decided that the engineers and chairmen of the two boards should confer after the locality had been viewed by the River Board’s chairman and engineer in conjunction with members of the boating club as early as convenient.