THE DOCK SITE. CHANGE PROPOSED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1908, Page 8

THE DOCK SITE. CHANGE PROPOSED.

3PI ZQIAL MEETING OF THE HARBOUR BOARD. \ MR. FLETCHER'S MOTION. At i ' special meeting of the Harbour Joard held this afternoon, Mr. Fletcher aoved the following motion, ; of which tc had given notice: — "•Th rt> in view of the altered position c lue to tho 'adoption of tho Evans Bay reclamation scheme, and t<> the intended purchase of the Patent Slip property, the board hereby,', resolves to rescind tho resolution a uthorising the construction of the d ook at Clyde-quay, and to . have the necessary steps taken forthwith to secure a more advantageous £>i to in' close proximity to the Patent Slip in Evass Bay." . There were present tho Hon. T. K. lacdonald (cl tairman), the Hon. T. W. lialoj>, Alessn '• T. M. Wilford, M.P., V. T. Wood,. t M.P., F. H. Fraser, R. 'letcher, Haro\ '<* Beauchamp, F. Townend. Messrs. J- M'Lellan, and C. E. )aniell sent aj ologies for non-attend-nce. ■In moving hi? motion, Mr. Fletcher lid he did not fail to appreciate the esponsibility of ' bringing forward such motion. He d id not take the step •ithout serious vt, flection, and he said c hoped to be abl 'a to adduce sufficient acts to carry his \ proposal. DISADVANTAGE 38 OF PRESENT SI TE. The present site I >ad many disadvaniges. He contende d that it was not avourably situated, having a regard or the direction o". ? the prevailing finds. Again there would be shoaling 3 contend with. He 1 ?-d been informed tie other day that th c entrance to the ite of the dock had been dredged to 2 feet. Recently soun. dings, he was inarmed, had been tak, en, and it was nund that there was c mly a depth of 0 feet. This was a ye; *y serious thing ideed. Another requi rement for a roperly-equipped dock \ vas a sufficient rea of land. A breakwa*. v *er or a wharf fould be needed to pro* 'ect the dock com the noith-west wind s. He quoted iom an interview (publii ">hed in The ost on 23rd May, 1903) w ith the comtander of the H.M.S. _*eng nin, to show iat that gentleman had b< * e n astound&at tho site chosen for the dock, ivery captain who came mi 'o the port andemned the site chosen fo r the dock, n argument against change a vas the exenditure already made on the site. Pell, he intended that was quite infiitesmal. Of the £17,326 sj sent, no :ss than £16,155 was charj to redging. He urged that the dredging r ould have to be done in any ca tfe when r harf extension was decided on i- In a snversation with the speaker th c other ay the contractor for the doc, k> Mr. I'Lean, said he would be glad 'to see le site changed, for tho present i sxpeniture was only a waste of monejj '• So ir as he was personally concerned ? Mr. I'Lean eaid he did not care two traws. He intended to go strj light head with his contract, but as a i coloist he said he was justified in exp"i 'essig that opinion. He considered \ 'hat c the board persisted in building the ock a 1 thp present site, It would rets ird be advance of Wellington for ma <ny ears to come. ADVANTAGES OF EVANS BAY: In a dock in the lee of the spit i ;n; n Ivans Bay, continued Mr. Fletcher, a hip could be berthed whatever wint I ras blowing. There was plenty oi ' /ater available. He had been led to • nderstand that the bottom was very ood, and there was no chance of siltng or shoaling. The board would also > et all tho necessary land required for he successful working of a dock. Mr. Shirtcliffe seconded tho motion. \ Mr. Wilford moved as an amendment c hat the secretary be instructed to as- j ertain from the contractors for th& \ lock, and report to tho board, whether t hey are willing to cancel their present t ontract, and upon what terms. ' a After considerable discussion the chair- i nan said it was clear that members did f lot understand' the position. The site { vas chosen as a result of negotiations 3 md agreements with the City Council, 1 vhich could not be varied because they 1 rere matters of law. He "uled 1 that i leither the motion nor the amendment < :ould be put. « Mr. Wilford thereupon said his amend- ] nent would, as a» mam motion, be quite i :orreet, and gave notice to move it at i next meeting. .> . <Jj