HUTT RIVER WHARVES. PROPOSED DREDGING OPERATIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1908, Page 8

HUTT RIVER WHARVES. PROPOSED DREDGING OPERATIONS.

SWING-BRIDGE SUGGESTED. Mr. Laing Meason. C.E., has made a suggestion to the Hutt River Board that it would be practicable to accommodate shipping in the Kutt River, beginning in a small way and gradually increasing the facilities. Mr. Meason is now drawing up a scheme, for submission to the board, which will provide for dredrfing at the mouth of the river, and possibly for making the river navigable for some distance. Comment was made upon this by Mr. J. G. Harkness, Mayor of Onslow, at j the municipal function held on Saturday at the Lower Hutt, and after commending the'proposal he asked whether it might not bo well to look forward, and provide that part of the ferro-con-crcte bridge to be erected near Petone should be made movable, so as to permit of the passage of' steamers alon^ the river. ; j Mr. Bolton, Mayor of Eastbourne, also gave support, of a tentative nature, to the swing-bridge proposal. The matter has caused some discussion in Wellington to-day, but in some well-informed circles there is a disposition to scoff at the idea of making the river navigable for anything heavier than oil launches. It is alsoasked what "better accommodation than, that of the new Petone wharf will be required by the Hutt Valley for many years to come. After much delay, the arrangements for building the new bridge at Petona arc practically completed, and it is thought undesirable by those most intimately concerned that the construction work should be further delayed. j Mr. J. W. M'Ewan, Mayor of Petone, ' told a Post representative to-day that the question, of dredging tho river was one of the possible things of tho future. The question of making a portion of the bridge movable had not been overlooked, but there was no possibility of its being given effect to at present. When the scheme for dredging out the mouth of the river came within the region of practical municipal politics the bridgo about to be erected would have served its purpose, and the question of a movable bridge could then be considered. It must not be overlooked, he added, that the present bridge was intended to carry two mains of water-pipes.

Mt. James Ashcroft, Official Assignee, who is at present confined to his home by an attack of influenza, is to-day reported to be very much better. The following tenders have been received by the Marine Department for engine-room repairs to the Government steamer Hinemoa: —A. Hadecke, Rangiora, £680 (accepted); Hutehinson and Campbell, Wellington, £744; Murison and Hankinson, Bluff, £960; Gardner and Co., Port Chalmers, £1040; W. Cable and Co., Wellington, £1190; Luke and Co., Wellington, £1310; Seager Bros., Auckland, £1395; Fraser and Sons., Auckland, £1410. The Biological Division of the Depertment of Agriculture intends to make a further distribution of ladybirds in certain parts of( the South Island where the blue-gum blight still exists. It is now almost impossible to find the blight or the ladybird -jn tho Timaru district, formerly the chief seat of the trouble. Thousands of ladybirds have been distributed by the department wherever the blight was known to exist, and with most satisfactory results. Mr. Cockayne, assistant biologist, leaves for the South to-night with a further supply of ladybirds. The Government Biologist, Mr. T. W. Kirk, stated that the department has been unable to find the fruit fly in the gardens at Napier and Blenheim in which it appeared last year. These gardens were subjected to drastic treatment, and have been closely inspected. So that there is reason to hope that the pest has been stamped out -in those localities, although this is not certain until the end'of the season has passed. The strictest watch is being kept on the garden in Auckland in which tfu fly appeared, and very stringent measures have been taken to suppress the peat. Another moonlight excursion to Day's Bay will be held on Wednesday even ing. An interesting concert programm< has been arranged.