AN IMPORTANT WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 33, 9 February 1922, Page 8

AN IMPORTANT WORK

THORNDON RECLAMATION BILL

HARBOUR BOARD AND RAILWAY DEPARTMENT '

DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT.

The Thorndon'Reclamation Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon by Governor's Message. Tha Bill is for the purpose of validating the agreement recently arrived at between the Wellington Harbour Board and the Department of Railways in connection with the construction of the Thorndon retaining wall and the reclamation of a large area of land for railway and harbour purposes. The agreement is set out in the first schedule of the Bill. Section 6 provides for compensation for the Thorndon Esplanade, which will be taken by the Railway Department from the City Council. Subsection (4) reads: "Any sum paid to the council as compensation hereunder shall be paid by the council into a separate account and shall be expended by the council for the provision of such facilities for recreation for the inhabitants of the city of Wellington as may from time to time be approved in that behalf by the'Governor-General in Council."

The agreement provides that the board shall commence as soon as is reasonably practicable, and as far as it is able with the dredging plant in its possession diligently prosecute, to completion the work of reclaiming from the Wellington Harbour by dredged material discharged there into and as delineated on the plan. The board shall execute the work with all reasonable economy and •in a proper and efficient manner so as to render the said areas suitable for the purposes required. Portions of the reclaimed land will be reserved for railway purposes and portions shall be vested in the board. PROVISION FOR A DOCK. Should the board at any time decide to construct a floating dock additional land shall lie vested in the board. A road reserve 120 feet wide shall be provided and the board shall have the right to lay over the reserve such railway sidings as may be necessary to connect with any railway siding constructed on the land vested in the board. Crossings for public traffic shall be provided and formed by the board at suitable intervals on or over the ways referred to. On the road reserve two roads each with a width of 47 feet shall be constructed on each side of the ways. The Minister shall resume for railway purposes tfie land now set aside under the Thorndon Esplanade Act 1891—an area of about six acres vested in the Wellington City Corporation. / The main seawall shall be so designed as to be suitable for use as a portion of a breastwork for the berthage of vessels. The cost of the reclamation works to be carried out by the board shall be made up of and include—(a) the actual cost of all salaries and wages of all .persons: employed on the reclamation works, materials, '-coal,': and -other stores, together with the actual cost of spoildistributing pipes and temporary works which may be required; fb) the actual cost of all repairs to plant; (c) interest at the rato of 52,- per cent, on the capital value of plant actually used,- the capital value of the dredge to be assessed at £46,000; (d) an allowance of 5 per cent, for depreciation; (c) to cover office and engineering expenses a charge of 2-^ per . cent, on the total cost of the work; (f) the actual cost of all surveys. _ All material deposited in the areas reclaimed shall be for. the mutual benefit of the ■ Minister and of the board, and the cost of any material so deposited other than j that deposited by dredgings shall be charged to the reclamation works. Provided, however, that any such cost being in excess of the average cost of the material deposited from dredgings shall, to the extent of such excess cost, bo borne. by the Minister. ' , ' PROPORTIONING THE COST. j The cost of the construction' of the main seawall, including the cost of dredging necessary for its foundations shall be bonn by the Minister and by the board respectively in the proportion of the areas of the parcels of land vested in each. The cost of the construction of the second seawall shall be borne by the Minister unless the board decides to construct a dock. Under such a circumstance the board shall pay a proportionate share. The cost of the foundations of the walls shall be bojne by the Minister. The cost of the reclamation Works carried out in pursuance of the agreement shall be borne by the Minister and by the board respectively in; the proportion of the actual quantities of material deposited in the areas to be vested in each respectively. The Minister, shall bear the coat of all roadways and storm-water culverts, which may be constructed on or under the lands vested in His Majesty for railway purposes, and the board shall bear the cost of similar works which may be constructed on or under lands so vested in the board.

COMPUTING COMPENSATION. In the event of any compensation being or becoming payable to the Wellington City Corporation for or in respect of the land now known as the Thorndon Esplanade, or of omission to provide an equal area of land when the Esplanade is resumed, the liability of the Minister in respect of such compensation shall be limited to the cost of reclaiming such equal area of land (6.acres 1 rood 8 perches).' There shall be included in such cost, in addition, a proportion of the cost of constructing the main seawall and the cost of such lengths of storm-water culverts actually laid on the parcel of land assumed to be the land, the cost of reclaiming which shall limit the Minister's liability. Any sum -which may. become payable in excess of the Minister's liability shall be paid by the board. The board shall bear the cost of providing the way for railway sidings, and any railway sidings to be constructed in connection with the wharves or in connection with any coaling or other plant or the working thereof shall be provided on terms to be arranged between the Minister and the board. The Minister and the board shall, except as \ provided, mutually agree as to the time and manner of the construction of the seawalls and culverts and other works. WORK TO PROCEED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. , The Prime Minister, in answer to Mr. G. Mitchell, said the Bill was simply to.enable the reclamation work to proceed. Its purpose was to give effect to the agreement between the Railway Department and the Wellington Harbour Board. Mr. R. A. Wright: "Is ifc intended to proceed with the work immediately?" The. Prime Minister: "I understand that the work will be proceeded with as soon as possible. -. The Bill was read a first time.