GISBORNE HARBOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 139, 16 June 1927, Page 13

GISBORNE HARBOUR

MR. FURKERT'S REPORT

ENGINEER MAY RESIGN

(By Telegraph —Press AssocUtion.)

: ' GISBOBNE, This Day. The Harbour Board has received a report trom Mr. F. W. Furkert, Engin-eer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, who recently made investigations as to the position of the harbour workß. '■.•■■■■'•

Mr. Furkort states that he has examined the financial position with respect to loan money. The works and money have now got into such a relative position that it is impossible to achieve the result originally aimed at. If the outer breakwater were constructed there would be ho money to do anything else, and the position of the harbour would then.be ; worse than it was before any money was spent. It appeared necessary, therefore, to endeavour with the money available to construct such works as will enable coastal vessels to get reasonably improved conditions for working the port.

Without committing himself actually to the figure (18 feet), he is of opinion that without the breakwater the inside works dow proposed will give a satisfactory coastal harbour, and that thia can be completed wl|hin the funds available. He considers it quite safe to extend the present breakwater, and any shoaling thereby . occasioned can "be easily, dealt with by the board's dredging plant. His advice is that the inner Kaiti basin be dredged out, fitted with breastworks having railway communication, and simultaneously the present' breakwater should be extended. "When a combination of the works enable the change-over to be safely made, the river sEould be diverted and the .present harbour dredged out The Harbour Board discussion on the report submitted by Mr. Furkert resulted in the board finally adopting the report and resolving to consider, what steps would be taken to put the recommendations into effect.

A bombshell was dropped by th> board's engineer (Mr. R. Campbell) in the course of the discussion, when he stated that the board . was suffering from the old complaint—-too many opinions—and that his position with the board had reached the stage where no course was left to him but to resign. This step he was asked to reconsider by a majority of the board, five members only giving their support to a suggestion that, as Mr. Campbell had taken his decision, the board should not endeavour to persuade him to another course.