FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 47, 24 February 1934, Page 22

FIFTY YEARS AGO

Two .plans for the improvement of Wellington Harbour, one by Mr. C. Napier Bell, and ono presented some years before by Captain Hollidny, arc discussed and compared by the "Post" of February 21,' 1884. Both plans included reclamation of the foreshore shallows, several new wharves running in" the. line of the ' prevailingwinds' and a dock, slip, and boat harbour on the Te Aro side.

The newer plan omitted tho series of recessed berths along the breastwork that Captain Holliday advocated but proposed that the outer T of Queen's Wharf should be lenghtened south by 300 feet, the wisdom of which was doubted. Nautical authorities considered , that. whilst this would make room for two large steamers, it would render No. 4 berth, on the east side of the southern. T; useless for large vessels." ' , '. : , ■;■.•:■

Mr. Bell assumed the Te Aro reclamation completed, and took sites on the reclaimed area for al, graying dock and jetty, a patent slip, and a boat harbour capable of holding a

dozen vessels 150. feet or less in length Three 300-foot Wharves with depths of 20 feet were to run from To JLro breastwork. -Extensive: reclamations were to be cari-ied out. -A deep-water wharf was toibo' built,parallel to, and 170 feet to the south of, tho Railway Wharf, and three others, including one with a double set of tracks, were to parallel it k on : the-'.: otiier /side, where King's, and Glasgow Wharves now arc. . A 'jetty. for ■■-."dis-. charging kerosene: was' to be' situated on Pipitoa Point,' and extensive 'dredge nig was to be carried'out. The "Post" reserves any comment on the plans. ' The New Zealand Shipping Company's direct steamer British Queen arrived1 in Wellington from .London, on ..February 17, 1884, after- a passage, including stoppages, of 49 days 4 hours. , Her steaming .time was 4GJ days, as shewas detained nearly three days at St. Vincent. While running the' easting down, the ship-averaged.'l 3 knots for 12 consecutive days, the best day's run being 322: miles. There was little sickness, but: tjyd. infants', died,.on. the voyage. ■ -■.■••' ".'. -. ■■"•■'■'' '■'"•■"•-.,";■■' ,';'"J '. '• "(■'■*

Duiing a race between tho' Union Steam Ship Company's Wairarapa and the Adelaide to tho Hobart Heads, a collision occurred between the two vessels.' , Tho Adelaido sti uclc- the Wairarapa's stem and dented several plates badly. Indignation at tho cause of tho accident" was expressed.