THE DOCK QUESTION.

Evening Star, Issue 4419, 28 April 1877, Page 2

THE DOCK QUESTION.

So much was made by one of the deputetions that waited on the Harbor Board on Thursday of the point that the site of the proposed docks was never permanently fixed, and in relation thereto of Mr E. B. Cargill’s alleged opposition to it, that it is worth while investigating what foundation (if any) there is for the position now taken np by the Mayor, Messrs Cargill and Davie. Mr E. B. Cargill took his seat for the first time *®a member of the Harbor Board, on January 5, 1875. On the Snd of Febnrary following, the Works Committee made a report, in which it was mentioned thpt the Engineer was desirous that Bicoaid and M'Qneen, the contractors tor the dredge, should effect same alteration in the dredge, which would add to its cost and increase its eme'ency.” At thit meeting, Mr Beeves having moved the ac* ceptanceot Kincaid and M’Qneen’s tender, subject to the alteration suggested by Mr Simpson being effected, Mr Cargill objected to the costly expenditure involved in building the dredge contemplated being gone on with unto the Board had a report from the Engineer, as to what plan of dredging he intended to pursue, and moved this amendment—"That before accepting any tender for a dredge, the Engineer be requested to furnish a short report of the system to be generslly adopted ju dredging, the manner of using the dredge, and the disposal of the silt ;** which was carried by the resting rote of the Chairman (Mr Beeves). In the Etuiino Sub of February 8, the following day, there appeared a leader strongly condemning the Board s action, which was said to be virtually a censure on the Works Committee, and "playing into the hands of these who think their private interest wiU be served by delaying the work, or through |its eventual non-aactejs.*’ To that article Mr Cargill replied in a letter to ns, in which he complained of an injustice having been done him and an erroneous impression fojMCd of his re isons for moving his amendment. That letter, from beginning to end. deals with the question of dredging only, and in it Mr Cargill explained that he simply desired to get information which could be furnished In a couple of hours. On February 9 the Engineer complied with the terms of Mr Cargill s motion.

We now come to the dock question. At that very meeting, on February 9, the following letter from the Commissioner of Customs to the Superintendent was read

The Engineer-in-Chief has brought under the notice of the Government the necessity that existed for the Government being made acquainted with the nature of .the proposed harbor works with the view of securing the necest-ary lands for connecting the railways in Otago with such works, and added the Government are not aware whether any plans have been decided upon, but they take this early oppor. tunity of bringing this subject under your Honor's notice, in erder that when laying out the reclaimed land in the neighborhood or the present terminus a matter of so much, importance may not be over* looked," From this, things remained in abeyance, pending the Engineer furnishing his plans, which were submitted on August 15. It should, however, be remarked in passing that at a full meeting of the Board, on March 9, Mr Cargill initiated a lengthv discussion on “ What is the position of the Board f “ In the coarse of that discussion wo do find Mr Cargill reported as saying that “he could not conceive why the whole energy of the Board should be devoted, in the first instance, to the reclamation of one piece of land—that could not in any way be useful for the wharves—except it was for the purpose of wrenching away the trade from its present position and taking it down to Pelichet Bay." Possibly Messrs Cargill and Reeves found Mr E. B. Cargill’s objection to the dock sites upon that paragraph, which they are not justified in doing. At this time, it will be remembered, there was no plan prepared ; and the Board were only in a position to deal with the 100 acres with which they were originally endowed by the Provincial Council; and Mr Cargill’s objection was to dealing with the reclamation of this area without having any definite plans before them.

°n August 18. there being a full attendance of the Board, the Engineer’s plans and reports were submitted—en passant, a full description of these plans, explaining the position of the docks, appeared in the Sianof November 24, and nponJlr 8 mot * on the hoard sanctioned the printing of 250 copies of the report, with plans attached. On August 19. there was a special meeting, when! on Mr Cargill s motion, a deputation from the Board was appointed to wait on the Deputy-Super-intendent to urge him to convey to the Board the balance of the 422 acres, comprising the original endowment, which was then vested in the Superintendent. That deputation was favorably received by the Deputy-Superintendent (Mr Turnbull), and itia worth remarking, in passing, that at that interview Mr Cargill said “ the Minis' tor of Public Works (Mr Richardson) had expressed himself in favor of a comprehensive plan for the Board, as now provided by their Engineer." At the Board a meeting on August 27, a' telegram was received from Mr Cargill, who was then in Wellington, in consequence of which the Secretary, on that gentleman's suggestion, was despatched to Wellington with “the plana and all needful papers?'

We presume there is no record available to the public of the negotiations that passed between the Minister of Public Works, the Government Engineers, and Mr Gillies, having in view the approval of the plans by the Governor in Council, but it is within the knowledge of the writer of this, who was in Wellington at the time—and possibly of Mr Tewsley, as a member of the old Board—that there was some idea on the part of the Board to reserve to themselves the right to alter the plans in any way; but that that idea was abandoned when it was intimated from Wellington, in very plain terms, that all alterations must be recorded on the plans, and the latter signed by the Board’s chairman as the plana, the only things which the Government would permit to be reserved being the details of the specifications.

October 8 Mr Gillies, harm; returned from Wellington, reported the result of his there, in which he stated that the plans had been returned to him after having been carefully examined by the Government's professional officers and that “ when one or two matters of detail are supplied, suggested by the Government, and the plans formally adopted by the Board, there will be no delay in obtaining the assent of the Governor “

The matters of detail referred to by Mr Gillies were the widening of Crawford street, reserving a piece more land on the reclaimed land for railway purposes, and the certifying by Messrs M‘Kerrow a id Blair respectively that the boundaries. of the land were cor-rectly-described and that the land required for railway purposes had been duly reserved. meeting of Oct. 8, a reaelution was carried that the additional information required by tbe Colonial Government having been inserted in the S lans, and certified to by thelChief Surveyor, Mr f kerrow, and by the Government District ingmeor, Mr Blair, the plans be finally adopted; by the Board, and that the Secretary be requested to forward them to tho Governor for his approval The plans were then and there signed by the Chairman (Mr Cargill), forwarded to Wellington, and subsequently received the Governor's approval. On November 2, the Engineer wrote that “ now tie scheme of'harbor improvement submitted by me has been adopted by the Board it is imperative that certain works should be commenced without delay;" and the works so recommended were these:—Rxtension of wharf, to form a month of 20ft fronting channel and 30ft alongside of import dock. Piles were at the same time driven at tho c >rner of the proposed docks to indicate their poai. tion, and there appeared In the ‘New Zealand Gazette* a notification to lightermen rom the Chief Harbor, master that tho piles had been so placed. On November 8 it was resolved that fenders for the proposed wharf extension should be called. Haw. tins and Co., who had in hand a contract for the extension of Rattray street wharf, claimed that this proposed extension should be given to them but the Board considered that the style of wharf having been altered, it was bound to advertise for tenders. At this time Mr Napier, C.E., wrote suggesting concrete instead of timber wharves; and Mr W. G. Jenkins was advocating elevated hoppers. On November 10, the engineer having suggested the employment of steam barges Mr Cargill, being of opinion that their construction would lead (o a very large expend!ture—L24,ooo—moved and carried u resolution to the effect that, before sanctioning such an expenditure, tho Board should take the advice of one or more engineers of the highest standing. On November 16 it was decided to call for tenders for constructing concrete walla for the ex. tension of wharf and import dock, accord, ing to Mr Napier’s plans. The plans; were sent to Wellington for Mr Blackett's opinion. Then Major Gordon arrived, and reported on Mr Simp, son a plans, with the result that is generally known. That report was fully discussed in April, 1876, but not one word was then about altering or interfering with the site of the docks, and Mr Reeves is found expressing the opinion that “ the Board must hare more wharf accommodation to provide for tbe ships coming from Heme; that Mr Simpson recommended cor. tain works, which must be gone on with and that the only question was whether the wharves should be of concrete or wood" he strongly favoring timber wharves. It has already been stated that the plans ware .sent up to Mr Blackett in March. Tho Assistant Marine Engineer sent them bock with the request that certain alterations in the direction ot strength.

tendent strongly oppose* StltStliße termed “ meddling matters and the consequence was that ,v>iia.w.«^ r w.*, tip for some time. Eventually proposed to make the ted aßeriSmtf. On Jaly 3 the question of steam buses and tracks was again discussed, when Mr* Beeves was of the opinion that “it nfcnld be a verr great mistake to do but fcxjfctty what Mr Simpson required." On July 6, theJßntineeruain drew the Board’s attention to the necessity of pro. oeeding with the proposed wharfage extension to the comer of the import dock, and It was th«n resmyed to call for tenders for that work, which was to extend over four jean in construction. It was also decided to inclnde in these tenders the construction of wharfage to form the upper side of the steamer basin. On September 7 Mr Simpson proposed that these 13 he submitted to Mr Blackett. Then there was carried a motion to ask the Government to allow Mr Blackett to come down here, to which u ltr thenegattve.sayinrthat me whole plan had been approved by the Governor whenevOT the details are submitted, they will be dealt with—in the meantime' it is obvious that any interference by Mr Blackett in this direction yon would be placing him in a wtong position with the Government.” Ultimately Mr Simpson with the plana was despatched to Wellington,and after he niftde a few Alterations in them t thej were Approved by Mr Blackett and tbs Board notified aooordlnali. Tins was in November, 1876. The Boardxixttietermined to call for tenders for the extension of tiA Jetty street one. Then Me Beid took Us seat at the Board, and succeeded in urging that body to to abandon all idea of wharfJ construction, and to confine its attention for toe pm. s«ut to dredging a deep-water channel from the ifort to town, which evehtnally resulted, as everybody knows, in the acceptance of toe Frond, foot contract.

It merely remains to he stated that in not one of the many movements above referred to, and the discussions they occasioned, is there to be found a single .word or suggestion about altering the docks from the sites designed by them by Mr Simpson in his Elans. The deputation which the Mayor eaded does not, we understand, desire these sites to be changed. What they ask is that* the two decks south of Jetty street wb«nM be dredged to the same depth as those north of Rattray street, viz., 22ft at low water.' This would also' involve the deepening of of the chaanel beyond what is knswn as the steamer basin to an equal depth, and would: mean an additional expenditure of some* thing like L 30,000. In connection with this matter, it would be well to remove wbafi appears to be a mistake on the parts of The Government have no intention of erect* ingthe main goods sheds on the reclaimed land between Rattray and Jetty streets. If the Board adhere to their Engineer’s plans, the sheds will be built between Stuart and St. Andrew streets; if the prayer of the merchants 1 memorial be complied with, the sheds will be in Crawford street south, between Police and Manor streets. There, were engineering difficulties in the way of using the reclaimed land for the pnrpose; and it was in the full knowledge that it could not be so used that the Harbor Board, entered into negotiations with the Provincial Government for their acquiring that area, in the settlement of which Mr l)avie was instrumental.