OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 12028, 28 October 1903, Page 6

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

o The engineer (Air T. H. Rawsou) will sul> mit tbs following report at ro-morrow’i meeting; Dredging.—222 is at work above pile No. 21 and below pile No. 23 widening and deepening the Victoria channel. I have also had to pur her down the Victoria wharf clearing out the berthages again, which in nine months have shoaled up from sfr to 4ft with black sewage mud. which, owing to the rapid shoaling-up of the tso-called “ tidal dock," now flows in greater quantity round the lower end of wharf and up the berthages. I expect by the end of rite week to have the greater part of these cleared out again to 22ft. Luring the month of September thirty-four loads, or about 28.000 J cubic yards, were dredged from the Victoria 1 channel. This lessened output was owing I to the Vulcan being laid up for repairs from I the 18rh, whicii necessitated taking sixlords I out to sea. The material below pile No. ff I is also very bard, it somcrnneis taking doul jJ the usual time to fill the hopper. Two da were also lost through the weather beii. 6 " too stormy for it to be safe to work in ttie channel. The combined cu-t of the above 28,000 cubic yards, for wages, stores, and repairs, was about 8d per. cubic yard. The repairs to the Vulcan consisted in casting and fitting a new mouthpiece to the suction pipe, tbe old one having broken through wear. This was completed and pumpin • resumed on the srd of the | ievent mouth. It is also necessary to provide a new top tumbler and shaft for dredge 222, and I ‘ , commend that tenders be called for L-.-work.

Improvement Works at Heads.—Satisfactory progres is being made with this work. For the month twenty-four bargee, or ab nit 2,370 cubic yards, were discharged ou tba line of wall, at a cost of 2s 5d per cubic yard, making tire total deposited to date 111 barges, or 11.675 cubic yards. On th« 15th a charge of 6751b of blasting powdei was fired, which has brought, down 5.000 t« 6,000 cubic vards of suitable stone.

Lighting of AVharves.— Two additional lampe have been fixed on the tongue wharf, and new double burners fitted in all the other lamps. A considerable length of tb: piping was found to be badly corroded an partly choked, and has been replaced vrite new pipe. Larger piping has also been la>d in places where it was found to be too small to give the necessary pressure : an additional connection to the main with meter hae been provided, which also gives a better pressure. Tbe result of these additions and alterations is an improved light down the wharves. Extension of Victoria Wharf.—The pla i having been approved by the Alarine D I partment, tenders have been called for tb-d 250 ft of extension. 1

Sundry AA 7 orte.—Repairs have bee,, effected to the sheds, wharves, and punts. I and the roadway opposite the V. shed : J being metalled. -J Ou the 14th the s.s. Somerset. 4,481 n tl tons, 460 ft. in length and sSft beam, w I swung and berthed alongside the Victor I wharf, this being the largest- vessel tha I has been bronght up to Dunedin. I Tne exceptionally heavy seas of tbe srd and! 4th of September caused a shoaling and ex I tension of tbe bank lying to the eastward o] the entrance. The furthermost point 1 about three-quarters of a mile from I | lighthouse and 750 ft distant from the li; 4 of fairway, winch at this point has 51ft ail low water. Opposite the end of the mold the bank has encroached somewhat, but art this place the channel is 750 ft wide, with ; 1 low-water depth of 52ft on the line of fair way. The safety of the entrance is noti affected, the sailing directions for entering and leaving Otago Harbor directing vessels well clear of it-—vis., the notice to mariners, No. 15. of 1833, to bring the beacons in line when two miles off the entrance; and, again, the notice. No. 66, of 1903, warning martens to work this channel only. As a further precaution. I have removed the old beacons on sand spit. The heavy seas also washed away a further portion of the old temporary staging at the mole. This, however. has .been almost hanging for some time through the ravages of the toredo. and dot-- not affect, tbe stability of the mole. The Finance Committee recommend that consideration of the question of the export dues on frozen meat and agricultural produce be deferred until the close of the year.