GREY BAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1928, Page 4

GREY BAR

MORE SERIOUS SHOALING. 4

During the past fortnight the Grey barlhas again shoaled, the latest sounding having given the equivalent of seventeen feet, at high water. At present, the tides are neaping, and there is little prospect of an increased tidal depth till about the end of the week. The shipping position is serious, especially so far as the larger boats trading to the port are concerned. Today the boats in port ready for sea are the Kaponga, loaded to a draught of 16ft Bin, but leaving short shipped 500 tons of coal, and 30,000 feet of timber; the Kaitangata, draught 15n, 900 tons short; tihe Kaiapoi, draught 16ft 6in., 10,000 ft of timber for Australia shut out; the Kaimai, draught ®ft, 260 tons of coal and 70,000 ft of timber shut out; Kaituna, draught 14ft, 1000 tons shut out.

Owing to the “lift” on the bar, it is impossible to say how long these steamers will ba detained in port, the margin between their draught; and the depth of water on the bar requiring to be sufficient to render their passage out a safe one. Besides considerably hampering tilie operations of the Union S.S. Co., which owns the vessels mentioned, and the loss in time and money involved while the steamers are barbound, the loss to the port and to the shippers is material. The adverse effect on the sawmilling industry of the West; Coast, which has for a considerable time been up against bad trade conditions, is a serious one for the district

Meantime, the Greymouth Harbour Board’s tug “Westland” is laid up on tlh.e “hard” in Cobden Lagoon, and will not get off till the spring tides at the end of this week, unless a flood occurs in the meantime. On board the tug the Stewart hydro-pneumatic plant for clearing the bar has been installed, but cannot be requisitioned to relieve the position, thus causing the trade of the port to become seriously dislocated.

The Greymouth Harbour Board, however, is not to blame in this, as the Inspector of Machinery ordered the replacement of a plate in the vessel’s hull, whidh was found unsatisfactory, and no other way of carrying out the repairs was possible. Seen to-day, Mr P. J. McLean, Chairman of the Harbour Board, stated that the present dislocation of the trade of the port was due to the silting of the bar consequent on the unfavourable weatiher conditions which have prevailed lately, and the neap tides. Greymouth, he pointed out, had not been singular in the matter of heavy seas, as the reports of the seas on the East Coast, showed that steamers in other parts were having a bad time. He did not expect any marked improvement in. the depth of water on the bar until about Monday, when the spring tides will increase the depth. Had there been less swell on the bar, it is quite likely the port would have been worked last week, and the boats which were loaded would have been got away. He was in touch with the Westport Harbour Board, with a view to securing the use of their tug, if the sea moderates during the next day or two. This would allow the boats ready for sea to be towed over the bar. The Board’s k

tug will remain on the cradle in the Cobden Lagoon until there is enough water to float her off. Until then it will not be any use considering the Stewart scheme. When the sea would allow it, the bar was being sounded from an oil launch. The last sounding taken showed sixteen feet of water at high tide.