PT. ELIZABETH HARBOUR

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 September 1936, Page 4

PT. ELIZABETH HARBOUR

HARBOUR BOARD DIVIDED. On the casting vote of the Chairman (Mr P. J- McLean) the Greymeuth Harbour Board last evening declined to support the advocacy of the Runanga Borough Council for an investigation into the possibilities of constructing a deep-sea harbour at Point Elizabeth, a project which has been periodically revived on the West Coast for many years. . A letter was received from the Mayor of Runanga (Mr R. McTaggarl) asking the Board’s support for the project, and setting out the advantages which would result, from the construction of a deep sea port. The Chairman, in moving that the letter be received, said that he spoke I ;rs one who had taken considerable interest in the matter when the survey I was authorised by the late Mr It. JSeddon. after he had been detained for two days outside the Grey bar. At that, lime he (the Chairman) had been most enthusiastic. Later, Mr .1. PMaxwell, who iiad planned the Timai'u harbour, had a scheme whereby he considered that he could make a better pot t at Greymouth than he could at Point Elizabeth. Eventually, however, nothing was done. Mr Max-j well contended that with the current; up the coast, and the fact that the Grey River was the largest shingle depositor in New Zealand there would be difficulties Incidentally, when there had been trouble with the Grey bar, arid they had the Stewart scheme, he (the Chairman) had taken plans to Mr Eurkett, and to Mr Maxwell. At .that time plans were prepared for the I Grey harbour, but the Board had not I the means to go on with them in theii entirety. If, however, it was found essential, with the development of the trade of the port, it might be advisable to see what they could do to improve the existing port, if they had the revenue and sufficient trade to warrant it. Ju the meantime, he appreciated Runanga's interest in the port, but at the same time he considered that the Harbour Board had sufficient in hand to work and improve their port. He moved that the Board inform the Mayor of Runanga that the Board appreciated the interest he was taking in tho port, but that they could not support the Point Elizabeth project. Mr ,1. Ryall: i move that we give our support, as requested. 1 don’t see that it is going to cost the Board anything for a report on Point Elizabeth, and you know as well as I do that this port has its limitations. The Chairman: I am only telling you my experiences. Mr Ryall: 1 do not care about your experiences. We might, gel a totally different report this time.

Mr G. Perry said that he would second the motion, purely as a mallei' of courtesy to Runanga. He had not the slightest hope Dial anything would come of it, as the cost would be beyond all reason, and a tremendous charge on the district.

SHOALING

Mr W. Clayton asked the Engineer iMr D. C. Milne) whether they would have the same shoaling at Point Elizabeth as at Greymouth. The Engineer said that in every scheme that had been put up for Point Elizabeth every engineer had recognised that they would have to cope with a certain amount of dredging. but there had been no attempt to investigate that matter locally, and the method that had been used to arrive at the 'amount of dredging that would be required was rather curious. At Napier, where there was a drift up the coast, by a series of observations over 32 months, it was found that there was a deposit of 110,000 cubic yards of material. The engineers then said it would be about half as much along the West Coast and put it down as 80,000 cubic yards per annum —xi weird and wonderful logic. Over the last four months he had found the deposits by the littoral drift to be 90,000 cubic yards in four days, so that instead of 80,000 yards requiring dredging annually it might be a million. That was not guess-work. He was basing his opinion on actual observations, and on them he said that the basis of every scheme put up for Point Elizabeth was entirely wrong.

Mr Clayton: You would still have the shingle, and no river to help you push it away.

The Engineer: As far as dredging was concerned, you would still be faced with the same difficulty with the swell as at Greymouth, requiring a special type of dredge. The Chairman said that if the Runanga Borough’s proposal was simply to get a report it would be alright, but he did not see how he could support the proposal for the construction of a harbour at Point Elizabeth. As a matter of fact, it appeared to him to be a vote of no confidence in their iia rbour.

Mr Ryall: It would cost us nothing to get a report, and that is the intention of the Mayor of Runanga. Mr Perry said that he thought the Board could support the request for an inquiry into the possibilities of Point Elizabeth.

Mr D. Tennent: 1 think you had better wait until the Board is elected. Personally, I would vote against it. On the motion that the Runanga Borough’s request be supported being put to the meeting, the voting was even, Messrs G. Perry, J. Ryall and G. E. Perkins being in favour of it. and the Chairman, Messrs W. Clayton and D. Tennent against, and the Chairman gave his casting vote against the motion, which was declared lost.