GREY HARBOUR PROPOSALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 November 1943, Page 2

GREY HARBOUR PROPOSALS

DEPUTATION TO GOVERNMENT The Greymouth Harbour Board, at a special meeting yesterday afternoon, decided that the proposal advanced at its previous meeting by the Engineer (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) for the construction of wharf accommodation on Cobden Island be submitted to the Government as an alternative to the deep-sea scheme, concerning which approaches have already been made id • the Government. The deputation already appointed to lay the deep-sea proposal before the authorities will now include the latest proposal m its order of reference. The members of the deputation are Messrs J. B. Kent (Chairman), J. A. Murdoch (past chairman), J. Ryall, M.L.C., and D. S. Kennedy (Engineer), and they will proceed to Wellington when a date can be arranged for them to be received. _ Mr. J. B. KeA presided, also present being Messrs J. Smeaton, W. Clayton, J. Mulcare, W. E. Bring, F. Williams. J. Ryall, M.L.C., E. WHeenan and J. A. Murdoch. At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. Kennedy explained a plan showins' the proposed scheme. So far as the Cobden Island project was concerned, he proposed to widen the river "to give a better flow of water. The new wharfage would accommodate seven ships the size of the Omana, but the work could be done in instalments. He did not think a model ol such work would be needed, but it would be fatal to attempt the deep-sea scheme without first building a model. To' Mr. Smeaton: It would cost £146,000 to repair the present wharves — an amount for which the channel could be dredged and certain concrete wharves built on the Cobden Island side. To carry out repairs would be a most difficult job, and the cost might be increased by delays caused by the railway and shipping. To Mr. Mulcare: Quite definitely the assets of a new wharf would be greater than would be obtained by repairing the present. wharf, though concrete would be used for repairs. To Mr. Williams: By building the new wharves, the bar could not be improved in depth beyond 'a certain level, but by providing a greater flow of water there would be a better average depth. The bar deteriorated, not because of shingle brought down the river, but because of silt from South Beach. There would have to be a general increase in the height of Cobden Island to construct the new bprf.ha To Mr. Mulcare: The Railways Department had been consulted in the project. Mr. Murdoch said he thought a basic principle should be established and that the majority should prevail. He thought a decision should be made that day. The Chairman pointed out that dredging at present cost £4OOO a year and a great deal of this could be saved by the proposed Cobden Island Scheme. To Mr. Williams, who asked whether some weakness had crept into the deep-sea scheme, he recalled that the Board had turned down the Engineer’s proposal that a model be made, costing £ 1000, and Mr. Kennedy had been forced to advance an alternative.

Mr. Smeaton said that while he favoured the deep-sea harbour he did not know where the finance would be obtained. He thought the Cobden Island Scheme was worthy of consideration. RESOLUTION MOVED Mr. Ryall moved and Mr. Smeaton seconded a motion that the Board favour the Cobden Island scheme and place it before the Government by a deputation. Mr. Mulcare suggested that the Board reconsider its decision on the construction of a model of the deepsea harbour. He appreciated the Cobden Island Scheme, but he would not like the deep-sea scheme to bo jeopardised.

Mr. Smeaton said the deep-sea project had excited a great deal of comment, and the question had been asked whether it would stand-up to the heavy seas of the West Coast. Did Mr. Kennedy consider such a harbour to be feasible? Otherwise he would favour the Cobden Island Scheme. •

Mr. Williams thought the Board had been unanimously' in favour of sending a deputation to Wellington on the deep-sea plan. There appeared to have been some retreating since then. The Chairman: Cobden Island is an alternative.

Mr. Kent said he had not retreated from the deep-sea harbour, but it had to be ascertained if such a job would stand up. The only way the Engineer could find out that would be by building a model —but the Board had refused to approve the expenditure. Mr. Bring asked how the model would test the feasibility of the scheme. Mr. Kennedy said a scale model could provide a test by scientific means. There were breakwaters on the West Coast of France and Portugal, and in certain Mediterranean ports; there had been instances of such breakwaters being moved by huge waves. Mr. Heenan pointed out that the Cobden Island Scheme would not. remove the bugbear of the bar, the only way of removing that would be by the deep-sea scheme. Mi'. Kent said the Cobden Island scheme, while perhaps not improving the bar depth, would ensure a more consistent bar. Mr. Kennedy slated that the cost of the model experiment might be nearer £2OOO than £lOOO, for such an experiment might have to be prolonged. To Mr. Mulcare, he said that unless the deep-sea scheme were pushed on it would take a number of years to complete, and meanwhile the present wharf would have to be maintained. Mr. Clayton introduced the possibility of Point Elizabeth being a port and Mr. Smeaton pointed out that Mr. Fraser, as Minister of Marine, had turned it down, saying t|ie scheme had no merit. The hidden rocks had boon a factor. Mr. Mulcare: I thought the hidden rocks were the business people of Grey mouth! Mr. Kent said that no harm would come of the deputation to Wellington, The niotion to send the deputation was carried unanimously, and it will present the Cobden Island Scheme as an alternative to the deep-sea proposal. , Subsequently the Board inspected the new slipway and saw it in use, later proceeding to the North Breakwater, where they viewed the improvements effected by the construction of the concrete apron.