COAST HARBOUR.

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1944, Page 3

COAST HARBOUR.

[TO THE EDITOR.] Sir, —As one who regards the “existence oi a large, spacious, safe, non-tidal harbour" a necessary precedent to the full development of the vast industrial potentialities of this district, and who recognises the commercial advantages which would result from the possession of such a harbour, may 1 perhaps interest readers in the construction of a deep sea harbour at Point Elizabeth. So far back as January, 1908, the British Admiralty had a comprehensive investigation conducted into the possibility of constructing a harbour at Point Elizabeth. The Admiralty's report was very favourable and considered Point Elizabeth most central and suitable for a deep sea harbour. Captain Bentick was most emphatic in his remarks, fie stated: “My investigations convinced me of one fact viz., that the industrial future of the West Coast is a very bright one, and in consequence the existence of a large, capacious, safe, non-tidal harbour is an absolute necessity to that future.’’ He has satisfied himself that the only objection to the construction of Lite above harbour has no substantial foundation to rest upon. This aspect relates to the suggestion that file harbour would become merely a trap lor the shingle moving up the coast, but Captain Ben tick is opposed to this theory. “The rocks projecting for nea.i iy 3000yds from Point Elizabeth are," he writes, “the remains of a promontory which at one time existed there, and consequently, the shingle moving up the coast still follows the line of rocks, otherwise the proposed site would have silted up years ago; and as up to the present no bar has appeared off the outermost rock, there is no reason to anticipate the formation of one after the breakwater joining them has been built, as this will be but reconstructing the old promontory. " In this contention he is supported by the results of the exhaustive marine survey made during 1907 by Mr. P. Mclntosh, the then Assistant-Resident Engineer. I think it, therefore, fair to conclude that the feasability of constructing a harbour at Point Elizabeth capable of accommodating ocean-going vessels and of being worked in all weathers and at any state of the tide has been removed from the realm of doubt, and the materialisation of which should now be sought. May I suggest the formation of a Deep Sea Harbour League? Such a body, representative of every part of the district and of every interest in the community, should be brought into existence at the earliest possible moment, so’that, a movement characterised by a determined and persistent resolve to succeed could be inaugurated. Yours, etc., J. J. DEVINE. Runanga. [to the editor.] Sir, —The Point Elizabeth scheme to comparative newcomers appears to be veiled in mystery. When the Admiralty some years ago made an exhausting survey of this project 1 understand the gist of the report was to the effect that the building of a sea wall along the existing chain of rocks would not enclose sufficient water of sufficient depth to warrant the expenditure, and this could not be improved upon by dredging owing to th > rock bottom. The tale that vested interests in Greymouth blocked Ur? idea was only a tale. A deepsea harbour could be built anywhere

along the coast; it is just a matter of finance and enough of it, but do you think for a moment that we would be allowed to have a deep-sea harbour either here or at Point Elizabeth?—forget it. Vested interests in Wellington would see' to that, and when they talk about submitting plans and so on they are only leading us up the garden path. We have as much chance of getting a deep-sea harbour on the Coast as we have of getting the House of Parliament shifted to Greymouth. Extend the breakwaters another 400 feet, restore your training walls, dredge the lagoons (and don’t waste .the spoil) and leave the rest, to Nature. We can still depend on our nine feet of rainfall- per year, and if we don’t get it we can still do without it. That is about as far as we will be allowed to go with our deep-sea harbour. By the way, it is refreshing to see that steps are being taken, to revive the Progress League. The heads of this town have been too much wrapped up in their own little concerns, too busj’ raking in the sheckels poured into the district every week by the millers, farmers, mining con-

cerns dredging companies and the ehinnin" people. However, now that showing signs of emerging f -om the state of, shall I say, lethargic indifference and beginning to sit up and take notice it should not be long, with a little bit. of encouragement or a St more whip,' before they can Ja nd up on their hind legs and refuse to take no for an answer., Then, provided they sink their own little nettv prejudices, we might get some-where.-Yours,