GREY HARBOUR AFFAIRS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 December 1944, Page 2

GREY HARBOUR AFFAIRS

MEETING OF BOARD The final meeting for this year of the Board was held last evening. Mr J. Mulcare presided and also present were Messrs E. AV. Heenan, F. Williams, W. Clayton, J. J. Devine, W. E. J. Steer, J. B. Kent, M. Wallace, and J. Ryall, M.L.C. Wharfage remittances amounting to £1273/0/1 were received from the Treasury Department. The Surveyor of Ships, Marine Department, wrote asking • for information regarding the number ot days in the year when the bar was safe for ships of 16ft draught, ana additional days it was safe lor 9it draught. The Secretary stated that the information had been supplied, his action being endorsed. The Marine Department, Shipbuilding division, advised that the Mawhera had been noted _on the waiting list for slipping at Wellington in March or April next. The Engineer said that slipping at Wellington would save the long trip to Lyttelton. The shell of the dredge was not so strong, and care would have to be taken. Messrs Hannan and Seddon wrote in regard to claims against the Board by the Labour Department for overtime for work on statutory holidays by wharf hands and signalmen. —Tne letter was tabled for members’ information. The Harbours’ Association of New Zealand advised that it was taking up the matter of members’ car mileage allowance with the Marine Department, urging that the rate be increased from 6d to 8d per mile.

The Association also wrote in connection with the apopintment of a committee to report on railway competition with coastal shipping. The Harbours’ Association asked for information concerning plant and equipment required to replenish those which it had been impossible to renew during the war years, for use by the Transport Development Committee. —Referred to the Secretary.

A copy of a letter from the Departments of Industries and Commerce, and Tourist and Publicity, concerning the development of travel and industry, was received from the Harbours' Association. —The Chairman and Mr Wallace were appointed to represent the Board in any developments. The Directoir of Organisation for National Development, writing with regard to: post-war reconstruction and development, advised that a confer-* ence would be convened, early in the New Year, of representatives of local bodies in different regions to discuss methods.

Mr Williams reported on a meeting held at Greymouth on. Monday and addressed by Mr J. W. Mawson. Mr Williams and Mr Kent were delegated to represent the Board in future developments. Mr Wallace reported on a conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association at Timaru, a copy of the minutes of which were received. He expressed his dissatisfaction at the Association’s decision in favour of allowing private enterprise to develop the country's scenic spots, instead of nationalising the matter. He also referred to the support of the conference in protesting to the Government against the nondevelopment of the butter-box industry’on the West Coast. The New Zealand Institute of Engineers requested that the Engineer’s attendance at a conference of 'engineers to be held at Wellington from February 13 to February 16, 1945, be facilitated. FTJRKERT REPORTS The Minister of Marine forwarded a further report by Mr F. W. Furkert on harbour improvements, giving three alternative schemes. Mr Furkert forwarded as his first proposal the scheme on which he reported a month or so ago, embodying a complete removal of the present breakwaters and their reconstruction in a southerly direction. The second scheme proposes the construction on a three-quarter mile radius of two breakwaters overlapping the present ones. The southern breakwater would extend 1650 ft from the low water mark on the south side, and its eastern end would be 250 ft from the present southern breakwater. On the north, side the proposed breakwater would be 2,050 ft in length, commencing from the end of the present north tip, leaving a gap of 125 ft. The third proposal was similar to the second, with a half-mile radius. On the south side the breakwater would be much shorter —only 750 ft, commencing almost from the end of the present mole, and leaving a gap of 60ft. Starting from a point just clear of the north breakwater, the proposed mole on that side would be 1200 ft, and would leave a gap of 125 ft. The entrance in the cases would face west, and would be 450 ft wide. The last two schemes were proposed to disturbing the present breakwater, as was envisaged in the first scheme, and are actually modifications. They would not, however, have the same beneficial effect as the original scheme. The respective costs would be: £550,000; £650,000; and £460,000. The Chairman said that there was no need to discuss the report, in the meantime, as the Commission had not yet tabled its report. The Commission, he added, shared the view of Mr Newnham, about the good work of the Board’s Engineer. He was pleased about that. The impression he had gathered from the Commission was that the Board would nor have much to complain about. The Secretary reported that a reply had been made to the Marine Department regarding its enquiry concerning fees paid to the 1926 Commission of Engineers. Mr Kent: Are they going to refund it, I wonder? The Marine Department advised that the Minister had given instructions to proceed with the work of checking up the soundings at Point Elizabeth, using the Board’s tug, and in collaboration with the District Public Works Department Engineer. The Engineer reported that the student who was to have given assistance with the model of the harbour had firstly advised that he had been directed to the Public Works Department, and mobilised by the Army. —The Engineer was empowered to make efforts to secure the student’s services.

Mr Kent reported that he had recently interviewed the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, concerning the state of the Board’s finances.

The Chairman suggested that a small committee be set up to fully investigate the matter and report to the next meeting. After reading a lengthy report on the history of the Board’s finances, which he had presented to Mr Nash, Mr Kent said he thought that the Minister had been impressed.

The Chairman said that industries using the port should pay for it. There should be some adjustment in the coal position. It was an urgent question. On his motion, a committee comprising Messrs Kent, Steer and himself was appointed to go into the matter. The Chairman said that It was imperative that there should be an increase in the Board’s finances. It had recently been stated that £50,000 a year was needed to operate the port. Other members also expressed the

opinion that the coal and timber industries should be charged more, for their use of the port. The Government should pay subsidies for.the mines they had taken over; The Harbourmaster reported that dredging in the river had been hampered owing to weather conditions, but 26 loads, amounting to 13,000 tons, had been lifted and taken to sea. The Echo-sounding gear was undergoing repairs and adjustments. As a number of holidays become due at the New Year, he wished a direction from the Board as to what steps to take to avoid an accumulation of holidays. _ . . Captain Moar said the relieving man had left the district, and four months’ holidays were due. It was decided to secure a temporary employee to relieve the Board’s employees. The Finance Committee reported as follow:—The following accounts have been received since last meeting:—Shipping dues, £719/2/3; royalties, £427/11/10; rents, £144/9/4: hire and sale of plant, £2/10/4 weather reports, £9/7/6; interest on loan, £l5; wharfages, £846/18/11' accident compensation, £22/10/8: deposit on hire plant, £5; total, £2192/10/10. The Harbour Fund has a debit balance of £7621/18/10. Your Committee recommends that accounts amounting to £lB7l/2/4 be passed for payment.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer’s report stated: An entirely new approach to the restoration work on the lower section of the half tide wall is undergoing the trial stages and the success of this scheme should enable the Board to do the work at a large financial saving and also a considerable reduction in time. The idea is to use a special reinforced concrete box caisson with inclined side walls supported on precast struts. This has been built on the slipway above high tide and will be launched when cured and floated into a prepared place on the demolished section of the training wall. It will then be scuttled and filled with small stone, ample supplies of which are scattered on either side of the wall. The dimensions of the trial caisson are 20ft by 16ft wide and sft. Gin. high and it weighs about 30 tons readv for flotation and 100 tons in place. A number of these could be built and towed into position. There are possibly difficulties still to be overcome, but the experience gained on the first one will enable new methods to be developed. Care is needed in their construction but “the materials required—timber boxing, gravel and cement with a small amount of reinforcing, make for an economical structure, indestructible and adaptable without recourse to the quarry for restoring that part of the lower wall so urgently in need of attention. The work is independent (except for final placing) of tides and floods, etc., and experiences so gained may perhaps later be applied on a much larger scale to certain breakwater works now under consideration. In the meantime the preliminary work on the training walls is being pushed ahead in an endeavour to bring about the early restoration of another part of the Board’s works. The use of concrete is now becoming general in the Board’s activities as exemplified in the construction of precast blocks and core walls at the breakwaters, precast concrete walls for the boatshed, concrete beams and foundation-of the slipway, etc., and all tending greatly to reduce .maintenance charges as reflected in the past year’s estimates.