GREYMOUTH SHIPPING

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1947, Page 9

GREYMOUTH SHIPPING

174 ARRIVALS DURING LAST YEAR HAftßtiiiß toAlti) AFFAIRS During 1946 a total of 174 vessels, aggregating 120,686 tons entered the port of Greymouth and 176 vessels (122,737 tons) departed. These figures were included in the report submitted to the Greymouth Harbour Board last evening by the Harbourmaster (Captain H. Moar). The mean average depths were: bar, 22ft. Ilins.; river, 20ft. 7ins.. On 75 days during the year there was 25ft. and over bn the bar; on 155 days there was between 21ft, and 25ft. and oh 49 days the depth fell below 20ft On only four days. was. the depth below 17 feet at high water. Considerable shoaling occurred during the strong freshes in the river during December, the centre and north side of the river opposite the swinging berths suffering the worst. During the month of January, 1947, the bar maintained excellent depths. An anti-cyclone covered the Dominion giving fine weather and smooth seas. Shipping, however, was slack after the holiday period. The mean average depths for the month were: bar. 26ft. 9ins.; river, 21ft. Bins. Ten! vessels aggregating 6,264 tons entered j the port during January and nine (5,101 tons) departed. The reports were adopted. The engineer (Mr. S. D. Kennedy) reported that the total amount of shingle lifted and discharged by the dredge during January was 22,000 tons. The buckets and links in the ladder belt were showing signs of general wear and replacements would be made during the present month. Bays 194-197 in the wharf work had been completed, all concrete beams being cast and braces, girders and decking replaced. Some strengthening to the South Tip apron had been carried out in concrete and it was now in first class order. A certain amount of protection was required on the south west corner of the apron of the north breakwater and eight 20 ton concrete blocks had been build ready for early placing. These were build to a new design and were capable of being coupled together. One 80 ton block was placed and 20 tons of first class stone. Training Walls.

The upper section of the half-tide wall had been completed for a further five chains and 118 tons of stone and two six ton anchor blocks had been placed. A large quantity of stone had also been pulled back into the main wall. In order to take advantage of calm seas etc. work was transferred to the lower wall and three caissons placed in position and filled with stone.

A large number of experiments had been carried out on the large scale harbour model, with wave studies involving many kinds of breakwatei' extensions. Tests of bar formation co-related to wave action would be continued and should be completed about Easter.

The engineer added that good progress had been made with the wharf reconstruction. The north and south breakwater aprons had been practi- j caily completed and their condition was probably as good as it had been ; since they were first constructed over i 40 years ago. Only an exceptionally I heavy storm could subject them to damage in their present condition, a contingency that it was impossible to meet in rubble breakwaters. Mr. Kennedy said that, since prepation of his report six caissons had been placed in position in the lower half-tide wall and three more were left to place. Unfortunately, no more reinforcing steel was available to make any more and the rock would be proceeded with. To expedite this he proposed to construct another punt, at a cost of £5O. “The reinforcing steel position is absolutely desperate” he added 1 . In reply to a question by the chairman (Mr. E. W. Heenan) the engineer said that it was considered too dangerous to construct a solid wail as the facing to the reconstructed wharf. There would be too much <=couring between the ship’s Ade and the Avail, with the danger that the wall would be undermined and collapse. The report was adopted. On the recommendation of the engineer it was decided to accept the lowest of two tenders, that of J. J. Niven and Co. Ltd., (£214/11/6) fox a new screw-cutting machine. The Treasury remitted the following amounts: general wharfages £346/13/8 and £309/10/1; wharfages on State coal £778/0/2; quarry stone for Railways Department £l3/13/7; Public Works Department rent, £4. Three tenners were received for printing or cyclostyling the board’s balance sheets for three years and the lowest, that of J. M. McNulty (£25/10/-, for cyclostyling) was accepted. Moving of Cranes.

The Locomotive Engineer, Railways Department, Christchurch, advised that the hydraulic cranes on the wharf would still be, moved by the department’s locomotives and the staff would be instructed that the pulls should be even.< The engineer said that the letter arose out of a request by the departement that new capstans should be installed. He had pointed out that it was impossible to get new ones. At the same time, it was a matter that would have to;receive consideration as some were in poor condition. The matter was left to the engineer. In reply to an inquiry by the board, the Union Steam Ship Company advised that it was proposed that all of the new vessels would be fitted

with radio transmitters and receivers and all vessels would be able to receive signals transmitted by a harbour board station. The engineer intimated that it was proposed to deal with the erection of a station in the coming year’s estimates and the letter was referred to ; him. Arising out of a letter from the Westland Catchment Board, the engineer stated that he had intei'viewed members of the Soil Council relative to the matter of straightening the shingle bank above the Cobden bridge and they would consider the question. The Wanganui Harbour Board wrote asking whether the board would make the harbour model available (at Greymouth) for experiments related to conditions at Wanganui. The engineer recommended that the request should be granted, subject to approval of the Government, when the Greymouth experiments had been completed in a .month or two. He added that the Wanganui board would meet all staffing costs. It was decided to grant the request.

Present at the meeting were Messrs E. W. Heenan (chairman), W. Clayton,W. M. Wallace, J. J. Devine, R. Clark, J. Ryall M.L.C., F. Williams, the engineer (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) and the secretary (Mr. W. B. Gilbert).