HARBOR WORKS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 4

HARBOR WORKS

ALTERATION IN PLANS. •■CHANGE OVER" NOT TO BE MADE YET. Following upon investigations by members of the Harbor Board into the merits of the Engineer’s plans te "change over” from the present harbor to the new port immediately, and the Harbor Master’s idea to defer this action, the Harbor Board announced on Saturday that the change over will not be made for some time yet. This decision emanates iron recognition of the necessity of maintaining the flow of water in the old river to keep the present depth < i water in the channel. The previous intention was to extend the training wall sufficiently to divert the river into the cut, hut now it is proposed not to extend the w.rdi much further at present. In order to : shorten the period required tor the ! final closing of the gap when that is I determined on, a commencement will i be made from the other end o. the j gap, at the slipway, and the idling : will be carried up the river toward* | the existing section of the wall. Between the two ends, when this section of the work has been done, w h be a spae’e wide enough to permit the passage of the river waters, and along the line of the channel. If tbs object of the new plan is achieved, the river in times of a fresh will be able to sweep straight out through, this gap and the old river entrance. The dredge Ivorua will bo employed in the meantime in cutting out the corner where the old bond store stood, and when this is completed will be sent to Auckland for overhaul. Ourthe dredge has been docked and surveyed, she will be able to resume her work in Gisborne with the prospect ol an unbroken period of two years before the next docking. The "tin fence” erected in the river two yearly ago will be pulled up, and a short fence built out from a point further down the diversion cut. The object of this wall will be the same as in the case of the existing "tin fence, namely, to trap silt and deflect the flow of water iiito the old river mouth.