CLOSING THE GAP.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10730, 30 October 1928, Page 3

CLOSING THE GAP.

WORK COMMENCES IN JANUARY

The necessity of closing the gap in the training wall at the earliest possible lute before next winter, thus obviating danger of floods silting up the harbor, was stressed by members at the bust meeting of the Harbor Board. It was agreed that it was imperative that the “change over” to the Kaiti basin should be completed before next winter sets in, and a report on whether this proposal was practicable was called upon from the engineer (Mr C. F. Marshall Smith). Yesterday the engineer presented the following statement :

“Plans are now being prepared for the purposes of this contract and I anticipate being in a position to call tenders before the end of November, allowing a bare month for tenderers to make up their prices, the closing date being just before Christinas.

“This will enable the contract to 4m commenced immediately after the New Year holidays. It might be possible to expedite matters a n week or so, but no advantage would Ire gained, as no contractor would start just before Christmas. “This arrangement will also work in as well as we can reasonably hope with the other factors governing the closing of the gap. “Leaving out the question of protection from range afforded by the wave trap, the internal work largely fixes the time. We cannot close the, gap and deprive the port of the present berthage on Bead’s Quay, until at least one side of the basin, or preferably two, are ready for use, and you will realise that these wharves are by no means complete and ready for use when the actual wharf contract is completed. There is then the filling to be done, an indefinite period for consolidation, the construction of the sheds and the surface paving. As much as possible of these works has already been arranged for, so that there should be no delay.

' If everything works out favorably and the closing of the gap commences in January, it is possible to have it closed early in May, though there will remain a good deal to be done. The next six months will be a very difficult period in so arranging the work that the trade of tile port during the most busy season of the year will be disorganised as little as possible. “The programme' that I am now working to will give the best facilities for the port during the awkward transition period. Of course, some inconvenience must he expected, but I am endeavouring to minimise this as much as .1 can.” E'aborating unon the report, the chairman (Mr. W. G. Sherratt) said be had conferred with the Engineer and Harbor-Master, the latter officer being prepared to agree to the closing of the gap so long as the wharfage at the northern end of the Kaiti basin and the new shed to be erected there were available for use, as it would provide as much berthage as was now available on the town side. It -was imperative that the gap in the training wall should be closed bj* the end of April or, at the latest -early in May, the board not being desirous of facing another winter with the wall unfinished. The engineer fully realised the position and as soon as the training wall work was resumed the Korua could start dredging the river from the entrance so that the working conditions of the port should be much improved by next winter. Mr. A. Wade declared that the closing of the training wall gap was an important work and more difficult than the board might imagine. .Ho therefore proposed- that the engineer should be instructed to confer with the board’s consultant, Mr. 'Leslie Reynolds, with a view to drafting plans and specifications for carrying out the work. The motion was seconded by Mr. T. Quirk, who agreed that the closing of the gap was one of the problems on which Mr. Reynold’s advice was required. At the suggestion of Mr. T. Todd the mover amended his proposition to th eeffect that the engineer should be recommended to confer with Mr. Reynolds concerning the plans, and specifications for closing the training wall gap/ and the motion on these Tines was carried unanimously.