HARBOUR BOARD

Grey River Argus, 30 April 1932, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD

INSPECTION OF STEAM SHOVEL. Yesterday morning the town mem hers of the Harbour Board, acting on the suggestion of the Chairman, Mr P J. McLean, visited the Cobden quarry and viewed the steam-shovel at work in order to acquaint themselves with this machine prior to the discussion which is to take place at the Board’s meeting on Tuesday evening. The following were present: —Messrs I*. J. McLean (Chairman of Board), D. Tennent, Cr. E. Perkins and J. W. Greenslade (Members'), <l. Higgins (Country Engineer), W. G. Ogilvie (County Councillor) and the Assistant Engineer, Mr D. C. Milne. The shovel was working at the western face of the quarry and the class of digging was the hardest likely to be met with in the quarry. Some fig ures given by Mr Milne re the work of the shovel will be of interest. Yesterday morning it loaded eight tons or. each of two wagons in less than 20 minutes, whereas if this work was done with men and crane it would take lj hours. The cost of shifting the mater ial with the shovel, he said, is one : sixth of the cost when the same work iis done by man-power. The shovel ' did excellent work, handling up to a two ton stone wihout any apparent difificulty, and genera] satisfaction was expressed by the members of the Board at the performance. The new crane was also tried out, with loads of sever, eighteen and 25 tons, all being lifted V ith apparent ease, but as the contract states that it shall have a margin overload of 25 per cent., and tho • Board considers that this cannot *be done without a counter-balance being inserted, the Board will not take delivery until a trial with the balance has been given by the agents!