HARBOUR WORKS

Grey River Argus, 17 May 1943, Page 6

HARBOUR WORKS

ENGINEER’S MONTHLY REPORT. The report of the Harbour Board Engineer (Mi D. »• Kennedy), for April, states. — Belting repairs are still being carried out on the dredge, the most difficult part having been done in Lyttelton. lhe port side is competed and the starboard side is well m hand. New fenders were fitted on bays 186 and 188 and rebolted and bolted to bay 194 of the main whaif. The frames round 19 hydrants . lot the hydraulic cranes were repaired. Bay numbers on the wharf were repainted. The rear white beacon was painted. The lifting of flat asoestos sheets has effected a considerable saving in this work, the painting not being required so often as at one time. Minor repairs were made to various buildings, including the Power House, Boat Shed and Harbourmaster’s Office. Chipping and painting of the hydraulic cranes is still under way and with better weather conditions, progress will be improved. . . As conditions seemed favourable, about 20 feet of No. 9 groyne, South Beach, was removed with the aid of gelignite. It is too early yet to observe the effect but the recent northerly had little or no effect on the beach, except to create great ridges of shingle indicating a very unstaple beach. ' A further accretion quite often follows such a disturbed state of the usual beach slope. The dredge returned from Lyttelton after completing bi-ennial docking and survey, sailing from Lyttelton on April 13, and arriving at Greymouth on the 15th., after a voyage of 50 hours. The repairs to the belting were not completed at Lyttelton and are now’ being finished, the port side being completed, and three lengths of new timber are to be fitted to starboard side. This is proving a slow and difficult job, but it is nearing completion. Floor framing in the bilges of the engineroom are also being repaired, the top angles being renewed where required. The repairs to the starboard boiler combustion, chambers were examined after arrival here and were found to be satisfactory. All the seams which were welded and rivets are all in good condition. The port side engine room bilges were chipped and painted after being thoroughly cleaned.

The boiler of the tug was blown down and opened and on examination proved to be in very good condition with no sign of . scale. The boiler was brushed and washed out and all zinc plates renewed. Both feed cheek valves were machined and ground in and the glands repacked. The- main steam stop valve was also ground in and the gland repacked. Both manhole doors were rejointed, the boiler filled and steam raised and circulated. All bilges were thoroughly cleaned and the stokehold plates lifted and cleaned. Repairs were made to the stylus arm where broken on the sounding machine and the batteries were charged as required, three new C batteries being fitted to the recorder and amplifier. The main engine cylinders of the steam shovel were opened and the piston rods drawn. The rings were found to be worn and a new set was fitted, the rods skimmed and gjands rebushed and new neck bushes fitted. All steam joints on the boiler were hardened up and a new valve spindle was made for the injector valve. The slide valves on the 20-tqn crane were readjusted. Six chain couplings were made and the chain slings repaired as required. Bolts and plate washers were made for wharf repairs as required. Two new rail clips were made for the hand crane on wharf repairs. In the workshop repairs were made to the screwing machine, die holds and vice. This machine is noxi' badly worn and will require some renewals. The quarry was worked on 14 days supplying second class stone to N.Z. Railways; second class and spoil to Public Works Department, and hauling and stacking stone on the quarry floor for the north mole. Owing to big seas breaking over the north mole during the month, only one 80ton concrete block was made. New rails and sleepers were put in where required on the main railway and dump track. The angle dozer built in the Harbour Board shop was fitted on an end tip truck and is doing splendid work on the dump site. This will prove a large saving oyer the former method of manhandling the spoil. All cranes, the steam shovel, loco 811., the air compressor and the air receiver are in good condition. The quarry output was:— Second class stone, 235 tons 4 cwt.; spoil loaded by steam shovel, 577 tons; one concrete block made, SO tons.