HARBOUR MODEL

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1946, Page 2

HARBOUR MODEL

New Era of Research PROFESSOR’S PRAISE “Last week we were favoured with a visit by Acting-Professor G. Calvert, School of Engineering, Canterbury University College, to whom we are much indebted for his interest in our harbour model, and for his making available to use a Bentzel Velocity Tube, the only one of its kind in New Zealand,” said Mr. J. B. Kent at meeting of the Greymouth Harbour Board on Wednesday evening. “The Professor was most enthusiastic in his praise of the experimental work being done by the Board, and especially that of our Engineer, Mr. D. S. Kennedy.” Professor Calvert had suggested that an explanation, be made to assist, the public to understand and realise what was being done, so that it would appreciate this work to the full when the model was opened for inspection following the visit of the English harbour experts. The importance of this work, he had said, could not be overestimated. It was the first of its kind in this part of the world, and was a great tribute to the engineering genius of Mr. Kennedy and his staff. It marked the beginning of a new era in hydraulic science in New Zealand. The first thing that would be noticed in the model was the absence of any well-known features of the port except the lagoons and the river bed. The model was concerned only with what happened under the water, and to a limited extent with the various currents. Therefore, at first sight there, was little that was spectacular. It took some time to absorb and visualise the complex motion of the waves, tides and rive?’ flow, together with the working of the floats and other gadgets which recorded and measured these movements.

To those who questioned the value of hydraulic models, and there were always some sceptics, said the Professor, he would remind them that there were two ways of solving problems and gaining knowledge—by argument and by experiment. Drawing a comparison from the science of meteorology, Professor Calvert said that the weather forecaster no longer made a guess, his was an exact science, a system of corelated facts dealing with the movements of the air round the world. So it could be reasoned that by carrying out research on the tides, waves, current's etc., another •of nature’s secrets may be revealed and understood by everyone. It was that great technologist, Thomas Midgely, who had said. “The absis of scientific progress is the productive experiment.” Years had been spent in argument as to what caused the various types of weather, until the recent researches of a Norwegian scientist had made it appear very simple. Accurate forecasting,. based on innumerable experiments. had been indispensable in the air war, and would assist all manner of peace-time pursuits.

In New Zealand we were still far behind the rest of the world in hydraulic research, and we still required engineers to investigate and interpret hydraulic phenomenon, just as the weather office interpreted its data before giving a forecast research must go on, and as it made for safer air travel, so sea transport would become safer as research in that sphere continued. It was too costly to say, “The bar is always bad and must go on being bad.” There might be some way of improving it that would appear very simple when it was all understood, and until we understood the problem we could not hope to control it as we would like to. The 'harbour model would help Greymouth and other ports to solve harbour problems and thus was of national concern. Being of national concern, it should have national support. A central research station, do. ing work such as was being done in Greymouth, would be of great value to the Dominion as a whole.