HARBOUR SILTATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 148, 8 June 1932, Page 9

HARBOUR SILTATION

INTERFERENCE WITH SHIPPING. RESOLUTION BEFORE RIVERS BOARD. The serious interference to the shipping facilities at the Inner Harbour through siltation caused by the Tutaekuri river was brought before the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board yesterday by the Napier Harbour Board who forwarded the following resolution passed at a meeting of the woolbrokers, freezing and shipping interests when discussing the question of maintaining an outlet for exporting the district’s produce.

“That this combined meeting of the woolbrokers, freezing and shipping interests are unanimous in their opinion that immediate steps must be taken to protect the shipping facilities of the present Inner Harbour. “Evidence given convinced those present that it is only a matter of a very short period when the present lightering plant will be unable to operate from the Inner Harbour. It is imperative that something must be done immediately and we ask that the Napier Harbour Board get into communication immediately with the Rivers Board with the object of diverting the Tutaekuri channel back to its previous course in the direction of Park Island or to any other suitable diversion which will divert the water towards the western side of the Inner Harbour, thereby preventing the silt from coming direct into the Inner Shipping Harbour.”

The resolution added that the meeting was anxious that no interruption should take place with the shipping of the exports which they feared was in immediate danger. “For the life of me 1 can’t see why this was sent to the Rivers Board. It is purely a Harbour Board problem,” said Mr L. E. Harris when the board dealt with the letter . The chairman, Mr W. G. Jarvis: As far as the deviation through the fiats is concerned that has already been discussed between the engineers of the Harbour Board and the Rivers Board.

“The Harbour Board rightly wants to know what the Rivers Board intends doing. It is a very serious thing for the Harbour Board,” said Mr C. Lassen, who then moved a motion that the board was of the opinion that the Tutaekuri River be diverted from Powdrell’s Bend to the Waitangi, this being the easiest, cheapest and most effective way of getting rid of the siltation.

As there were other items on the order paper dealing with the same matter, it was decided to defer further consideration until these had been disposed of.