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Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1229, 30 April 1864, Page 4

AMONTft the business of the late session one subject is conspicuous for its absence. No question or motion was put by which the public might be able to understand what is being done in England about the Lyttelton harbour works. The railway will be open in two years or little more; and in the meantime the shipping trade of the port is immensely increasing. At the present rate of progress, Lyttelton Harbour and its jetties and wharves will be a scene of utter confusion long before the necessary works are ready ; and the railway itself will open only to make the confusion worse confounded. A Commission appointed by the Superintendent to enquire into the subject of harbour improvements produced last year a long and able report, embracing the best attainable evidence on almost all necessary points of the subject submitted to them. To complete the task of investigation, the report and evidence, together with the opinions of those gentlemen who dissented from the views expressed in the report, were forwarded to England for the purpose of being submitted through a Commission to the consideration of eminent engineers in that country.- And an active and skilful engineer of our own, Mr. Bray, himself went home to offer his oral evidence if required. We learn by this mail that the Commission appointed in England has commenced its work in earnest. The report has been submitted to Mr. G. E. Stephenson, the consulting engineer of the province ; to Mr. Maclean, the President of the Institute of Civil Engineers; to Captain Burstall, a very high authority on marine engineering ; and to Admirals Fitzroy and Stokes, and Mr. Evans, all officers not only of high scientific attainments and long naval experience, but actually themselves possessed of personal acquaintance with the locality. It is remarkable that all these gentlemen, though some had no previous communication with the others, concur exactly in their opinion of the matter. They are unanimous in saying that the proper course will be to run out two solid moles, one from Officer Point towards the south-west, and one from Naval Point (Dampiers Bay) towards the south-east. And they are agreed in condemning a straight jetty such as that proposed by Mr. Dobson; or any interference by the main works with the jetties and wharves by which the trade of the port must meanwhile be conducted. Screw piles or any open pile works are dismissed from consideration.

As we understand the subject, the design is to construct the two moles in the directions indicated so as to approach one another as closely as possible; the eastern mole to be of the greatest strength, but short; the

other of lighter construction, but longer. The two, nearly overlapping each other, would contain a perfectly smooth inner harbour, from which, owing to the absence of current, the soft mud now forming the bottom might be dredged out with perfect ease and success. The deep water and shelter thus obtained would nave the advantages of a wet dock, and would in the language of one gentleman " make Lyttelton the best harbour in New Zealand." While our work is being thus ably executed at home, we are filled with regret to find that the little further work left to be done by ourselves has not been done. Some of the data required by the Commission, and promised to be supplied, have never been furnished; webelievethat they have never even been obtained. We allude to the very necessary details of soundings and borings, to show the nature of the bottom, the depth of water, the thickness of mud, and the nature of the under surface, in those places which are at all eligible as sites for the harbour improvements. We cannot say what excuse can be given for the neglect complained of; but it is obvious that serious delay in the completion ot the works must be the result. We trust that the borings and tests of the bottom asked for, with all | other necessary information, may be obtained and supplied as quickly as possible. It strikes us also as neglect, of another kind perhaps, but still needing a valid excuse, that the consulting engineer of the province, Mr. G. R. Stephenson, was not placed on the Commision. Mr. Stephenson is a very eminent engineer, and is paid for his services: and it is not gratifying to such a man to be overlooked when an engineer's opinion is required in England, or to take payment of however small an amount without earning it. It is even stated that information as to the progress of the railway tunnel —the work which he advised —the work out of which his relations with the province have arisen—is withheld from him. It was out of the columns of this paper that he first learned the shortening of the tunnel by an alteration of the plan. We trust that in these matters for the future an energetic Government will cause such steps to be taken as may show a little more courtesy towards Mr. Stephenson, place him in the best position to be of use, and at the same time urge forward the completion of one of our most necessary works. At the next session of the Council we trust that the members for Lyttelton will be prepared with a searching question and the Government with a satisfactory reply on this 'subject.