LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2057, 25 July 1867, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOUR.

10 THB EDITOII OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sir,—Since, the question of providing employment for our unskilled labouring population on some.works of a permanently remunerative character appears to bulk largely ' on the public of this'province at this moment, I will, by your ! courtesy,' yield to the temptation to put before that public a matter :which appears to gnin importance everyday, v The question of the permanent improvement of Lyttelton harbour hinges very much on the provision of a scour or the ebb-tide, and to effect this I would propose that the small space between Quail Isiand and the opposite point of Charteris Bay be filled in by a wall of sufficient height to arrest the flow and ebb of the tide. The heat of the ebb ' would thus be thrown on the Lyttelton shore. Lyttelton as a port requires a permanent endowment " from which a revenue should be derived. A sum of money; devoted to the/construction of a wall across the entrance of Gibbie's Bay, would permanently reclaim a large extent of land, which, in a short time, would produce grasses of the finest and most fattening character. / The revenue . arising from the letting of this reclaimed land should be apportioned in perpetuity to the improvement of Lyttelton as a port., J The question of dredging out the approaches to the present works involves a great difficulty, because the sludge is so soft and deep, that without a better Bcour than at present exists in the ebb, the operation would very much resemble., scooping., treacle , off molasses. Again, the stuff brought upby sucha powerful dredge as would be necessary, would demand a place of deposit, from whence. it could not return. Any amount of this stuff would find a fitting berth inside the resisting wall proposed. This wall would be constructed of large undressed stuff, roughly quarried out from.either .point,: and from the island, on all of which;,spots stone of a suitable character abounds. A stiff backing of clay would be necessary; of this there would be Do.want, The "dredge would , provide the best of top dressing. Such walls as are here proposed are common in all the harbours on the West of England, where it is the fashion to build them across similar sites to secure sufficient water power during the period of the ebb for driving flour caiils. A wall across Gibbie's flat from point to point would have but little pressure to resist, other than the vertical pressure of the tide, since Quail Island acts as a breakwater to'the Bwellof the ocean!. The amount;, of matter held in suspension by. the ebb tide would also be materially diminished, 1 if this flat were thus' reclaimed;

If this suggestion, thus crudely launched, pn;.a;:question : ;of hydraulic or. marine engineering, one 1 which, amongst all others, calls, for the greatest amount of skill, should, after/due consideration, be considered of a purely .empirical ..character, my sufficient excuse, for yielding to the temptation to lay it before the public, must be found in the earnest desire to be a useful citizen, and my former connection with the Port of Ly ttelton. Your obedient servant, ROBERT GREAVES. Akaroa, July 20,1867.