New Wharves At Napier

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 220, 20 September 1934, Page 9

New Wharves At Napier

WORK TO BE SPEEDED DP Per Press Association. NAPIER, Sept. 18. Substantial progress was made by the Napier Harbour Board yosterday towards tho execution of tho proposals for tho development, of'the port which were recently approved by tho ratepayers in a poll on the £335,000 loan proposal. The details of tho scheme were fully considered by tho board. Designs for tho two icrro-concrete wharves to be orcctcd were approved, and it was'also decided to speed up tho work by reducing the period of construction from four and half years to three years. To this end the board intends to hiro a dredge .for a period of six months for j the purpose of supplementing the operations of its own dredge. Tho two wharves will bo substantial and modernly designed. One will be 800 ft by 181 ft, equipped with cargo sheds and electric cranes, and the other will bo 750 ft by 81ft, and equipod with cranes. Both wharves will carry adequate railway lines, and will be suitable for use by motor traffic. Tho new wharves will havo a low-water depth of 35ft at the berths, and with the existing facilities will provide six berths for the accommodation of overseas vessels.

Tenders for another section of tho work, the extension of the protecting breakwater by 400 ft, are to bo called immediately, and tenders for the construction of tho two wharves will bo called as soon as the dredging of the sites and approaches is sufficiently far advanced.'

The board also approved an arrangement entered into with tho Unemployment Board for the latter to pay a subsidy of 32 per cent, on tho total capital cost of tho works, £408,000 on the understanding that 80 per cent, of the labour needed shall be drawn from the unemployed registers of Hawke’s Bay, the men to bo engaged at full award rates of pay. "With a view to discouraging an influx of men from other parts, tho board decided on the adoption of a residential qualification, and agreed that no work should bo granted to men unless they were resident in the board’s rating district as at July 20 last.