HARBOUR BED RAISED

Northern Advocate, 12 February 1931, Page 5

HARBOUR BED RAISED

j DISTANCE OF SEVEN FEET i EFFECT ON SHIPPING. ( j TTET ALONG WATERFRONT. | (Special to “Northern Advocate.’’) NAPIER, Wednesday. The fact t’h'at last week’s earth- , quake lias caused a definite tilt along the waterfront of Napier wa.s confirmed by the report of a surveyor which was made verbally to the. Relief Committee today. The surveyor stated that the Navy had reported a. rise of between five feet and six feet in the coastline, and his observation showed that there was a rising of seven feet at the breakwater, falling away at the rate of about two foot a mile on a direct grade. Thus four miles from the coast it was expected that normal levels would be found. “That news makes us feel a lot more elevated,” remarked Mr 0. 0. Morse, chairman 'of the committee. Details of the effect of the upheaval on the Napier llrarbour were supplied by 'Captain II White-Parsons, the harbourmaster, -who stated that the whole of the raised bed showed soundings to be seven feet shallower than before the earthquake. The inner harbour lagoon had emptied itself out, leaving a depth at the entrance at low water of seven feet. Thus, at high water at present there was a depth of 14 feet. If conditions remained unaltered a. vessel could enter the inner harbour iu fine weather at high tide, with a draught of 12 feet. The entrance to the breakwater harbour showed a depth of 31 feet at low water and about 25 feet alongside the wharf at low water. Thus, if soundings remained as they were now, the harbour could berth a ship with a draught of about 22 feet. The inner , harbour would have to be sounded frohi time to time, and advice given . of what was taking place, ,

According to the report of the Royal Commission appointed in 1927, the Glasgow Wharf, in the breakwater harbour, was used by vessels drawing up to 20 feet and the breastwork was available for vessels drawing up t'O 18 feet. The existing berthage in the inner harbour could accommodate small vessels drawing up to 14 or 13 feet.

ACCESS TO

TASK AT PORT AHURIRT.

(Special to “Northern Advocate/’) NAPIER, Wednesday

A ■'start has boon made with the work of providing across to the •breakwater from Port Ahprui, a. task which will involve the removal of thousands of yards of clay which has fallen from the hillside for a distance of about three-quarters of a mile. The work is being done by the Public Works department with an excavator, and it is hazardous, owing to the treacherous nature of the hillside, which in several places appears to be holding precariously. Access is expected to be provided in about a fortnight, and lorry-loads of wool are being brought to the sheds nearby at frequent intervals.

NAPIER INNER HARBOUR,

BOON OUT OP DISASTER.

VALUABLE AREA CREATED,

(Per Pres« Association—Oonyrlffht.)

NAPIER, This Day,

The Inner Harbour, which extends from Greomneadows to Bay View, a distance of over six miles, by four miles wide, which must .not be confused with the part of that area called the Diner Harbour scheme, has been so raised that it is possible to walk from end to end without encountering sufficient water to stop progress. Before the shake, this area ranged from a few inches of water at the ends to sixteen feet in places in the centre. It is feared that boating and bathing facilities have ceased for ever, but, in return, it will soon be possible to add the whole area to the map as land, not water. This area was one of the 1 show places of Napier and a holiday resort of many people from all over | Hawke’s Bay, and even further afield. It sprang in a year into groat popularity, and many houses rocentl3 r have been erected on its shores. LAND INSTEAD OF WATER. WEALTH TRANSFOEMATION. The telegrams from Napier state that the Inner Harbour, the groat boating and yachting waters of Hawke’s Bay, arc now almost dry land. An area of 24 square miles, or some 15,000 acres, has been won from the seathrough earthquake action. Once, some 20 years ago, there were in some places 20 fret of water. In those 30 years the slit of the rivers—the Tutaekuri and the Esk —have been pouring on to the sea bed. The land indeed should ■be of the same class as the famous , Hereta-unga. Plains, where soil is six , to seven feet deep and which will grow anything. This undoubtedly wilt bo of low level and most probably will ' have to bo built up. But- some threo thousand acres south of Napier have been reclaimed at great ecst by the ; deposits of soil dredged from the bar- ! hour or river. Bo if 15,000 acres are raised and can be made available fo\ use, the land should lie worth £IOO an acre. Thus an offset to the earthquake | disaster may be at band.