REPORT ON THE NGAKAWA RIVER.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 21, 13 April 1872, Page 7

REPORT ON THE NGAKAWA RIVER.

To his Honour the Supeeintkndent, Nelson. Sir — I have the honour to forward herewith a report on the Ngakawa Eiver, &c. On the 26th instant, in pursuance of instructions from the Provincial Secretary, I proceeded in the local steamer Eesult to the Ngakawa, to erect beacons, and examine tho river as to its navigable capabilities. We left Westport about 730 a.m., and in Borne four or five hours arrived at our destination, distant eighteen miles from Westport. After crossing the bar, which was rather rough, we were boarded by Mr. Nairn, who keeps the ferry and accommodation house at the entrance. He took us up the river about three-quarters of a mile, more or less, where the steamer was moored in a deep basin, opposite the coal mine. The river is only navigable at high water a h\r chains above this point, where it terminates in a creek running into a narrow gorge full of boulders of various sizes and shapes. At low water I proceeded down to the bar, and erected the beacons which I had fetched from Westport. I found the bar dry. This I expected, being spring tides. Set the beacons for crossing the bar in the deepest water, and bearing by compass E. half N., for entering, and (vice versa) W. half S. for leaving the river. M'Nairn, being a seaman, I instructed him to look after the beacons and shift them when necessary, informing him at the same time that if it were expedient at any other time to appoint a signalman, he would have the preference. After arranging the beacons and matters connected therewith, I proceeded to take some soundings, and have a look at the river while the water was still low ; proceeding up stream, and about two-thirds of the way to the mine, we came to a Btony fall or bar, running, or extending, all the way across the river. In the centre there were only a few inches of water, where the stream was running; on either side of this stream the formation is one or two feet higher, and composed of larger stones. M'Nairn informed me that there was about eight feet on this fall at high water — spring tides. This I found to be correct, before leaving, as I sounded all the way down on our leaving for Westport. The bar was also sounded at the same time, and a depth of ten feet was found on it ; this is just the rise of tide, as I have already stated its having been dry at low water. The rise of the tide at Ngakawa is identical with Westport. Before proceeding further it may be as well to dispose of the stony fall before mentioned. This is not a serious impediment to the navigation of the river, nor will its removal be attended with much difficulty or expense, seeing the stones, with few exceptions, are small and comparatively loose, and could easily be thrown up on either side of the channel, where the stones are pretty large. This accomplished, the floods would do the rest in deepening the channel, and make it as deep, if not deeper, than the outer bar. The mine possesses unusually great natural facilities for the easy and expeditious shipment of coal, which Chambers, the manager (himself a North of England collier) says can bo put on board at 83. per ton. The same party informs me that it is a twelve feet seam, and will be selfdraining. Ho intends constructing a wharf and coal shoot. This accomplished, vessels like the Kennedy, Charles Edward, or Wallabi, could go alongside and fill up in a few hours ; from the depth of water iv the basiu vessels would always be afloat, thus avoiding any risk of straining by loading aground, with a heavy cargo such as coal. Tho stony fall would require deepening before they could get to the wharf during neap tides. This once dry, would have a salutary effect on the river and bar channels generally, as it would tend to a concentration of the stream, and, I presume, a consequent deeping of the outer bar. The latter is very fair just now — 10ft. at high water. There should be about 6ft. 6in. or 7ft. at good neaps on it. Prior to my leaving for Ngakawa, I was told by a person who had lived two years at the latter place, that the entrance sometimes closed up with westerly gales. I was not surprised to learn this, knowing it to be an old feature of West Coast bars (Middle Island) as Okarita, Hokitika, Greymouth, and Mokihinui, the latter only seven miles north-east of Ngakawa— all close up periodically during westerly gales. No doubt there is always a gutter along |;he beach, but the channels are -virtually closed, and quite

impracticable and unsafe for purposes of naviga« tion. I must admit that I have grave doubts that the Ngakawa is no exception to the rule. Although M'Nairn says, and I hope he is right, that during his residence there, a period of four years, he has never seen it once olosed, and also that the channel is generally straight. The appearance of the river certainly goes to prove that the latter assertion is true in the mam— as the river itself is very straight from the mine seaward — above that point it turns nearly at a right angle, and runs in a N.N. westerly direction (for a few chains) terminating in a creek. There is one bad feature in this river which I cannot allow to pass unnoticed, and that is the great want of shelter during floods. There is a site for a wharf at the coal-mine, where two steamers might find shelter, as there will be an eddy there, and another on the opposite side of the river, a little below the mine, but it is limited in extent. A great deal of the port is taken up with the boulders comprising the stony barrier spoken of, and it would require a considerable expenditure to make it comparatively safe for the number of vessels that must necessarily visit it, if a permanent coal trade is established. The port, from its close proximity to the sea, will be subject to a heavy run during N.W. and westerly gales, which, although not in itself dangerous, is very unpleasant for boats and shipping generally. Before closing, it may not be out of place to mention that the engineer of the Eesult reports favourably of the coal, and prefers it to the Newcastle coal she brought from Auckland, and says that better steam can be kept with less labour ; what she took in at the Ngakawa was only a few feet into the seam, and could not be considered a fair sample, yet it kept good steam, burning clear, with an intense heat. The coal is a little soft, but is getting harder as they go in further. M'Nairn informs me that the floods ri9e very rapidly, and go down just as quickly when the rain ceases, and that very little drift timber comes down during those periods. This I believe to be correct, as the river, as far as I saw of it, appears to be only fed by two creeks. I enclose a rough sketch to give an idea of the place, and also for the sake of reference during an after perusal of this report. I have, &c, S. A. Leech, Harbour-master. Harhour Office, Weslport, March 30, 1872.