THE New zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1884.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6915, 16 January 1884, Page 4

THE New zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1884.

The Harbour Board have not wasted time in vain regrets, but have proceeded with promptitude to extricate the question of the Calliope Dock from the peculiar position into which it had drifted. As will be seen from the report of yesterday's proceedings, it has been resolved to relieve the Engineer of the Board from future responsibility in connection with the new dock, and to invite applications preliminary to the appointment of an engineer for the special work of preparing new plans and superintending the construction. We follow the example of the Board in not further discussing the pa6t, or the causes which have led up to the late awkward position. In such circumstances the future rather than the past is of importance, and we are free to admit that, everything considered, the Board have taken perhaps the only course that was open to them. This course has the merit of enabling the Board to begin from the beginning, imposing no necessity of modifying and patching up, and adapting plans to ways and means, and the Board are once more free to impose such conditions in the construction of this public work as their judgment may suggest. We may be under a misapprehension, but we are inclined to think that, not merely without, but within the Board, there has been a growing feeling in favour of employing local materials exclusively in the construction of the dock ; and we sincerely trust that the Harbour Board will take advantage of the opportunity which has been somewhat unexpectedly afforded for carrying this desire into effect.

Now, without the least intention of reflecting unpleasantly on the past, we ask what has been the sole cause contributing to the position in which the Board recently found itself in relation to this question? Was it not an overwhelming and unreasoning desire to give extraordinary strength to a structure in which surplus strength and surplus excellence of material were simply so much public money wasted 1 Now, after what has happened let the Board try back and ask itself what is the necessity for exceptional strength of material in a structure of this kind. Be it recollected that the only two dangers against which provisionistobe raadeare—first, the pressure of the sea breaking in the sides of the dock; and secondly, the possible sinking of a huge vessel by its pressure on the bottom of the dock. As the greater length of the dock will be excavated from solid earth and solid rock, in so far the danger from the former is nil, the portion of the structure exposed to the sea being that alone which requires any strengthening against this risk of pressure of the water from without. With regard to the pressure of a vessel on the bottom of the dock, the proved character of the site is such that no apprehension need be entertained on that score. These conditions of safety being fulfilled, what ia the object of ■giving extraradinarv and needless I

strength to the sides of the dock 1 Is it not palpable that a mere basin scooped oat of the solid earth, without any lining whatever, would answer almost every practical pur pose of a graving dock if the seaward side, and the gates and their appurtenances, are only sufficiently stayed and strengthened. "We by no means say that this is the kind of dock we should have for our £120,000, but we do protest against the extravagant pretensions put forward, claiming that the lining of the dock basin should be constructed of extraordinary costliness and needless strength in resistance to a pressure and a danger that have no existence sxcept in fancy. It was only this assumption of the necessity of vast strength in the liuing of the dock basin that suggested the propriety of avoiding Mahurangi hydraulic lime. No doubt the employing fifty ships in bringing Portland cement from England is a consideration ; but we cannot think that the interests of the few who are ready to supply the ships for the purpose will be allowed to weigh with the Harbour Board against the interest of the general community which is involved in the encouragement of local industry ; and as there is little in the nature of the proposed work of such a character as to require stupendous strength or anything for which the local material is not sufficient, we trust that the Board will take a firm stand in this matter from the first, and once for all insist that the dock shall be constructed of Auckland scoria and Mahurangi lime.