THE SHOAL BAY CHANNEL.—A GREAT PUBLIC IMPRVEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8056, 17 September 1887, Page 5

THE SHOAL BAY CHANNEL.—A GREAT PUBLIC IMPRVEMENT.

A few weeks ago, we stated that Captain Webster, lately harbour master at Timaru, was about to comm- ace a thorough investigation of Shoal Bay, to determine as to the possibility of cutting a channel to enable a ferry service to be carried on between the Queen-street wharf and the head of Shoal Bay. Captain Webster, we understand, has a large experience in such work, and his conclusions are thoroughly to be relied on. He went about his task in a thoroughly complete manner. He got a punt fitted up, taken into the Bay, and lived on board for twelve days and nights, taking soundings at every point, observing the llovv of the tides, the nature of the bottom, and, in fact, every particular which bore upon the problem he had to determine. He has now completed a plan which can be easily carried into effect at a moderate cost, and which would effect so great an improvement that we believe all interested will cooperate heartily in having it carried out as speedily as poißible. The top of the bay is quite shallow, and Captain Webster proposes to make an embankment from Barry's Wharf in a line for 2400 yards. At this point a wall would be built right across the bay, and in time all the land above this wall would be reclaimed; the wall furnished with sluice-gates to let. off the natural drainage. The channel would then be excavated in a slanting direction, the stuff excavated being used to form the roadway from Barry's Wharf. The cross wall would of course form a road, whioh on one side would give entrance to the Northcote district, while on the other it would abut on Laketown, not far from the mam road where it runs parallel with the Lake Beach, For some considerable distance no cutting at all would be required, the depth of water naturally being sufficient. Then another short cutting would be made through a sand bank, where the main channel of the Waitemata Harbour would be reached. After careful calculations Captain Webster estimates that his plan could tie carried out for a sum not exceeding £6000. The distance to be run from wharf t3 wharf would be somewhere under two miles and. three-quarters. From the wall, where the ferry steamer would land its passengers, to the Lake would be under a mile, while to the seabeaoh the distance would be considerably less, We understand that a meeting is to be called shortly to consider how the work is to beset about. It would be a great improvement, not only to the whole district of the Lake, but would secure the settlement of a large extent of country. It would be of great advantage to Lucas Creek, Long Bay, the Wade, Waiwera, Mahuraugi, \VArkworth, etj., as shortening the distance between them and Auckland by about four miles—eight miles on a journey there and back. We anticipats that the Highway Board, the County Council, and the Harbour Board will all zealously co-operate.