THE SHOAL BAY SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8061, 23 September 1887, Page 6

THE SHOAL BAY SCHEME.

WATEEWAY TO LAKE.TAEAPUNA.

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS.

A meeting of ratepayers was held lsst night at the Lake Sohoolhouse to hear Captain Webster's proposals and statistics in referonco to Shoal Bay.

Mr. Shakkspbarb was eleoted chairm&n, and referred to the importance of thesubjeofc before them for the welfare of the district. It was objected that they would injure Northcote and Devonport by opening up iShoal Bay, but that wae all nonsense. They did not want any tradesmen in the dittriot, but only quiet homos where people from Auckland could retire after the labours of the day. If the scheme wae carried out it would meet the approval of hundreds of people who desired to live at tho beautiful neighbourhood of the Lake. Captain Wkbstkr, late harbourmaster of Timaru, then began hit explanation of the soheme. He dad no ulterior motive, and had only taken the matter up to increase the legitimate ferry business in which he was interested. He then read the report of the engineer of the Harbour Board (Mr. Mogregor), of November, 1886. It stated that a mean depth o( 7ft would have to be dredged, over an area of 10,832 ft. In all, 225,000 oubio yards would have to be exvaieii.aud the work would cost about £12,000 He (Mr. Webster) thought the report wae very satisfactory, as far an it went, but there were some thine* which could be very much reduced. He would show them that the cost would bo considerably less than £12,000. The first thing to do was to become thoroughly acquainted with the tides and currents. His experience was, that they, should work in harmony with the natural forces. He had accordingly spent considerable time in making observations. The results he had depicted on a plan, which he prooeaded to explain to the meeting. Owing to the set of the tides there would be no risk of silting at the mouth of the channel, and there was no tide or current that he could find which would be In direct opposition to the line of the proposed channel. The next question was the nature of the " bottom." He then showed a number of specimens of the " bottom" taken at various depths. The result of examination was that there was no natural obstruction to dredging. He had thought the matter over very carefully, and couM not see anything better than the direction for the channel shown on the plans. Cross sections of the bay were also shown and commented on. Coming to the cost, he had gone carefully over the estimates, and had come to the conclusion that the cost would be about £6000. He had referred the matter to Messrs. Roylan and Lnndon, and they had agreed that his estimate was very near the truth, although they did not altogether agree with the location of the channel. He had estimated that the excavations would be about 50,000 cubic yards. Mr. Macgregor had estimated 225,000 cubic yards, but that was reckoning on the dredging being carried right up to B»rry'e wharf. The dredging would cost about £4916. Hβ had taken a legal opinion on the powers requisite to execute the scheme. The Harbour Board held the ground by Crown grant, and it would have to be met by a special Act. He would leave it to others to approach the Harbour Board on the matter. He wished to express his thanks to Mr. Lundon for the trouble he had taken m the matter. Any future assistance he (C*pt»in Webiter) could render to the scheme would be given willingly, as he wished simpiy to extend the ferry service. He also wished to thank Mr. Shakespeare for bringing the matter forward ae he had done. In reply to questions he explained that the channel would bn 50 feet wide and fire feet deep, and 7300 feet in length, reckoning from the wall which he proposed to build across the bay. Hβ had eupplied all the data, and it was now a question for the engineers to deal with. He could give no deoided opinion as to silting up. Mr. George thought they should form a committee to inspect the bay and find out everything that would have to be done to carry out the undertaking. The committee could then report to another meeting, and submit something that would enable the soheme to be carried out. The committee would then be put on a propar basis, aud they would know what resolutions to sup port. When tbey knew wh»t was required they could then approach the Harbour Board with a view to gutting an enabling Aot passed. The scheme, ae far as he could see, was a very good one, aud could be carried out at the price mentioned. Mr. Seaman said the newspapers had been very misleading about the details of the scheme, as they had said that it was 2400 yards from Barry's Point to the breastwork, whereas it was really only 2400 feet.

Mr. Shea thought the Hcheme wa« premnture, especially considering the hard times. He did not e«e why they should be called upon to tiud money for the icheoie, aa they were already very highly taxed and rated. There were only a few who would benefit by the scheme. Most people were nearer l*evonport and Stokes' Point than the proposed wharf. If they only .looked at the em»ll area of land that would be benefited by the scheme, they would hccitate before subjecting themselves to further taxation. The Chairman" explained that a deputation woulii watt on the Harbour Board, who would undertake the work if they were

aecffiP c^ear 'y '-hat the work was a real that onlv a tew P eo P le people would be beNjen&J l ? Wa '" e ™ even, He appealed to them to selectaar e ..l teamer ; deputation to wan on the Harbour Bo«r3,*i induce them to undertake the work. Mr. O. Mats said the whole trouble was

the Mnauoial part of the work. If they could see their way fci carry out the seheme it would of vaist importance to the whole *urronnding district. Tne report of Mr. Mac* gregor had made the scheme seem ao formidable that nothing further was done; but the Harbour Board had begun to learn that there were people living on the north side of the harbour aa well as on the south. The scheme now presented was very much less expensive, and if the riparian rights difficulty could be got over, the Board would, probably, see their way to do something. He wan quite prepared to ai:t as a member of the deputa tiou to the Harbour Board. The difficulty however, was to get any return from such expenditure. They might assist iu doing the dredging, or do it at a very low rate, but it would be useless to ask them to do the whole work. Aβ far as the County Council was concerned, they could levy a special rate on the special district interested if it was required. Hβ would like to see the scheme carried out, and would give every assistance in his power, but he did not want to raise false hopes. Mr. G. P. Pikrck said the place was a very beau.tiful one, but it was most inaccessible. He thought it would be greatly to the interest of the Farry Company to erect a wharf at the Lake oe»oh. If Captain Webster's achisme could be carried out, it would enhance the value of property very argely, and on the whole every person iu ;he district would benefit by the scheme, le had therefore great pleasure in proposing "That a deputation wait on the Harbour Board for the purpose of submitting the modified plans of Captain Webster to them, and asking their support, and obtaining if possible a promise that ic would be carried out; the deputation to consist of Messrs. O. Mays, K. Lundon, K. Webster, W. Thome, T. Seaman, Mhaksspear, and G. P. Pierce." Mr. McCallom seconded Mie motion, and said he thought the scheme could be made to pay for itselt by value of the laud reclaimed (about 250 acres). The Chairman then suggested that if the scheme was established the company could charge 9d as tare, and pay say 3d of it to the local board. The ratepayers would then have very little to complain of. The motion was then put and carried. The oUAiuMtN then read a letter from Major Mair, written as Tβ Aroha, in which, he stated that he had noticed the advertisement of the meeting in the Hkrald, and he regretted very much that he could not be present, but he assured them of his entire sympathy with the movement. Mr. dicAMAN then proposed a vote of the best thanks of the meeting to Captain Webster, for the trouble he had taken in the matter, Mr. Harrow aecouded the motion, and it was carried unanimously.