THE FLOATING BALANCE CRANE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9045, 25 November 1892, Page 3

THE FLOATING BALANCE CRANE.

TO THE EDITOR. -Knowing the interest you take in the proceedings of the Harbour Board, I take the liberty to lay the following, through your aid, before the public. I have before me the following :— Auckland Harbour Board memo- ' randum, November 22. 1892. J. Taylor, loreman of Works, to J. M. Brigham, Esq., ' secretary. Jenkinson's balance floating crane. I have to report that I have examined the plans of J enkmson's balance floating crane, and consider that a crane constructed according to the design would be practically useless for harbour works generally." Sir, the above reminds me of a cockney servant girl that accompanied her mistress to the land of heath ana shaggy wood. On their arrival the girl's companions were showing the beauties of ye banks and braes. She treated the whole with the utmost contempt, and nothing could compare with her London log until one oi the Scotch girls drew her attention to the beautiful Scotch moon. " Oh," says Miss Cockney, " What do you call that? you should see our London moon." And so sir, with the crane in question. It was designed for,.and used, by our greatest marine engineers, in the erection of two of our marvels of engineering skill, but like the Scotch moon, is condemned—by whom? Why the Foreman of Works to the Aucklaud Harbour Board. It is enough to make such men as Robert Stevenson rise from their graves, and rebuke the Auckland Harbour Board for their childishness or littleminded selfishness. Is it because Jenkinson had the audacity to prove before a judge and jury m the Supreme Court that he ■(Jenkinson) was right and the Harbour Board was wrong, that anything he lays before the Board meets with such a poor reception, or is it because I succeeded in driving that pile at the Railway Wharf, in face of the clever ones saying it was impossible to do so ? What is my action or conduct to the Board to call forth those jeering insinuations on a previous occasion from one of the members? Why, sir, I believe the Waitema'ta would still flow even if such a big man as Mr. M. Niccol should cease to be a member of that honourable Board.— am, etc., R. Jenkinson. Park Road, November 24, 1892. * PS.—I forward the work from which I copied the condemned crane, and may exflam that for reasons that now appear clear, I wanted the Foreman of Works opinion on same. ' ■