GRAVING DOCK FOR WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12279, 25 May 1903, Page 5

GRAVING DOCK FOR WELLINGTON.

[BY TELEGRAPH.OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. Replying to a question put to him by a representative of the Post, Commander Dawson, of the surveying ship Penguin, said he certainly thought that Wellington ought to have a graving dock. The commander spoke of the inconvenience that would and does result from the absence of a big dock in the case of a breakdown of a large vessel, and the necessity for sending her to Lyttelton, Port Chalmers, or Auckland, for repairs. As regards the site the naval officer stated plainly that in his opinion a mistake would be made to place the dock at Te Aro. Asked his reason he replied : "The prevailing wind ill the port would blow straight into the dock, and there would be occasions when it would be an impossibility for any vessel to get in. Furthermore, the bottom is not good. There is a tendency to shoal, and it would mean that the Harbour Board would have to be continually dredging to keep a proper depth of water." " Where would you suggest as a more suitable site 1" was asked. "To the north of the wharves atKaiwara," was the reply. He understood that an excellent bottom of natural rock existed there, that the water was of good depth and did not shoal, and in his opinion the expenditure necessary in preparing the site at Te Avo would half build a dock in the vicinity of Kaiwara.