WEST COAST SHIPPING FACILITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13095, 7 February 1906, Page 5

WEST COAST SHIPPING FACILITIES.

PROPOSED HARBOUR AT POINT

ELIZABETH.

[BIT TELEGRAPH.—FBES3 association.]

Greymouth, Tuesday. A large meeting was held last evening to urge upon the Government the desirability of making a harbour at Point Elizabeth. After the matter had been thoroughly gone into the following resolution was passed: —"Seeing that the present shipping ports of the West Coast appear to have reached their maximum development, and are quite inadequate to cope with the ocean-going .steamers, to the great detriment of the coast and colony at large, and in order to fully develop the export trade of the State coal mine at Runanga, the vast coal areas on the Paparoa Ranges, timber, and other products, this public meeting, representing the unanimous and hearty opinion of the people of Greymouth, respectfully urges on the Government tho great desirability of having the necessary surveys made, and expert opinion obtained (by the British Admiralty, if possible), as' to the cost, efficiency, and utility for naval and other purposes of a harbour at Point Elizabeth, as suggested by the Right Hon. the Premier on his recent visit to the West Coast."

Mr. Guinness, M.H.R., moved, "Thatthis meeting urge the Government to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into, and report upon, the advisability of the construction of a harbour at Point Elizabeth, and what will be the probable export and import trade of stick harbour.''

Point Elizabeth is seven miles north of (rrejmoulh. Surveys have been made which show that a harbour 1000 acres in extent and of an average depth of 30ft (48ft at the entrance) could be made bv the construction of two rubble moles, 5280 ft and 5490 ft in length. The quantity of rock estimated to bo required for the two moles is about two and a-half million cubic yards, and the cost is estimated at £600,000.