ACCIDENT TO A WALL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14688, 24 May 1911, Page 5

ACCIDENT TO A WALL.

RAVAGES OF THE TOREDO. In reporting under date of 'May 17, on the recent accident to the timber breastwork westward of the Hobson-street Wharf, the engineer (.Mr. W. H. Hamer) stated: —''A length of about 80ft. of the breastwork has been damaged by the breaking away of the piles owing to the lower tie brace and the timber sheathing being considerably weakened by the ravages of the teredo. Some five years ago J had some additional steel tie bars placed in this breastwork, and some six months ago 1 gave instructions that no heavy weights were to be placed upon this frontage. A few days since 1 instructed the foreman of works to open out and, if possible, replace the lower timber tie by steel tie bars; and only yesterday I requested you and the vice-chairman to inspect the work with me, and then I recommended that, possibly the cheapest way would be to draw all these timber piles and replace them by a. solid concrete retaining wall. I also showed you the damage done by the toredo to the timber breastwork of the Hobson-street reclamation, which, after only eight years' life, shows signs of ravages by these marine pests. The timber breastwork at the Auckland dock head, opposite the Board's oflices, failed in a similar way, and these were both replaced bv concrete walls." The report was referred to the Works Committee.