THE WAITEMATA-MANUKAU CANAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15110, 28 September 1912, Page 8

THE WAITEMATA-MANUKAU CANAL.

ENTHUSIASM AT AVONDALE.

MONEY FROM AMERICA.

A COMMITTEE SET UP.

The oft-talked-'of suggestion for cutting a canal to connect the Waitemata with the Manukau readied another stage, "last night, when the Avondale Road Board took up the matter by calling a public meeting ill the' public hall to discus.s the best means of furthering the scheme for connecting the two harbours via the Wliau Creek. Keen interest lias been aroused in the matter fiiiiee the residence in Avoudnle of a Mr. Russell, who lias lately returned to Now Zealand after several years spent in the vicinity of the big Panama Canal, and who is conversant with the mo.st up-to-date methods of engineering used in that undertaking. It was primarily to hear Mr: Russell's views on the question that the meeting was called. Mr. J. Potter, chairman of the Avondale Road Board, presided over a very representative gathering. The chairman read a telegram from Mr. John Bollard, M.P., expressing the opinion that the Auckland Harbour Board should delegate to Mr. Russell its powers to construct the canal, with a clause in the deed giving the Board power to take over the canal at any time by giving 31 Russell's syndicate a fair profit on the cost of construction. A letter as also received from Mr. A. Harris, M.P., who hoped that .everything would bo done to further the project. Fie introduced Mr. Russell to the meeting as an old Auckland boy, who had .served his apprenticeship with an Auckland iirm of engineers, but who had, during an interval of 25 years, been practising his profession as an engineer in -Mexico, where canals were largely availed of for transit purposes. Mr. Russell, on rising, stated that ho was not there to discuss how the canal w.i'a to be built, but the question was whether, if built, it would pay? His answer to that was that it would be the biggest paying business New Zealand had ever, or ever would undertake. Having carefully gone over this, he was glad to have the pleasure of meeting those present to discuss the matter of freight and industries. o tries.

Lack of interest was what he had had to | contend with. To interest capital from America, a deep canal was necessary, and j after going over the reports on A von da and Tamaki routes, he said without fear of contradiction, ; that A von dale Mas by nature the deep-water wifv between Auckland and tile Manukau, whilst Tamaki was j the '•feeder" by means of shallower canals, ! which should Fie constructed with the larger canal. Kauri Point, on the completion of the canal, would be Auckland's deep anchorage, having at. present 80ft of water, am? a point- on the Manukau. where the canal wouid be cut, had 20ft of water. This, with the Waikato Bi/.-er let loose with its forty thousand million feet of water every six hours, solved the. question in bis mind as to which way the deep canal should go. it, would bo madness for New Zealand to construct a email canal. He quoted various opinions on other .canals with .'i view to pressing home the need for a deep canal for Auckland to prepare »for the enormous trade in no:it.- m it with America, .Mexico, and South America, when the Panama Canal was built. Upon, the opening up of the proposed canal for navigation by way of Avondale, more than five miles of additional "dock" frontage would be available, and a vast area of lowpriced land would be available for the location of new manufactures and shipbuilding plants, directly accessible to the largest vessels and located irlougside of the railways. This would make Auckland not only the greatest distributing centre; and the greatest marine port in New Zealand, but it would also make Auckland the richest, largest and most economical manufacturing industrial and transportation centre in the Australasian colonies. Onehunga must awaken to the fact that she must be a partner to the scheme, or fall by the wayside. Tamaki and Olahuhu waterways were essential to the ( larger project by the construction of smaller shallow water canals, and connected to the larger canal. Mr. Gittos. a very old resident of the place, said that he predicted years ago that it the canal were ever constructed residents would have to thank American enterprise for it. Mr. Johnson' suggested that a committee should be formed to procure all the data available as to tlio amount of freightpossible in this district to facilitate Mr. Russell's scheme. He moved a resolution to the effect that the young men of the district be formed into a committee to gather all statistics available. The motion was carried unanimously. Questioned by the chairman with regard to the alleged difficulty of a bridge across the canal lor the railway, Mr. Russell gave details of electrically-worked counter poise bridges, and said if there were a dozen bridges one man could look after three or four, as the pressing of a button would raise or lower any bridge on his section from the one station. Mr. Thorn, chairman of the New Lynn Town Board, also spoke in favour" of everything being done to further the scheme, as every advantage obtained by Avondale would also be enjoyed "by New Lynn. Mr. Potter moved a resolution of thanks to .Mr. Russell, and added: "That we do all in our power to help him in furthering the project." Mr. E. .J. Adams seconded the motion, which was carried with acclamation.