NAPIER HARBOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 10

NAPIER HARBOUR

DEVELOPMENT PLAN AUCKLAND DREDGE HIRED DETAILS OF AGREEMENT [by telegraph—own correspondent] NAPIER, Saturday The hire for 12 months of the Auckland Harbour Board's dredge Hapai has been arranged by the Napier Harbour Board for use in the development of a breakwater harbour. "The purpose of the charter," said Mr. T. M. Geddis, chairman of the Napier Board, in announcing details this morning, "is to supplement the work of the dredge Whakarirc, which has been steadily dredging the harbour at the rate of 1000 tons a day, so as to enable the preparation of a site for the second of the new wharves to be carried out at the same timo as the deepening of the fairway to tho first wharf, ensuring accommodation for the largest overseas vessels trading with Now Zealand bi' the end of 1937, and also tho completion of tho whole harbour at the earliest possible date." Work lor Two Dredges

Mr. Geddis stated that under the agreement which had been reached between the two boards, tho Auckland Board had undertaken at its own cost thoroughly to overhaul tho dredge and to fit it out with an entirely Dew chain of dredging buckets, thus sending the dredge to Napier in first-class condition. The Hapai is the second largest bucket dredge in Now Zealand, and with two such units at work as the Hapai and Whakarirc everything possible was being done to expedite the Avork.

Mr. Geddis saicl up to the present time the Whakarire had dredged 500,000 tons from the bottom of tho harbour. The work carried out by this dredge had been efficient and economical. Tho dredge had completed dredging 011 the site of tho first new wharf and the contractor, Mr. F. Goodman, was now preparing to proceed with wharf construction. Tho Whakarire on its return from overhaul in Wellington will be engaged on the work of preparing the site for the second and larger of the two new wharves, while the Hapai, which will arrive in Napier in October, will dredge tho fairway and swinging basins for the first wharf. Berthing Overseas Ships "Contract date for the completion of this wharf is at tho end of October next year, and by that time, with the additional excavation provided by tho Hapai, dredging will have been advanced to such a stage that overseas vessels may be brought alongside," said Mr. Geddis. "As a result of this step by the board it is expected that tenders for the construction of the second wharf will bo called in about 12 months' time." The agreement reached between tho boards, Mr. Geddis stated, apart from insurance and from the payment for coal in excess of a certain figure a ton, provides that tho Napier Harbour Board will pay a weekly hire of £475, the Auckland Harbour Board having agreed to bear the whole cost of overhauls, repairs, running expenses, wages and other incidentals during the term of tho charter.