RECLAMATION WORK

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7029, 18 January 1910, Page 9

RECLAMATION WORK

A YEAR’S OPERATIONS. STATEMENT BY HARBOUR ENGINEER. . According to a : statement propaa-cd by the engineer bo? tie Wellington Harbour Board, 201\340 tons of material were pumped' ashore! by tlie dredge Whakariro during the past year. . "It will not bo possible,” lie states, “to continue pumping to any appreciable extent until tlie extension of the Waterloo quay sea wall, a contract for which lias been let, is well advanced. The reclamation of the area which is to bo vested in the Crown for use as yards for the Post and .Telegraph and tho Public Works Departments, ; amounting to nearly six acres, has been completed. Formation of the adjoining, streets, footpaths, korbing and dhannellteg, the laying.of storm water and sewage drains is being proceeded with, anil should soon be completed. The Post and Telegraph Department are anxious to obtain possession. of „ their block, and I understand that it will shortly he gazetted, .under the Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation 'and Empowering Act, 1903, Amendment Act, 1906. Tho Government will : pay to : tho board in, terms of the above Act tlie cost of reclamation of the land taken, in excess of two acres and a half, together with ; tlie cost of ‘a proportionate' part of the retaining walls on tho seaward boundary, and ’of the sewers and drains ; within, and the .roads and ap- > proaohes upon such reclamation.’: Apart from interest during construction, this amount is estimated at over £20,000. : ’ Mr Marchbahks further-states that in all 394,210 tens were lifted by the dredge for the year. In addition to the , amount pumped ashore—which was 73.9 per cent, of tho total lifted—--102,870 tons, or 26.1 per cent., was discharged at sea. Working expenses ’ amounted to £10,387 8s 7d, or 6.32 d per ton. During tho greater part of the year . th e Whakariro worked on tho Falcon * shoal. Tho Priestman dredge, was employed deepening tho boat harbour from October, 1908, to July, 1909. This work will ho continued as oppormity occurs, but the dredge will, for a considerable time, be engaged on tbe Miramar -apd Waterloo quay sea , wall formations. Some 6800 tons of spoil have been lifted and deposited in the Waterloo quay reclamation. The total working cost amounts to £757 0s Id, which is about 2s 7Jd per ton of spoil lifted. j . i