OAMARU HARBOR WORKS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1023, 31 July 1879, Page 2

OAMARU HARBOR WORKS.

On the occasion of his visit to Oamavu, his Excellency the G >•. e; uor manifested great interest in the LJ.-.i-boi' Works. As rho time at his disposal did not permit of .Sir Hercules .Robinson being put in possession of full information regarding the initiation and progress of the works, the Chairman recently forwarded to his Excellency a lengthy letter containing a vast amount of information, which must have proved highly interesting to Sir Hercules. It also contains much information that will be acceptable to our readers, and we therefore, through the courtesy of the Chairman of the Board, give the letter in full, together with his Excellency's reply, which will also be read with interest :—•

Oamaru, IStli July, JS79. To his Excellency's Private Secretary. Sir, —His Excellency the Governor while on in's visit to Oamaru having remarked to me that lie had not been able to gather from the Customs returns auy adequate idea of the business done at tlie port or its progress, and expressed a desire to obtain a few particulars, I have therefore much pleasure in presenting the following notes detailing the more important particulars for his Excellency's information Twelve years ago the district was almost entirely a wool-producing one, and the difficulty of obtaining cheap and ready means of transport stood in the way of progress in agriculture and the many industries required in an agricultural district. The construction of a breakwater for the protection of shipping and the opening up of the country by roads and branch railways produced a marked change. Large tracts of country previously devoted to pastoral purposes were now (jultivated with wheat,, oatg, and barley, without, however, producing aiy diminution in the yield wool, the introduction of English grasses on improved land more than compensating for the larger area taken for agriculture. To illustrate the rate of progress referred to above in the year 1873-4, the first year tliqt authentic record was taken of the grain exported, the export of cereals of all kinds manufactured and unmanufactured amounted to 9507 tons ; this, in little more than four years, had increased to nearly three times, the quantity being in 1870 26,63S tons. In 1574 tlie export of wool amounted to 8342 bales, and in 1877 14,018 bales were exported, These being the principal exports, it will be interesting now to exhibit tlie effect of this progress as regards demand for goods not manufactured or grown in the district. In 1573-4 the three principal items of import stood as follows : General merchandise 6,593 tons Coals 3,805 ~ Timber... ... ... ... 1,560,852 feet In 1878 general merchandise to the amount of 10,272 tons was imported; coals, 9720 tons ; and timber, 3,888,588 feet—all the items being increased threefold in four years. A large quantity of the wheat grown in the district is exported in a manufactured state, and rqnks next to Adelaide flour in the markets of New Zealand, the calcareous nature of the soil and the peculiar dryness of the climate being circumstances which contribute greatly to the production of a first-class wheat. The shipping frequenting the port in 1569 aggregated 17,792 tons; in 1574 the tonnage more tluvn doubled, being 41,586 tons for that year; and in 1878 the tonnage reached 62,841, nearly all the vessels making up this tonnage being fully loaded inwards and outwards, and in the majority of cases both ways, and in no way is the tonnage made up by the visitation of large steamers for passenger traffic only. The effect of the construction of the breakwater on the cost of exporting and importing has been of a very marked character. In IS7I, while the work was done on the beach by boating companies, the charge for landing general merchandise was 9s per ton of forty cubic feet; coals, 7s 6d per tqn; timber, Is 9d per hundred superficial feet; and wool, the then principal export, was charged Is 9d per bale; and grain, 4s 6d per ton, whereas now the charges for imported goods are as follows :—General merchandise, 2s per ton, less than one-fourth of the former charge ; coals, 3s 3d per ton, less than onehalf ; and timber 9d, instead of Is 9d, while wool is exported at a charge of 6d per bale, and grain at 2s per ton. Tlie results have been brought about chiefly by the construction of a very small portion of the improvements designed to produce them, there being only 940 feet of protective breakwater out of a total length of

3300 feet north and south wall originally projected. Contracts are, however, let for an extension of 700 feet, which will, it i 3 anticipated, result in greater economy and increased safety. Hitherto the only drawback to the entire success of the scheme was the want of depth of water for the iargest class of vessels. The bottom had hitherto been reported to be rock bottom similar to that forming the shore, as it was found to be hard, solid, and impenetrable by the steel-pointed rods used to test the depth of sand overlying the bottom.

Some time ago Mr. Forrester (who holds the double position of Secretary and Resident Engineer) informed me that from observations he had made he believed the bottom to consist of material which could be removed and tin; harbor deepened by dredging, and in accordance with his desire to be permitted to make borings to test his theory, experiments were made, and it has been found that the hard ami impenetrable nature of the bottom is due to the presence of a stratum of shingle firmly impacted together of about two feet in thickness upon a bed of silicious mud, which has been bored in various places to a depth of 14 feet, with uniform results. The materials forming the bottom will therefore be easily removed by dredging, and it is gratifying to all concerned that with the removal of these strata to the depth of a few feet comes the possibility of floating in the water of our harbor vessels of the largest class. The district of which the Port of Oamaru is the outlet, comprising the greater part of the Counties of Waitaki and Waimate, is one of the most salubrious in New Zealand, possesses a most extensive area of agricultural and pastoral country, well watered, and having ooal, slate, and building stone in abundance. The district is well worth a visit from all interested in agriculture, and it is to he hoped that ere long we may have the gratification of seeing his Excellency again within its boundaries with leisure sufficient to enable him to enjoy an inspection of the good qualities for which it is so justly celebrated.

Trusting that these notes supply the information desired, I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, George Sumpter, Chairman.

Wellington, 24th July 1579. Sir, —I am directed by his Excellency the Governor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of ISth July, and to oonvey to you his best tha,nka for your very interesting letter, giving such a clear and concise description of the marvellous progress of the Oamaru district in the last few years. His Excellency is looking forward with much pleasure to paying a future visit to Oamaru, on which occasion he hopes to be able to make a stay which will enable him to do justice to the many features of interest which the district presents. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, Charles M, Thompson', Private Secretary. George Sumpter, Esq.