THE RATTRAY STREET JETTY EXTENSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4166, 25 June 1875, Page 2

THE RATTRAY STREET JETTY EXTENSION.

Yesterday -witnessed the active initiation of a very important work; namely, the commencement of the contract let by the Harbour Board for the extension of the Ilattray street Jetty. The contractors are Messrs Hawkins and Co., who have acquired a Colonial reputation through carrying oufc extensive harbour works.at Lyttelton. Preliminary operations have' been proceeded with for some time past, but-it was not till yesterday that business was actively entered on in: the shape of bringing the firsfc pile into position, and making a commencement- to drive ifc down. Th»re have been some delays through, not being able to get the barque James Hanne!l, which had all Messrs Hawkins aud Co.'s plant on board, alongside of the jetty. However, these difficulties are now over, and a. practical beginning was effected yesterday. The pile-engine is far and away ahead of anything of the kind ever seen h^re before—infact, the same .is to be said of the whole ot the plant, and it is well worth while to go through a little mud, and endure the inconvenience of a walk along, a narrow, and. crowded wharf, to inspect the apparatus^ The pile-engine is a structure no less than. 42 feet high, and can drive down -fonr.'pQe? at a time. The piles are to be driven five in a row, of which four can be put down at the same time, and the fifth can be driven by shifting the pile-engine LS inches sideways. Onthe five piles forming the row being driven^the pile-engine is moved fprwardahd the next row is driven. It maybe mentioned that thep3«sis enghie. together with tbe framework on-whicihL ifc stinds, is fixed on rollers, 16 in number," and the whole fabric is moved forward todrive auother row in less than two minutes. Ifc wiil be thus seen that in the cirryiug onfc o£ this work cro=s shifting of the pile-engine will be almost done away with, as it will require to be moved only IS inches sideways to drive the fifth pile of each row, and tie engme can be shifted from one position to another in two minutes. The process we hive described is a strong contrast to the antiquated arrangements that bave.hitherfco obtained here. Messrs Hawkins and Co/s system is the same as that which they have pursued in Lyttelton. wliere they have found it to answer well. They have' there built a jetty 336 feet long and GO feet wide, and are now cuustructing the breakwater. The piles are driven by two powerfat doukey-engines. The present contract is for. the extension of the wharf 1160 feet, bufc the" contractors have provided plant of an expensive and superior description, as thejr anticipate having to carry out an extensioit of their present work. At a distance of ten feet inside each row of piles will be driven asixth pile (a stay pile), which will bs connected with the row, and will take the strain of the earth-work off them. The piles now being put down are from 38 feet to 42 feet long, which lengths will enable tl« berths along the line of extension to tc dredged to a considerable depth. The work will be carried out under the direction o£ experienced overseers. From the way the firm have gone about their business, we are impressed with the opinion that their advent among us wiil be a great advantage to a numerous porMon of the industrial community uot alone as regards their particular branch, of business, but because the introduction oE one new idea is sure to be followed by others^, and to generate a desire for improvement. Messrs Hawkins and Co. have shown a spirit of enterprise, and have set a good example by discarding old and cumbrous methods, and therefore, we heartily welcome them ta our midst.