HARBOUR BOARD REPORTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14357, 29 October 1908, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD REPORTS.

Tlic following report bv Ihe engineer to the (Itago Harbour Hoard oil the various work-, now in progress in the harbour will bo submitted lo tins afternoon's mc-t----in.Hf of tho board: — Dredging.—Dredge 222 went into dock ,on the 29th of last monlli for her annual overhaul. The repairs, compared with last overhaul, will bo light. During the month of September the dredge removed from Victoria. Channel, pile 13, 18,033 cubic yards; from pile 28, 24,425 cubic yards; and from thu elaamcrs' basin 833 cubio yards; making a tola! of 43,351 cubic yards, oF which 4998 were deposited inshore south of Harrington Toint, and the balance (38,353 cubic yards) at (he Vulcan, and pumped on lo li-avensbourne endowment, at a combined cost- of 6d per cubic yard. 'Ihc Vulcan finished dredging ut 111? Kavcnsbourne endowment oil the ]7th October, after Oi weeks' dredging, which may be considered satisfactory, us a gcod deal of time was lost through bad v.-c.it-iier and shipping. Silica the removal of the Vulran from tho end of Victoria wharf lo llavcnsbourne the Prioalinan bass been engaged dredging tho ground between the pj l ' and Iho trestle carrying the discharge pipes. This shoal caused inconvenience lo lb Vulcan's punts at low water. When the Stuart si reel drain is completed it is proposed lo close the aperture left at Iho cntl of tho Victoria wharf, so that 1l:o depths hove can lie maintained. During lr."=t month the Pricstman was working at the end of the Victoria wharf, ami removed 192 cubic yard:, whir.li was deposited in (lie Vulcan's pit. Dredge 404 has just finished her annual overhaul and survey. Rho was in doek for four days. 'J'lio hopper doors received careful attention, il being necessary lo have them perfectly light, as the material she is dredging)is fine sand, which finds its way through the f-ma-llrsi crevice. The pump, engines, and bailor have been thoroughly overhauled, and certificate obtained for another year. On tbe 19th she .proceeded to tho 110ad.5. 1 fepio-mber the dredge removed 25,800 eubie yards from Iho channel across the flat, which wore, dcposilcd inshore south of Harrington Point Heads \Yorb.--Tho slotio in the quarry continues to be of lino quality. On the 9lh inst. a tunnel was fired,'bringing down il largo face of good stone. Between l-ho 29th August and 26th September 1170 cubic yards of atone were, deposited on Ihc north spit wall, 90 cubic yards on the endowment wall at Pclichet Hay. making a total of 1260 cubic yards for tho month, ol a cost, cf Is lid per cubic yard for gelling and depositing, and about Gd per cubic yard for towage. Tho channel across Ihc Hat rontinues lo improve both in width and depih, Ihe minimum depth over Ihc slioalesl part being now 24ft, ar.d available for vessels drawing up lo 27ft of waler. The j.s. Athenie,. 500 ft Jong- by 63ft beam, 12.234 lons, and one of the. largest vessels Hading lo Ibo Dominion, entered tho Port on Hie lPth iiifl. I propose personally to conduct a survey of Ihc I.ower Harbour during Iho months of November and December. Various Works—The reclaiming of the southern porlion of Ibe llavonsbourno endowment is completed. The filling on is level with the formation of ihc' railway. The longitudinal walling along Ihc frontage of Vic!aria wharf has been finished for a distance of 260 ft. The concrete backing along the Jelly street wharf is well in hand. Permission has been granted by Ibo Oitv Council lo erect Ih.o storage shed S, llaltrav street wharf, on feel-ions 44 and 45, block LXIH, near Victoria- wharf. This shed will lie used sr. store ami workshop. The platform at the end of Iho Jetty :,lreet wharf is owing complclion, and is now being decked. .-V good fTJny.ly of sheet piles now being iii stock, a- .start bus been made lo drive them along the frontage of Kitcbcncr street, in continuation of the prc-'ent retaining wall. A good deal of filling is coining lo hand, including some rotten rock, which i - being used us a foundation for the continuation of Jolty street. The PolichotHay reclamation i« receiving all?nlion during the Vulcan's absent;? ut Haven?bourne. The banks fronting the l.eith and 1 harbour have been heightened, and a spillway 70i"l long pill in at the lower corner opposite Logan's l'oinl. The moulding of Ihc conereie piles for the wharf facing Kilchcnor street has been coninienccd, the necessary slccl having conic to hand. The contractor far the open shed on the cross wharf'will bo starting erecting during Ihc coming week. The limber and piles fur Ihc Itnllray sired- wharf widening are behind contract time, Advice has been received that they may bo c>:pectc<l alwul ibe second week in November, when a startwill be made with the widening of Rattray street wharf. It is proposed to paint all the wharf shed?, and a start has been made ut tho cross wharf. The movable beacon behind the inner light in the Lower Harbour is finished. Tho usual repairs have been effected lo wharves,-sheds, ami punts.