HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26199, 9 July 1946, Page 6

HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT

BRITISH ENGINEERS’ VISIT WEST COAST PROPOSALS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 8. “A visit by two British engineers to report on the West Coast harbours has now been brought to fruition,” said the Minister of Marine, Mr J. O’Brien, to-day. “It is hoped that,with Messrs Buckton and Clark making a visit, certain recommendations will be mpde whilst they are in New Zealand to enable the Government to give immediate consideration to the improvements suggested. Messrs Buckton and Clark are senior members of the well-known engineering firm of Rendel, Palmer, and Tritton, of Westminster. Both engineers have a wide experience of harbour matters, and particularly bar harbours.”

The Minister said that the two engineers would arrive in Auckland on or about July 11, and would have a conference.in Wellington for a few dqys. They would then proceed to Greymouth, where they would spend several days investigating the improvements required to the Greymouth : harbour, the' suggested alternative of a harbour at Point Elizabeth, and a- proposal put forward for a deep-sea harbour at Lake Mahinapua. . After several days in Greymouth they would proceed to Westport, where the main consideration would be improvements to the Westport harbour and the proposals put forward for Charleston and Cape Foulwind. It might be possible for-the engineers to carry out an inspection of the Karamea and Little Wanganui harbours on the same visit. “ I feel sure,” the Minister said.

“ that as the outcome of this visit of eminent harbour engineers, the problem of maintaining at all times sufficient depth of water on our West Coast harbours to ensure the ingress and egress of coal vessels at all periods of the year will be overcome. If this can be done, it will assist materially in overcoming the North Island coal shortage, which is so important to industry generally.”