THE MOERAKI JETTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 21

THE MOERAKI JETTY.

The plans of the proposed Jetty at j^loeraki were prepared by Mr G. M. TBarr, Provincial Engineer, so far back as March, 1870, and were sent home with the object of having the iron work for tlio jetty made according to them. The iron work arrived some months ago, and the Provincial Government is now in treaty with the General Government for the latter to take over the construction of the work, Tinder the railway scheme. The jetty was designed nt first as a road jetty ; but the iron work will, it is calculated, be _of sufficient strength to allow of trains running on it. Some reclamation will be executed in the neighbourhood of the jetty, so as to allow room for the erection of a railway terminus. The approach to the jetty will be formed of solid material, to be faced on the exposed slopes either with large stones or concrete blocks. Tho jetty itself is to extend from the approach. There are to be sixteen piers — each of two piles, braced diagonally with T iron— and a T head. The jetty, including the T head, extends out from the approach to a distance of 302 ft ., and into a depth of between 12ft. and 13ft. at low water. The piles below low water mark are to be solid columns of iron, Gin. in diameter. They will be fitted into screw sockets, and will be screwed down to a depth of 13ft. into the clay forming the bottom, which will make a good holding ground for the piles. The upper portions of the piles are formed of plate iron, in four segments, which are riveted together by flanges, thus forming hollow columns. This has been adopted both as a matter of economy and for convenience in erection. On the top of each pile is to be fixed a cast iron cap, forming a bed for the girders supporting the roadway. The piles of the jetty and T head are to support 47 main girders, to be placed longwise, and 17 to be placed crosswise ; and on them the timber carrying the rails of the railway, and the planking for the foot-passenger traffic, are to rest. The floor of the jetty is to be nearly 15 feet across, and to be protected by a handrailing 3ft. 9in. in height, extending along the whole length of each side, Tho space between high water level at spring tides, and the lowest part of the girders, is designed to be 9 ft., so as to allow free passage for the water. This is a height to which they do not rise in ordinary storms. A further precaution against the action of the waves has been taken in leaving narrow spaces between the planks forming the floor of the jetty. The space between the line of rails on which the train is to nm is not to be floored at all, so that if the waves should rise to an extraordinary height, they would escape through the unfloored space and the openings between the planking, instead of being confined under the jetty, at the risk of injuring it. The more exposed parts of the jetty will be protected by fender piles of Jarrah timber, and these, it is considered, will be amply sufficient to protect it in the event of its being struck by wreck, or any other ponderous floating material. There are to be moorings fixed beyond the head of the jetty, and to these vessels are to be made fast, so that they can lie alongside the jetty without causing any injurious strain upon it ; nearly all the strain will be on the moorings. The total cost of the work is expected to be from £0000 to £7000.