TIMARU HARBOUR WORKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1340, 4 August 1877, Page 17

TIMARU HARBOUR WORKS.

TO THE EDITOR. Slß— l have carefully read your leader on the Timaru Breakwater, and agree with it so far as that it would be a waste of public money to carry out Sir J. Coode's plan. lam no engineer, but have common sense enough to guide me in saying if the greatest depth ot water that can be obtained within this work, even if it should stand the storms, is only 21ft, and this with an open end towards the shore, when the waves wosld come rolling in and cause so great a commotion that vessels drawing over 12 to 15ft. of water would be in danger of bumping their bottoms out, then I say it would be a mistake for the Government to commit the country t» bo great an outlay for bo little good. But, Sir, I do not agree with you that a single line of railway is capable of carrying all the produce and other goods within any reasonable time to the shipping ports. Look at the block that took place on the Canterbury h"n«» during last grain season. When we take into account the rapid strides agriculture is making in that Province, I say it is utterly impossible for a single line of rails to provide for the wants of the districts in Canterbury. I believe, therefore, that a harbour made at a cost under LIOO.OOO would be a boon to South Canterbury and a gain also to the enterprising merchants of Dunedin, who are fast losing their hold of the trade of that Province through the clumsy mode of traneit and landing. It is true that an expenditure of LIOO.OOO at Timaru would not give us a harbour capable of admitting vessels of over 100 tons burden ; but what Timaru cannot do, some other place may. Of the numerous land-locked, basins of water along that coast, Tetnuka is at present spoken off, and I believe Mr Hardy Johnatone is just now engaged surveying one of these' natural harbours within four miles of the Temuka township, where, I believe, a depth of some 12 to 15ft. of water ia found within the shingle bank, which at present bars out the sea. This basin, extending from a quarter of a mile broad to two mile" long, ia (it is believed by competent engineers) capable of being scooped out to a depth for admitting vessels of from 600 to 800 tons. The bottom is of soft clay, which with a few shots of dynamite could be stirred up and the great flow of fresh water from three rivers and numerous creeks would speedily carry it out to sea were an opening made in the shingle bank. This is proved by tha fact, that although thousands of tons of shingle are frequently carried into the Lagoon every fresh that takes place, not a particle is to be found on the clay bottom of the same, the whole being carried out to the sea by the opening made when the basin gets swelled up in time of floods. If then, a permanent opening could be made on the same principle as that at Kakanui, where there is a great depth of water outside, and ten times more fresh_ water scour than at Kakanui, surely, I say, it would be sound policy on the part oi the Government to enact that one half, at least, of the LIOO.OOO voted for Harbour works in South Canterbury, should be spent upon such a work. For about such sum, I am informed, it could be done, and if accomplished it would very soon become another outlet for Dunedin merchandise. It is a well-known fact, that Christchufch merchants have never yet been able to compete with Dunedin merchants, other things bein« equal. It has been said by some that a bar would gather at the mouth, and very soon block up the entrance. In reply, I may state that several times during last twelvemonths an opening, some 150 ft. wide, and of a depth capable of admitting our coasting steamers has ©ccured several times. Notwithstanding there is nothing to keep back the moving shingle, this entrance has kept open from six weeks to two months during heavy storms. If such is the case, is there not reason to believe if piers were carried out some three or four hundred feet and into deep water, the opening would be permanent ? It is to be hoped, therefore, the Government will, at least, appoint a commission to decide upon this or some other likely site, and not allow the Timaru people to fritter away the LIOO.OOO now in their hands for what will be no national benefit.— l am, &c., A Merchant.