PUMPING OPERATIONS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14445, 3 November 1917, Page 3

PUMPING OPERATIONS.

A heavy south-easterly swell that set m the bay yesterday afternoon interfered with dredging operations at the river entrance. Notwithstanding the surge the Harbormaster, Captain Carson, considered that m view of the results obtainable, it was advisable to carry on. About 3-30 p.m., however, a mooring ring On the breakwater extension gave way under the heavy strain, necessitating a suspension of operations, and the Maui had to go out and anchor until the tide rose sufficiently to enable the vessel to be brought m to her berth. Discussing the position with a Herald' representative to-day the consulting engineer. Mr Leslie Reynolds, said that it had now been decided, m the event of the conditions being unfavorable to the dredger working at the exposed entrance, to make a start with the clearance along the town wharf. Consequently, if the sea did not permit pumping being resumed at the mouth of the river on Monday, the Maui would start at the lower end of the town wharf, and I would work right along the wharf, thus J providing berthage room for vessels on the town side. This, he explained, would only be m the nature of a stand-by job ' to be carried on when it was impossible to work outside. Once the dredger has I cleared the shoal at the entrance, and has pumped out a channel inside under the shelter of the breakwater, it will be possible to push on with the job of clearing the channel m almost any weather. „ . • Mr Reynolds went on to explain that m initiating the pumping at the lower end of the town wharf space would not permit of the navigation of the Maui with the 60ft. length of pipe projecting from the bow, consequently people need not be .surprised if fbr a day or two pumping was Carried on m this locality with only a short section of the discharge pipe, or perhaps none at all. Whilst the circumstances *would for a few days necessitate pumping only on the v ebb tide, people need not think they were going back to the old system, but as soon as the dredger made swinging room she would be backed up alongside the wharf and once round the corner. of the wharf the spoil would be discharged from the extension pipe right over on the Kaiti aide. Pumping would then i>e pushed on at all stages of the tide. This, he added, would work m with the scheme for! the narrowing of the river by the erection of groynes. The first of these S"royneß would be erected about mid-way etween the Kaiti bridge and the creek, the second at the\ Takapuna's old berth, and a third below the. coal bunker, and ' directly opposite the slip. .Soundings were taken by the Harbormaster to-day, and Mr Leslie Reynolds subsequently intimated ' that, notwithstanding ~the delay m getting a start vrith the actual pumping, the results of this preliminary effort were satisfactory and already an improvement had been effected m the depth.