FURTHER DELAYS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17346, 25 August 1930, Page 2

FURTHER DELAYS

HARBOR DREDGING WORK EFFECT OF BAD WEATHER RESIDENT ENGINEER’S REPORT. A week’s work was lost through bad weather during the past month in connection with the harbor dredging work, and a further delay of 10 days was aettsed through the necessity of effecting repairs to tlie plant. On the whole, however, the position in the channel and at the entrance is very satisfactory, and in other departments good progress lias been made during the month. lie viewing the works tinder his charge in Ins report to the 'Gisborne Harbor Board at its meeting to-day, the resident engineer, Mr C. F. Marshall Smith, stated: n “Dredging: The output during the period has been small, only a total of 12,700 tons of spoil being removed. More than a week’s work was lost through bad weather, and a further 10 days were lost through a stoppage for repairs. A portion of the area where the dredget i - working was previously blasted, but apparently the rock was not sufficiently shattered and the dredger has been lift ing the rock in huge pieces. These pieces installing from the buckets into the discharge chutes caused buckling and fracture of certain parts, and it. was necessary to repair these before work could proceed. This lias been done, and tin parts affected have been stiffened upso that no further trouble is anticipated, 't hese repairs must lie considered in the light of running costs, and considering the class of material being dredged, they make only a very small 'addition to the cost per toft. THE SHIP CHANNEL

“Soundings were taken of the harbor, and these show that on the whole the, position in the channel and at the entrance is very satisfactory. Conditions at the entrance are improving naturally, luit a temporary shallowing has occurred just inside the'entrance, owing to the action of the seas flattening out the sandbanks. This action has been a slot, one, amounting to only about 6in. m six months. Once these hanks have been removed by the dredger the future maintenance of* the channel should prove a very small matter provided a suitable dredger is obtained. “It lias been considered advisable to put the Korua to work just inside tin entrance for a few days, so as to impioie the width of the channel somewhat for the convenience of shipping, as any further shallowing would lead to a restriction in draught, and we want to avoid any such retrograde step. It is only nr tended to do sufficient to safeguard the channel at present, and the Korua will then return and complete the Waikanae basm. subsequently carrying on with the final cleaning out of the channel.

"Training wall: The contractor is now rnakiiw good progress with (he transport of stone, and has in this respect been able to take advantage of the sct-bac. to the sea wall contract, and arrange for a portion of bis supplies to be obtained from Tuamotu Island without interference with the sea wall contract. During the period approximately 2850 varcb of' stone have been transported and placed in and alongside the work, ot which 1500 yards were obtained from Tuamotu and 1350 from Sponge Bay and VVainui. This amount is being added to during this fine weather at the rate of about 300 yards daily, half from each source. A continuation of fine weather should enable the completion of tins work within a few days. Sea wall: A special report covers tne damage done to this work by a hea\> gale on July 28 and 29. Most of the .vpav has been recovered and overhauled, and is again in place on the wall. Negotiations are in hand regarding the completion of the contract. “Stopbnnk behind slipway: The high tides tot'ether with the seas during ine gale at the end of July practically overtopped the low part, ot the training wall behind the slipway, and alter inspection h v the works committee, it was decided to construct a low stop bank, to prevent the possibility of water flowing from the liver to the Waikanae basin, or vice versa. This work was put in hand at once and completed. HAITI WHARVES

“Haiti Wharves: Section No. 2.—This section is now ail ready for the surfacing, the tenders for which are before you for consideration. Section No. 3. Work is proceeding steadily, and the contractor has now completed 240 ft. of the deck slab together with the corresponding beams and anchors. The filling at the back of the wharf is being continued by the board, as the site becomes available. Cargo shed No. 3.—The contractor is continuing with whatever portions of the structure lie can on the solid ground, and lias completed the rear foundation and loading platform and is now proceed ing with the framing of the rear walls. “Railwav track: The truck Ims been laid on No. 2 wharf ready for concreting in. and the track completed ami ballasted in the vicinity of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers’ turnout. Work is also proceeding westwards along the back oi the Haiti wharf. Wet- weather has caused some delay with this work, but £ood progress is again being mane. “General maintenance work has been carried out wherever necessary to sheds and wharves, floating plant attended to and shifted and moored as required, and various detail work performed.’ Discussing the. flattening of the sandbanks near the entrance to the ship vhannel. the chairman. Mr. J. iomoloson. stated that after the recent storm the board’s officers were extreme! v pleased to find that the depth had not Seen affected, though the channel had become more restricted. Hence it bar; been decided to put the Korua in the channel for a time to widen it, before ,cut inning with the excavation of the Waikanae berthage basin. The v-ost of erecting the stop-bank to nvf lc ’ the Waikanae basin from over'\n tiom the diversion cut. was placed Tv lm, nm.'inner at £4O.

“In inspect to tlic repairs lo Use Konr's discharge gear. Ok* engineer stated that the cost was £1?1, this expenditure lia”'n '' secured the board against a repeti t'o" of the trouble. The papa rock tint! bad been blasted. Mr. Smith stated, was ran sing move trouble than the rock which had not been blasted, owing to the frnit that the blasted portion was coming. uv> in big lumps, whereas the other portion was cut out by the bucket - edges in suitable sizes. The engineer's report was adopted.