HARBOUR CONTROL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19024, 26 May 1936, Page 12

HARBOUR CONTROL

GISBORNE BOARD MEETS ANNUAL REVIEW 'Pile monthly meeting of Ibe (l isbnriiis Harbour Botin I wns Imlil yesterday. this |i ji ir tin* last tii oft tins /’t the term for which the chairman, Mr. -T. Tomblestm. v. 1 as elect eel in .Tune Inst. There wore present. :it the meeting Messrs. Tonibloso.n; A. .1. Nicol, .1. B. HrntidJnirsfc, T. Corson, I. Quigley, II •!- F. ' ToiuMpkoii, M. Doyle, •). I’.. I’en<.•oll. ,|. .). Macdonald. F. U. VVUlitims, W. T. Vcilcb. M. T. Tratfnrd. Lb Smitli, .•inti F. E. Wilson.

WORKS COMMITTEE REPORT The works committee presented its monthly report as under: “Awapuni Lagoon. —As directed by tins board, the committee has given pome consideration to the cliairnmn s proposal for reclaiming the Awap.nn lagoon area, by turning Waipaoa. River siil>laden iloodwaters into it by means of pipes or some other method. Oil May 6, the committees made, an inspection around the area, and being lavourably impressed with the proposal, took, steps to ascertain the probable cost of obtaining data relating to it. An offer regarding this will lie placed before the hoard in committee. ■‘Leading Beacons. —With reference to the report submitted to the hoard by the harbourmaster, with regard to the necessity’ for higher leading beacons tor vessels, .entering,the \pner harbour, the eonji-

iriittee directed the secretary-manager to endeavour to obtain a drawing ol suitable steel towers, and to ascertain the probable cost. “Dredge A.C. burners.- —The committee attended a demonstration on the now dredge, arranged through the courtesy of Mr. I. d. Quigley, as manager of the Gisborne Lightering Company. A connection was made from the Karoro s ail-storage tank to the burner ot one of t,he cranes. The test furnished the necessary data regarding suitable air pressures for its hunters.’’

The report was discussed 1 briefly. Mr. Nicol, chairman of the works eoinniillee. intimating with regard to the leading lights, that the harbourmaster, Captain A. Carson, had made a change in his original idea as to the best means ol overcoming the dillicull.y. 11 is new scheme, would be further dealt with al next meeting. As to the steam-raising problem on the dredge A.C., Mr. Nicol stated that 11 to demonstration of force-ieeding hud been most informative, but that in this connection, too, there was further information, now available which would simplify the task of laising steam lor working tlie dredge. Mr. Nicol expressed the committee’s thanks to the si till ol the Karoro, for the interesting demonstration of employing air pressure tor pumping oil to the burners. Mr. Quigley stated that, in outline, the latest scheme for improving I be dredge was to install self-contained blowers attached to the burners, which would improve the combustion of the oil luel. The chairman said that the board would await the issue- of the correspondence now in train, with the Pricstmau Construction Company, relative to the best- method of overcoming present dis-

advantages, before going further into Ihe matter, or involving the hoard in expense. The report was adopted. CIIAIILMAN’S REPORT The chairman submitted a review ol the position of the board, and ol flic i developments of the past year, as loliows : - - “To-dav brings to an end my seventh year of olliee as your chairman, and I wish to thank my deputy-chairman, j board members, the stalf and the press for their co-operation, criticism and assistance in all mailers. “During (lie year the most in I cresting event lias been the construction and setting to work of the board's new grub dredger A.C To-day's chart, shows whal has already been done. During the right months in which no dredging was carried ••ill. I lie sand hank at the root <• t Ihe groyne gradually closed up the. channel to 6Cfl. This was near enough, to be 'unpleasant. but to-day's chart, shows a width of CO ft. Willi a depth ol 1211. at, low water on spring tide. This is quite siltisl’aetoi.v to I In* hanliniirnuister, and "very day's work still furl her improves Ihe position. The channel aimed ill- is lfiOfl. "The old break water is slowly, but. very slowly, dropping to pieces. If il si ill was required to carry art engine ami trucks, repairs would be necessary, but. as that is not likely to happen and (lie pieces I mention are not less than If) to !. r > lons. I have no uneasiness, about the mat ter. “The sea 'wall seems In he satisfactory, except that some of the waling,s have been liadlv split for n long time. 1 propose asking the works committee to i ll ■ spect,

“The wave expansion basin has never been allowed to .fulfil its purpose. As a result, a heavy swell still comes up the < hannei on occasion, causing continual heavy wear on all moorings in tlio barge basin, including our own. Now that dredging operations have been resumed, and sand coining into the Channel can ho coped with, I hope to see more of the groyne removed, with Die surge going into the basin instead of up the channel. “Tb must he a matter of considerable satisfaction to members to know that the building of the A.C. entailed no call on our ratepayers for further funds, cither in the shape of loan or increase in harbour rates, and 111 at, we still retain an interest-earning reserve fund ol e io.ooo. ’' _______________