A HABBOUR FEASIBLE

Southland Times, Issue 19590, 11 August 1922, Page 6

A HABBOUR FEASIBLE

ADVANTAGES ENUMERATED. DIFFICULTIES NOT GREAT. CANAL SCHEME RESUSCITATED. OPINIONS OF ENGINEER AND HARBOURMASTER. I • Another of the series of monthly luncheons i ' inaugurated by the Invercargill Chamber s lof Commerce was held yesterday, when the ; business men present, representative of I practically .every commercial interest in th'i = district, followed with keen interest the re- ? ma-‘. of Mr G. F. Clapcott, Borough Engineer, and Captain Clare, Harbourmaster, !; on the possibilities of a New River Harbour j and works necessary for its improvement. i After the addresses were delivered there was some discussion, in which the posi sibility of a canal from Bluff was mentioned i by Mr E. H. Whitmore who said he had i I handled plans for the canal some years : ago, aad it seemed to be quite feasible. i . The opinion expressed by Mr H. P. Royds i was that the main obstacle against a good » harbour was the filling up of sand from the ; Sandy Point domain. Years ago big’ craft ! came up the estuary and at that time Sandy i Point was covered with vegetation. The ! vegetation had vanished and now there ’ j were almost mountains of sand moving i across right into the river and on the lower i part cf the harbour. It was easier, he said, : to deal with the cause than with the effect, i and he advocated united action in planting i Marram grass and later on lupins, at Sandy i Point and taking other steps to hold the i: sand. The Chandjer. of Commerce, the i j Borough Council and the Southland League i; could get together, he suggested, to take I? the matter up and form some sort of a I domain board. ! He moved “That the executive of the i Chamber of Commerce should carefully = consider this matter and approach other = bodies to get expert opinion, and take up some definite work on Sandy Point domain to improve the harbour.” 1 i Mr C. J. Brodrick, president of the South- ! ’ land League, seconded the motion, saying I: the work was a necessary one. Sandy Point = would make a beautiful resort and he I j thought the Borough Council should take ■ = action as it was their endowment. [ i Another argument advanced by Mr j Biodrick in favour of harbour works was J that tide water damming up the Waihopai | i had changed Collingwood into a morass. |! A bank was once proposed across the esi tuary at Spey street or thereabouts and it i was a pity this had not been proceeded 1 with and Hoodgates put in to hold up the 1 tide water. Higher up the Waihopai, he : had been informed, a large area of land ? was unproductive and undrainable because ! of tliis tidal backwash. A MATTER OF FINANCE. j At this stage the Mayor of Invercargill, M Mr J. F. Lillicrap, took a hand in the dis- || 1 cushion. He said the improvement of :in the harbour was merely a matter of finance. There were no engineering difficulties. Present jg and past Councillors knew a good deal more It about, it. than some of those present. It . i was all very well about the harbour : as if it had not been thoroughly inveatiI: gated before. In the past the Borough I Council had improved the harbour up to i = a certain point. Then it had become a !; matter of finance. A dredge was needed ; and the Council of the day had paid about 111 £5OOO for one. Ultimately trade began to Ifall off and the position became so bad that the dredge was sold. He had no doubt j’H that the New. River Board had justified its ’i|i existence and he believed that the areas already reclaimed would in years to come / • produce revenue sufficient to pay for great ■• Ci improvements to the harbour. “There arc

no difficulties,” he reiterated, “it simplv resolves itself into a matter of financk Trade I would come here if the harbour were suitable,” But he for one was certainly not prepared to settle the cost of making a harbour upon the citizens of Invercargill. They had already to bear the burden of £l5OO a year interest as a harbour legacy from the past.. | and for this sum recurring annually there wds no return. That was one of the things which made the rates go up. A harbour would be a great advantage to Invercargill. He had some old photographs of the harbour and the amount of shipping there w as ' surprising. He firmly believed that those I old days would come again in a reasonably short period of time. (Applause). HARBOUR HISTORY Mr Clapcott, in his address said, first that in the year 187 S, the New River Harbour Board obtained from Sir John Coode, who was at that time visiting New Zealand, a report on the harbour. This report was i followed later by one from the late Mr ‘| ; J T. Thomson. The improvements sugI gesf.ed by these engineers were almost i identical. The works recomnrended inI eluded a new wharf at th? present site; the ! construction of training walls on each side i of the channel adjacent to the wharf, and I dredging a straight channel from the lower end of the wharf to Spey street. They also recommended the construction of a training wall at Sandy Point, to divert the tidal currents from the Riverton Beach side, over to the Omaui shore. The plans were approved by the Harbour Board; but the works recommended were only partially ; carried out and included the construction of the training walls near the wharf, ’and a limited amount of dredging and wharf extension. It is to be regretted that the dredging could not have been extended to Spey street as intended, as this would have provided a good scour past the wharf. The training wall at Sandy Point was also an essential work, if the bar was to be maintained in a satisfactory condition. Comparing the present depths of the channel near the wharf with the depths shown on the old plans referred to, there had been very little change except, at the lower end of the training walls, and the upper reaches of the harbour where considerable silting had occurred. Originally there was 8 feet of water at the lower end of the training walls; now there was only 2 feet 6 inches. No doubt this was due to the reclamation embankment across the north channel. SHIPPING In regard to shipping, Mr Clapcott said there had been a great falling off in the trade of the port, compared with the earlier days. The decrease is attributed to various causes; but principally to the lack of back loading. When timber was being exported from the Invercargill wharf, boats could depend on a back cargo, but as the local bush became exhausted the trade petered out. The question of back loading was fully discussed by members of the Chamber of Commerce and others conversant. with shipping, during a visit to the New River Heads some months ago. The general opinion was that Southland’s principal Dominion trade was with the North Island, and if produce was to be shipped from the Invercargill wharf a steamer of sufficient carrying capacity (approximately 600 to 800 tons) capable of trading with the North Island, was absolutely essential. This view was also confirmed by Mr Keith Ramsay, of Dunedin, who was thoroughly experienced in matters connected with the N.Z. coastal trade. From his remarks it would be seen how important it, was if a steamer was to pay her way, that she should have back freight. Taking it for granted that a steamer service such as mentioned was essential, if the trade of the port was to be improved, provision would have to be made for improving the harbour by dredging, so that boats drawing 12 feet of water could- use the port. IMPROVEMENTS In connection with carrying out necessary improvements expenditure must not be allowed to exceed certain limits, otherwise the port charges would be such that boats instead of trading here as anticipated, would go to the Bluff, the natural deep water port. Dredging only for providing shipping facilities would not pay; but considered in conjunction with reclamation work adjacent to the town, put the position in a far more favourable light and was well worth careful consideration. In every port in New Zealand, where reclamation had been carried out in conjunction with harbour improvements, the reclaimed lands

were proving extremely valuable assets, and their value continued to increase as the respective towns and cities grew. Invercargill had an area to be reclaimed immediately adjacent, to the Railway Station, extending from Spey street to the wharf, which, when filled in would provide ideal sites for stores, with adequate railway sidings and road access. The whole of the material for filling would be dredged from the channel, extending from the end of the training walls, up to Spey street, practically completing the scheme of harbour improvement as laid down by Sir John Coode and Mr J. T. Thomson.

HARBOUR ENDOWMENTS Harbour endowments had a total area (exclusive of the reclamation) of approxmately 7,100 acres, varying in size from an eighth of an acre to 4,800 acres. The unimproved value of the endowments is £10,200, and the improved value £7,000. The annual rentals received amounted to £B4O. Regarding rentals, and referring again to the value of reclaimed land adjacent to the town, he stated that there were several sections of reclaimed land only onefifth of an acre, which returned a larger rental than 1000 to 2000 acres of the rural land. A large proportion of the rural endowment land was poor, and not suitable for farming, and it had been suggested by those who took a keen interest in afforestation, that those areas should be planted with young trees, suitable for milling and thereby provide a valuable future asset. As farm lands, they had been tried put for the past forty years, and the results to-day were no better than at the start, with very little prospect of improvement. The Awarua and Sandy Point endowments were undoubtedly suitable for growing good timber, and the suggestion that planting should be taken in hand at an early date was well worthy of consideration. Apart from the value of the timber, the planting of timber belts on the endowment to the west of the railway, from Clifton to Awarua, would undoubtedly tend to give visitors to the town via Bluff, a more favourable impression of the district than was conveyed at present. SANDY POINT Regarding the Sandy Point Domain, the cultivation of flax in conjunction with the afforestation of the area should not be lost sight of, as the areas lying between the sand ridges, when drained, grew splendid flax, and at the present time the only revenue derived' from this endowment of 4,800 acres was from the flax. The sand drift had, by the judicious planting of marram grass by the Corporation Reserves Department, been controlled over a large area of the endowment, and a scheme of afforestation could now be drawn up. In conclusion, he was of opinion that the future of the harbour was dependent on, and must be taken in conjunction with, the following factors: - 1. Increasing the revenue from the present endowments by developing on the lines suggested. 2 The reclaiming of existing mud flats adjacent to the town in conjunction with dredging the channel. 3 The developing of a Coastal shipping trade with the North Island, or other Dominion ports, that will assure back load ing over the Invercargill wharf. The port, if it was to pay its way, must depend to a large extent for revenue from returns from development on the lines enumerated. PRACTICAL STEAMER COSTS At the conclusion of his address, Mr Clapcott read a letter he had received from Mr K. Ramsay, of Dunedin, in response to an inquiry regarding the cost of running the s.s. Kotare. The data given showed that during the period July, 1920 to July, 1921, she ran ten months at a cost cf £9302, including repairs costing £1733. After writing off £195 depreciation, she I showed a loss of £754 for the year.

A comparison between costs’for 1914 and 1920 (when the vessel worked for 10 months) is given in the table below:— 1914 1920-21 £ £ Coal 630 1678 Wages and overtime 1513 2485 Provisions 447 751 Stores 187 397 Repairs 345 1213 Wharf labour 666 1891 Regarding trade with the North Island, Mr Ramsay stated it would be useless to run a vessel unless she could carry 600 tons, but he would prefer one to carry 800 tons. A recently-built boat of thi;? capacity would cost about £20,000, and th. cost of running an up-to-date cargo steamer would be about £5O per day. As for trade prospects, while a vessel leaving Invercargill at regular intervals would reach the North Island a full ship, back-loading would have to be available. “My own candid opinion, is that you would be wise to delay matters until working expenses come down to a reasonable level,” concluded Mr Ramsay. “They are too high insofar as running steamers are concerned and you would find the same thing apf>ly when you came to run a dredge.” CAPTAIN CLARES VIEWS CAUSE OF SILTING CANAL NOT IMPOSSIBLE Captain Clare said: “The reason why our harbour is in its present unsatisfactory state is: because its possible worth as an asset to the town has never been fully appreciated. In regard to the closing of the harbour (a question that has been frequently discussed) if such a course were adopted, I fear there would be a difference in railway freights before long on goods railed to Invercargill. Instead of the harbour being a drain on the town's funds, in my opinion it should be a profitable and paying concern, especially as such a proposition could be so reasonably made possible. “Undoubtedly the chief reason for the port’s inactivity is want of water; even had we two feet more of water in our upper harbour channel, the position, I am sure, would be very different, as there are ample boats available on the cost that would be able to work the port under those conditions. “Regarding the trade of the port under present conditions the s.s. Kotare appears to be the only suitable vessel available for the Invercargill-Dunedin trade. “Since March 7, when the Kotare resumed running here, she has put up some very creditable performances for a vessel of her type; on one occasion she made three trips in 10 days and on another three trips in 8 days from Dunedin to Invercargill. “Touching on the effect of the reclamation on the harbour, as far as the reclamation has gone, its effect has been disastrous, the old ship-channel at Bushy Point becoming completely blocked, while in the other parts the channel has shoaled about Ift Bins, in 6 years. The rifle-range embankment has been the means of deflecting the current with a hard set toward the foreshore between Pleasure Bay and the foot of Tweed street with the result that in heavy weather a considerable amount of erosion takes place in this locality. In advocating the resumption of reclamation works I do on condition that such work Is to be the means of producing revenue wherewith to deepen and improve the channel for shipping. “Unless we are prepared to dredge, I would be the last one to suggest cutting any more water off and thereby reducing the natural scour further. In my opinion the next work carried out should be a full tide wall running from Avenal to Kew following along the east side of the channel, the present route of the half-tide training wall, the material from the bed of the channel to be pumped over behind such wail.

“Land here reclaimed, would be abutting the town, thereby becoming very valuable for town extension purposes. Shipping will again revive at Invercargill even if it has to come by canal through Bluff.

“It has been said that to make a harbour at Invercargill would be impossible. I consider that after Panama, nothing in that direction is impossible. “I consider to cater for vessels drawing up to 12 feet is all we need to bother about,

and to do this, not more than about half ’ a mile all told would require dredging. Here I are no engineering difficulties tp contend with, no rock, and no river silt. The lower harbour would be kept permanently good by a groin running out from the Sandv Point side to a point that would ensure the scour being kept along the south shore and as a result the bar would be protected by Omaui Island, as Is the case when the . lower harbour channel is at its best.

“In my opinion the coal and sugar that we import, for the use of our town and district should be landed over our own wharf and a return freight given also over our own wharf.

“The reclaiming of the Sandy Point domain from its present state of almost barren waste, to my mind, is an item that deserves the utmost consideration besides being a gigantic enemy of the harbour. If the drift, sand were stopped it would reduce the likelihood of the Oreti altering her course to ! a minimum, and I am sure would be the ’ means of keeping the harbour channel nor- I mal. In the north the Government is supplying labour for the purpose of planting marram grass—could not such a course be prevailed upon for our own domaip. Then besides, there is the question of afforestation. “If Riverton Beach is to be made the watering place of the town, via Otatara Bridge, the sand nuisance will have to be seriously dealt with. “Referring to the periodical changes which take place in the lower harbour, I find that in transformation of such (that is to say, when the channel in use becomes located on the north side of the harbour instead of the south side) that the first entry noted of such a change is dated 1865, then again in the year 1893, and the course of the change taking place at present, thus showing that the cycles are pretty regularly timed. “I do not think though, that it has ever been known for such a large body of sand to have been lodged adjacent to the south shore as at present is the case. This body of sand is at least 14 miles long, A mile wide, with an average depth of 15 feet, and had grown to these dimensions in 5 years; the sand is that which, has been blown into the Oreti River and been carried down by the tide.” At the conclusion of the addresses anti discussion Mr Roods’ motion was carried. HEAVY TRAFFIC * CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES THE ROADS QUESTION DISCUSSED A conference of representatives of various local bodies in Southland was held in the Council Chambers yesterday afternoon to consider the question of framing a common by-law in connection with heavy and exceptional traffic and to consider the advisability of pooling and apportioning license fees. The Mayor (Mr J. F. Lillicrap) presided, and there were present representatives of the Southland County Council, Wallace County Council, Nightcaps, Otautau and Wyndham Town Boards, Invercargill, Bluff, Riverton and Gore Borough Councils, and of the Southland Electric Power Board. The local bodies not represented were the Queenstown. Winton, South Invercargill, and Mataura Borough Councils. The Mayor said that the matter of heavy traffic was one of great importance to the province and one in which all local authorities were interested. Recently the Heathcote County Council had held a conference to discuss the matter, and a sub-committee had been appointed to go into the matter and to suggest what steps should be taken to cope with heavy traffic. As the result of the committee’s recommendations bylaws had been drawn up and passed by the Christchurch City Council, provision also having been made for the apportionment of

license fees. It was competent for the Invercargill Borough -Council to pass by-laws relating to heavy traffic, and the necessary authority could be obtained to make these applicable to an area within five miles of the borough boundary. Other loeff authorities, however, were similarly affect ed to the Invercargill Borough, and it had been decided to invite all local authorities to be represented at the conference. It appeared to him that it would be advisable for each local authority to pass a common by-law and then it could be decided whether the fees should be pooled and distributed proportionately or whether each authority should collect its own fees. It was desirable that they should keep in mind tha definition of heavy traffic, which applied to traction engines and other vehicles over a certain weight. Certain motor lorries would come withing the definition, but a number of the lighter vehicles plying for hire would not. If the local authoritis were of the opinion that something should be done in the direction indicated, it would probably be wise to set up a sub-committee to go fully into the matter. Mr T. D. Lennie expressed the view that as the cost of the up-keep of the roads and streets was greatly increased by the heavy traffic passing over them, it was only right that the owners of these vehicles should contribute something towards it. He thought that the way suggested was the most satisfactory to overcome the difficulty and considered that a representative committee should be appointed to draw up regulations which would meet with the approval of all local authorities. Mr A. H. Mackrell said that the question was one which had assumed great importance in many countries. The transport of goods and people by motor was becoming more and more common. Railway freights had given them an opening and motor cars had been brought up tn such a state of efficiency that they could now successfully comnete with the railways. They would always be able to do this because they could deliver goods right at the terminal points. The roads were not originally constructed to withstand heavy traffic, but they would have to be. If license fees were imposed on heavy traffic alone it would not bring in any great amount of money in comparison with the work which would require to be done. If it was decided to fix a sum and to pool the fees each local authority would not get much out of it. Motor cars were a commercial success and were there to stay. While in Australia he found that for ever motor color which a license was issued, an annual fee of £8 was collected. He did not. know what the amount of the motor lorry license was but that would have to be the line upon which they would work if a remedy was to be found. Every motorist who found that his tyres were being damaged by the state of the roads would not object to an annual levy being made. Some of the lorries being used on the road to-day were doing the. roads good because of the wide tyres used, but those with the narrow tyres were doing an equal amount of harm. The fast travelling motor car with a load of passengers, however, was doing quite as much damage as the heavy traffic, and they were only beating the air by framing by-laws which did not relate to the lighter vehicles. He had heard someone say, that they would have to put the lorries off the road but that would never be, and anyone who gave thought to future development would realise that motor transport was of great value. Instead ot drawing up by-laws as suggested, he was of the opinion that it would be better if Parliament were approached for permission to have regulations drawn up, whereby money would be collected from all owners of motor cars. Mr T. Fraser, chairman of the boutnland County Council, said that the conditions in Australia and Southland were quite different. The roads here had not been built to stand up to heavy trrnfic, especially during the winter months. They had an instance of that in connection with the road to Monowai. The Power Board had first thought of using steam traction on this road, but if they had done so it would have, cost them several thousands of pounds. The County Councils had been patiently waiting for a Main Highways Bill, but one'had not yet been drafted which hail been satisfactory. He did not think that the Borough had any right to go outside of its own boundaries and it was quite, competent for the meeting to pass a reso-

lution objecting to any such course beir; taken. Motor lorries went over a mil or two of streets in Invercargill, but the; passed over 30 or 40 miles of countr roads. The Mayor interposed and pointed ou that the lorries were continually 7 passinj over the roads in Invercargill. The representative of the Wyndhan Town Board said that he would like to hav something definite in regard to what fee were to be charged and upon what basis i was intended to apportion them. He als< made it quite clear that his Board won't not be in favour of anything which wouk not bring them in more than they wen receiving now. Mr W. Hinchey, chairman of the Powe Board suggested that the matter was real!; one for the Government to deal with ii a proper manner, and he said that h doubted whether a meeting of representa tives of local bodies could come to a satis factory solution of the problem. H« agreed with everyone else that motor lor ties were a very great convenience, bu when anyone said that they could trans port goods cheaper by motor lorry thai they could by rail, he began to diffe from them. Immediately a fleet of moto lorries commenced eating up the cost o the roads this had to be placed against, th' capital expenditure. 'l’he license fee to b charged should bring it to a point when the cost of carrying goods by motor lorr; was on a par with the cost of railway trans port, so that they would not scrap th £40,000,000 which had been sunk in fail way construction. It was moved that a sub-commitee b set up to go fully into the question of hear; traffic and to report to a meeting of dele gates to be held at a later date. It was moved as an amendment that ; sub-committee be appointed to deal with al motor traffic. The motion was carried by six votes ti four. The following sub-committee was appoint rd: The Mayor (Mr J. F. Lillicrap), Messr T. Fraser, J. H. Horrcll, T. D. Lennie, D McDougall, W. Hinchey and a represents live of the Wyndham Town Board.