HALF MOON BAY

Southland Times, Issue 20494, 24 May 1928, Page 8

HALF MOON BAY

THE NEW WHARF PLANS DRASTICALLY CURTAILED ISLANDERS’ INDIGNANT PROTEST (From Our Correspondent.) A bombshell has been dropped among the people of Stewart Island by the receipt of news that the plans for the new wharf, work on which has already been commenced, have been greatly modified. The contention is that the structure which it is proposed to erect is quite unsuitable both for the needs of shipping and from the point of view of stability. The position as it was related to a reporter yesterday by Mr R. C. Hicks, chairman of the Stewart Island County Council, is as follows: Over two years ago the Government promised a grant of £3OOO for the provision of the new wharf, half of which sum was to be found by the Public Works Department and the other half by the Marine Department. Of the total, £2,500 was to be forthcoming that year and £5OO the next year. The Bluff Harbour Board was prepared to lend the £5OO for the first year free of interest so that the work could be gone on with immediately. The matter was altogether shelved last year and this year when the money was due from the two Government Departments the Stewart Island Harbour Board was informed that the Government considered that it could do the work cheaper by buying the timber and calling tenders for labour. Tenders were accordingly called and the timber procured. However, the tenders were not satisfactory and the Public Works gang was sent over to build the additions to the wharf. The conditions were entirely different to* those submitted in the original plans and specifications. The original plan allowed for lengthening the .present wharf by 50 feet and also widening it along its whole length by 10 feet. When the gang arrived to carry out the work, and not till then, the Stewart Island Harbour Board learnt that without their having been given any advice whatever the plans had been altered and it was proposed to lengthen the wharf only and n<9t to widen it. Quite naturally the members of the board resented the action that had been taken and on inquiries being made they were informed that the structure had been reduced in size in order to conserve expenditure. This had been done despite the fact that their own local Public Works engineer, who drew up the plans, estimated the total cost of the original plan at not more than £3OOO, the amount promised for the work by the Government. The island people are much concerned as they realize that the structure contemplated will be far from satisfactory both from the points of view of space and stability. Practically the whole of the adult population has signed a petition which has been forwarded through the members for the district, Mr J. R. Hamilton, M.P., to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. K. S. Williams) protesting against the action taken and the nature of the structure as it is at present proposed by the Department.