STEWART ISLAND

Southland Times, Issue 20495, 25 May 1928, Page 8

STEWART ISLAND

THE NEW WHARF COMPLAINT TO HARBOUR BOARD ' ASSISTANCE PROMISED (From. Our Correspondent.) The following telegram received at yesterday’s meeting oi the Bluff Harbour Board opened up a discussion on the curtailment of the plans for the new wharf at Halfmoon Bay, Stewart Island. The members decided to support the complaint. The telegram read: "A Public Works gang has commenced the additions to the Halfmoon Bay wharf, the original plan, for whicn money was granted, providing for widening and lengthening. The Department has altered the plans without our knowledge to lengthening only. Widening is absolutely necessary. Please give us your support.”—(Signed) R. C. Hicks, chairman, County Council and Stewart Island Harbour Board. The chairman (Mr A. H. Aitken) remark ed that he did not think the board could do much. Mr J. R. Hamilton, M.P., said it was a difficult matter to get £3,000 from the Government for the work without the assistance of the local body concerned. “I suggested to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. K. S. Williams) 'that so long as a satisfactory structure was provided the plans that had already been drawn up might be modified. What is wanted, as I understand it, is a permanent and efficient wharf. The Minister has probably modified the plans and is putting up what is considered to be a satisfactory structure to meet the requirements of the place. I have suggested that instead of making it 50 feet longer they should make it only 40 feet and put the rest of the timber into widening it.” Mr R. A. Anderson: That would not nearly be sufficient. Mr Hamilton: It would help. Mr C. S. Longuet: The harbourmaster (Captain G. N. Lindsay) said it was not strong enough and wanted both strengthening and lengthening. Mr R. A. Adamas (secretary and engineer) :’ The local Public Works engineer said it could be strengthened without widening it. Mr Hamilton: If the Stewart Island Harbour Board had contributed any money they would have had a bigger say in things. Captain Lindsay was called in and stated that the wharf required lengthening, widening and strengthening. It would be quite afe for the Southland if it were not widened, but that was required for the convenience of the public. He failed to see how ■ they could strengthen it now with the I bend in it without widening it. Mr W. Hinchey said the matter had been before the Southland League at various times and he knew that the contractor who had tendered for the work had said that the work could have been done, even according to the original plans for £2,000 — £l,OOO less than the estimate. There was a feeling that the plans had been cut down to save money, although it had been already promised. Mr Hamilton: The contractor said he thought he could, but would not be sure. He did not see the original plans. Mr Hinchey went on to say that it was too narrow for the convenience of the people in the summer months. Mr Hamilton said that everything done by the board would help the Stewart Island people. Personally he had been doing his. best. The Bluff Harbour Board would have more influence with the Government than any other body. It was decided to wire the Minister drawing his attention to the matter. SOUTHLAND LEAGUE PROTESTS. REPRESENTATIONS TO MINISTER. The question of the new wharf at Half Moon Bay came before the meeting of the Southland League last night when the secretary (Mr J. S. Dick) read the correspondence which has passed back and forward between the Stewart Island County Council, the league, and the Hon. K. S. Williams, Minister of Public Works. The following telegram, dated April 28, was forwarded to Mr W. Hinchey, president of the Southland League, from the clerk of the Stewart Island County Council:— “Please advise Southland League that rumours are current to the effect that the Public Works are going to lengthen the wharf without widening it. They are thus departing from the original approved plan. If so the Harbour Board strongly protests. Widening is absolutely necessary. Please investigate.” The league immediately wired the Minister of Public Works for further particulars, the following telegram being sent in reply “Your telegram received. Position being looked into. Reply will be sent you shortly.” This telegram was followed by a letter from the Hon. K. S. Williams, who wrote: “I have now to advise you that the width of the new wharf was restricted in order to keep the expenditure within a reasonable figure, and at the same time give adequate facilities. As you are aware, neither the Council nor the Harbour Board were prepared to contribute towards the cost of erecting this wharf, and therefore the structure necessarily cannot be as elaborate as

it would be if the return from it were sufficient to enable your local authorities to contribute. The wharf as designed, however, in my opinion is adequate for the traffic and is, as a matter of fact, wider than a good many wharves recently built in localities carrying very much heavier traffic and berthing vessels larger than the Bluff Harbour Board’s tug. I have, however, instructed the district engineer to get in touch with you and explain the position fully.”

The secretary of the league at once forwarded the following letter giving further information for the consideration of the Minister: —“I have been directed to write to you with reference to the question of the Half Moon Bay wharf. We telegraphed you in connection with this matter, and the following additional particulars have been sent to the league by the Half Moon Bay Harbour Board and the Stewart Island County Council. It is understood that an amount to cover the estimated cost of construction of the wharf, viz., £3OOO, was jointly voted by your Department and the Marine Department, £l5OO being granted by each. Further, that certain plans and specifications were approved after prolonged consideration by the Departments concerned and the Half Moon Bay Harbour Board. Your Department decided to supply the necessary hardwood timber, and towards the end of last year tenders were called for the work. Only one tender was received, however, this being declined in favour of the Department itself undertaking the construction.

“The above was most satisfactory, but the island people now find, on the arrival on the scene of your officials and staff, that the original approved plans have been most considerably modified. The first plans provided for widening the approach to the wharf by six feet over the distance of 110 feet, widening by 10 feet the existing structure which is 112 feet in length, and an extension of 50 feet of new construction of the same width as the old wharf when widened. The modified plans, which are so greatly concerning the residents of Stewart Island, stipulate all the above specifications with the exception of the ten feet of widening. “The present wharf, as already mentioned, is 112 feet long and only 31 feet wide. This is generally regarded as a most inadequate width even for present requirements, and to extend the structure as now proposed means a wharf 162 feet by 31

feet. The contention is that this narrowness will complicate and inconvenience the working of the wharf in the near future. It is pointed out that the wharf can be built to the specifications of the former approved plans for the sum of £3OOO which has been granted by the Government. “The league trusts you will see your way to favourably consider the matter of adhering to the specifications of the original approved plans. It is felt that it will be greatly in the interests of Stewart Island and all concerned, if such a permanent work is gone in for now, and it will undoubtedly mean the saving of a considerable expense at a later date. We thank you in anticipation of a favourable reply.” A further reply was received from the Minister stating that the matter was being carefully considered to see if the demands of the league could be met. “It seems a remarkable thing that a Government Department should alter the plans without notifying the bodies concerned,” said Mr W. Stevenson. Mr W. Hinchey: “Mr A. S. Russell has been approached by Stewart Island people and he states that the general opinion is that the wharf should be widened. The wharf would be congested in holiday time.” A member: The Government is acting wisely in what it does. A shipping man to whom I was speaking was not much perturbed about the decision not to widen the wharf. Mr W. Stevenson: I think it very unbusinesslike of the Government to act in such a way. It was decided to hold the matter until further information came to hand.