NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1923, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR.

Progress of work. MEETING OF THE BOARD , The ordinary meeting of the New Plymouth Harbour Board was held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs. C. E. Bellringer (chairman), Newton King, E. Maxwell, C. H. Burgess, J. S. Connott G. W. Tayler and W. C. Clement. Leave of absense was granted to Messrs. McCluggage and Wells from whom apologies were received. The engineer (Mr. G. B. Lowson) reported: Dredging.—Dredging is still being confined mainly to the west cut, which has been deepened to 33 feet below low water for a further 110 feet of its length to a total distance of 700 feet. The ground being met with at present is very heavy., containing a large number of boulders. The Paritutu’s returns for the period) are:— Bucket dredging: West cut, 5,900 tons; Innei berth 800 tons. Suction dredging: 3rd fairway, 176,000 tons. Total, 24,300 tons, of which 2,500 tons were deposited westward of the breakwater extension mound. Moturoa Wharf.—The renewals to caps, stringers, kerblng and chafing pieces of 80 feet of the western side of Moturoa wharf opposite sheds B—lo, were completed without much inconvenience to shipping, piles (having been driven where necessary. Sanitary conveniences were fitted up half way along this wharf.

THE NEW WHARF. Newton King Wharf.—‘Constructional work on the Newton King wharf is proceeding steadily and satisfactorily. The ground being met with in pile driving is improving somewhat, but is still very troublesome, sb that lagging, cradling or splicing the piles is still the order of the day. This entails very heavy work on the part of the yard-men. During the period four piles of pier 31 were driven, all the piles of the next eleven piers (including one extra each In piers 40 and 41), and five piles of pier 43. The head of the work was therefore advanced a further 144 feet to a total distance of 504 feet, thereby making for the period an average length of about 29 (lineal feet of wharf per week. The returns for. the period are:—Piles driven in piers 31 to 43 (inclusive) 132 piles; piles -previously driven, 322 plies; total to date 454 piles. Twelve piers (31 to 42 Inclusive) were completely capped, and l the 14in x 9in stringers brought up close to the rear of the x drivers, while the 14in x 12In (through a temporary shortage of material) were laid to pier 30. The sway bracing was placed in position as far as pier 30, and the sleeperlng laid for the full width to pier 29. Thirteen more complete sets of lower walings (bringing the total to 20) were bolted in place, the diagonal bracing being advanced in a somewhat corresponding degree, and the placing of the longitudinal walings commenced. Most of the rails for the wharf are now to hand, and the ’Railway Department has made a start to lay the same. Sixty additional pile shoes were made and others fitted from stock altered to suit'. Quarry.—Very little work was done at the quarry during the month, only about 161 tons of stone being required for dry walls and -ba’llast. Although a large quantity of the last shot remains undisturbed In the quarry face, a small blast (No. 7) was fired on the 30th ultimo about 90 feet up on the right flank. The tunnel had been driven to a depth of 30 feet with two 6ft chambers, and the charge consisted of 26 cases of Monobei and four cases of gelignite. After ‘barring dewn, probably 7000 of BUOO tons of stone were secured. RECLAMATION WORK.

Reclamation Works.—Reclamation filling by means of the steam shovel and tip drays was commenced on November 13. The contractors for the carting (Messrs. Anstis and Russell) have at present nine (Rays on the field, and’ the work is moving ahead very rapidly. The material encountered In the borrow pit behind the workshop is In places of an extremely tough nature, yet the steam shovel has tackled it in a very satisfactory manner, and blasting has not had to be resorted to until within the last few days, when the height of the face has rendered this Course necessary. Averaging the ’ dray loads at one yard each, the output front the shovel up to the end of the period was 10.U1-7 yards.

Signal Station.—The port flagstaff has been erected on Mlkotahi. Breakwater. —Twenty-one additional concrete blocks were made during the period, bringing the total up to 50. A large concrete mixer for mass work at the breakwater end was erected and fitted up with all accessories by the workshop staff. The large No. 1 crane was ‘laid up towards the end of the period, and the work of renewing the travelling gear, etc., put in hand and pushed forward with celerity. A cross-over down about the breakwater end was almost completed, and other preparatorj’ work begun. Owing to the absence of off-shore winds, gravel supplies still continue scarce. Fixed electric lights were placed at the Mikotahl Cleft and a light tramway run down to the Fishing Rock inlet, while the beach Is worked when supplies are available thereon. Every care is thus taken to secure what gravdl cornea along. The chairman said that the engineer’s report spoke for itself. It dealt with one or two matters, the first being the question of dredging and In this connection Captain Waller’s supplementary report was read, as follows : Weather. —The weather has been generally fine, with smooth seas, accompanied by moderate westerly winds. Signal Station. —The flagstaff for signalling purposes has been established on Mikotahl. It will be enclosed with a timber breakwind to shelter the signalmen when on duty. DEPTH OF WATER. Soundings.—The approachehs to the harbour, turning basin, and the area between the Mc-turoa and Newton King Wharves were extensively sounded on the 30th ult. and the 7th and 13fh inst. The channel inside the breakwater between the three-fathom contour lines has a width of 720 feet. The mid-chan-nel approach to the Moturoa wharf has not less than 23 feet at low water spring tides. This is precisely the same width and depth as in September, 1922. The foundation work at the breakwater qnd, for a distance of 600 feet, ‘has a mean depth of 10 feet at low water. The mound is standing up well, and has consolidated. The fact that kelp and seaweed are growing on the stones gives abundant proof of this. Future Dredging.—As soon as the dredging is completed between the two wharves, I would suggest that the approach from seaward to the Newton King wharf from a line 100’ feet inshore of -the wharf be deepened to 25 feet at low water, and a further 100 feet inshore and parallel to ■this be deepened to 25 feet also, as soon as circumstances permit. This will be necessary to give safe and expeditions manoeuvring room to liners berthing at tire Newton King wharf and also permitting a collier of 18 feet draught to discharge on the inside of the same wharf. I would also suggest that 80 feet inshore of the Paritutu’s berth be dredged for a width of 100 feet to 20 feet at low water. This would enable a vessel 300 feet long to lie astern of a liner. Berthage.—The expansion of trade and development of the district warrants us being prepared for increased berthage accommodation. Without going outside of my province, I should like to remind the board of the necessity in the near future of extensive repairs to the Moturoa wharf. If rebuilt with a new alignment, it could be made to accommodate a ’liner on both sides.

FUTURE OF THE HARBOUR. In conclusion, I would point out that, when completed. New Plymouth harbour will possess great advantages in tliat It will at once connect with the open ocean without a long channel to be maintained. Also the great benefit to shipping in the harbour through our magnificent spending beach dissipating the incoming swell, which spending beach should never be encroached upon. We should aim at the ideal harbour, which Is one sufficiently deep to permit all vessels to enter port at any stage of the tide. The chairman said he thought they could congratulate themselves on the progress made at the Newton King wharf during the past few weeks. They had readied the target that Mr. Lowson and his men set themselves to complete ’before the holidays. That target was 500. feet, and they had now reached 504 feet. The reclamation work was .proceeding very gatlsfactorlly. They were very pleased with the harbormaster’s report, which showed that there was practically no slltation. It was resolved to remove the bank parallel to the railway line. The chairman moved that the recommends-

tion of the harbourmaster re dredging and the engineer’s recommendation to have two sets of moorings to enable the dredge to be worked in two localities, be adopted. This was seconded by Mr. Newton King and carried. HARBOURMASTER’S REPORT. The harbourmaster (Captain W. Waller) reported that for the five weeks ending December 15,. 32 .vessels had entered the port of an aggregate of 63,376 tons. The imports were 13,955 tons and the exports 4696 tons, a total of 18,631 tons. Government coal landed was 8418 tons. S.S. Waihemo from American porta landed 2589 tons general cargo, draught 15ft 91nches forward, 16ft 2in aft. S.S. Rakanoa, from. Newcastle) landed 1192 tons coal, .draught 18ft 2in forward, 19ft 3in aft; t.s, Dorset, 8734 tons, from United Kingdom, landed 627 tons of general cargo and loaded 1251 tons frozen meat, cheese and butter, draught 18ft Sin forward, 19ft Tin aft; s.s. Havre, from Singapore via way ports, landed 2589 cases benzine; t.s. Rimutaka, 8893 tons, landed 1029 tons produce, draught 15ft Gin forward, 20ft lOin aft; s.s. Koromiko, 2479 tons, landed 3418 tons Newcastle coal for the Railway Department, draught 18ft 31n forward, 19ft 6in aft ; s.s. Hurunui, 9266 tons, loaded 187 tons frozen meat, etc , draught 13ft lOin forward and 19ft art. GENERAL. It was decided to podlfoone Indefinitely the question of .the subdivision of the Harbour Reserve at Fltzroy. Mr. W. H. Cook, borough engineer, notified that the borough turncock had been instructed to remove the meter to a new position on the pipe supplying the quarries and, new wharf. All water used would then be metered, which was the most satisfactory. Regarding the permanent supply to the new wharf through a proposed six-inch pipe, he notified that he would shortly submit definite proposals. The question of erecting shelter for the men on the new -wharf was referred to the engineer and harbourmaster.