MOTUROA WHARF.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1925, Page 8

MOTUROA WHARF.

OVERSEAS BERTH REPAIRS. WORK WILL TAKE THREE MONTHS. EARLY START TO BE MADE. STOP DURING CONGESTION. The overseas berth at the Moturoa wharf at the port of New Plymouth is to be temporarily closed within a week or two, as soon as the liner Port Melbourne, which is due at the port next Thursday, sails. Owing to a little concern existing amongst the shipping companies and a large meat' exporting company that congestion will occur with only the Newton King wharf overseas berth available, with consequent loss of time and money, the Harbour wish to make it clear, however, that congestion occur during the repair period, repairs will be stopped temporarily and liners berthed at the Moturoa wharf. At the meeting of the board yesterday letters were received from the Overseas Shipping Allocation Committee and Messrs. Borthwick and Sons, Ltd., Waitara, requesting detailed information in reference to the board's intention regarding closing and repairing the Moturoa overseas berth. The letters expressed concern at the reported intention of the board to close the berth permanently .for three months.

ADVANCED STAGE OF DECAY. Reporting to the board on the question, the resident engineer (Mr. G. W. Lowson) stated that the 20 feet widening on the eastern side of the Moturoa wharf wa.* now in. such an advanced stage of decay that the overseas berth would have to be closed immediately for extensive repairs. In addition to the few piles already requisitioned for, it would be necessary to procure a further fifty 65ft. piles, and he would be pleased to have the board’s authority to add them to the authorised order.

Mr. Lowson stated that alternative pi ices had been asked in calling tenders for the necessary piles for turpentine and ironbark, and for the chafing pieces m tallow, wood and ironbark. As regards the piles, he had made inquiries from the engineers to the Auckland and Wellington Harbour Boards as to the toredo resisting qualities of unsheathed turpentine when used in wharf work. The Wellington Board had not used this timber for a length of time sufficient to enable them'to express a definite opinion of its resistance to marine organisms, but the Auckland Board had stated that turpentine piles had been used in its harbour since 1908, and it regarded this timber as probably one of the best in the world for resisting the attack of toredo and other maritime pests. He recommended, therefore, that the board procure turpentine piles, particularly as they were not to be used on permanent work, and would save the high cost oi sheathing. He thought il might be advantageous to try out the merits of tallow wood for chafing pieces. BEST TIME TO BEGIN. The opinion was expressed by the board members that July, August and September would probably be the best time to close the wharf .for repairs, although the list of expected arrivals during the period was fairly formidable. The chairman (Mr. U. E. Bellringer) said he took it that the meat trade was likely to be comparatively light during the nei«t month or two. If the matter of effecting repairs was held over still further, matters would only be worse, as overseas activity would increase with the coming of summer. He had taken the responsibility of instructing the. engineer not to close the portion referred to until after the departure of the Port Melbourne, which was due at the port next Thursday, although it had previously been decided to start the repairs after the departure of the Tougariro, which had just left. The portion would have to Ibe almost entirely renewed, said, the engineer, m reply to a question from Mr. W. T. Wells. The old piles would have to be pulled up and new ones driven. He did not favour working more than could be helped at night by electric light; as deep shadows made it a very easy mat ter for a swinging beam to knock a man into the sea.

The chairman: Will it be possible to close the repairs temporarily should there be a rush of shipping at the port at any time? Mr. Lowson: We would Have to do it; it could be managed. SHIPPING MUST BE SERVED. The chairman: This is what I want to be quite clear about. The shipping companies seem to be under the impression that the Moturoa wharf overseas berth will be laid up for a solid three months. Mr. Lowson: We will require about two days’ notice to close up, but, of course, the more often we close up the more expensive the job is going to be. Mr. Wells: We can’t help that; the shipping must be served, if possible. In reply to a further question, Mr. Lowson stated that he had sufficient piles ou hand to complete 130 feet of repairs. (The total length to be renewed is 300 feet).

Mr. Newton King: Are we going to get delivery of new piles in time, even if we order them now ? We have had experience of delays before, ..and it is no good having the repairs held up once they have been started through lack of piles to continue the work.

Mr. Lowson: One firm promises delivery in Jrfiy. Mr. Maxwell: Is it possible to complete a small length of the repairs in, say, a month, and thus give opportunity tor liners to berth further along the wharf, using- this finished portion as part of their berthing space? Mr. Lowson: No. There is only 650 feet of deep water, and liners need" most ot this when berthed.

Asked when the east berth of the Newton King wharf could be open, the engineer stated that it would be three months before that side of the wharf was open for vessels up to the Corinna class in size.

The board decided to purchase twenty turpentine piles as tendered for by Richardson, McCabe and Co., on behalf of their principals. The turpentine piles were considered much more immune from the attacks of .the toredo worm than unsheathed hardwood piles, and were less expensive than sheathed piles. It was also decided to empower the engineer to order what other piles were necessary, and to start work on tilt repairs as soon as the liner Jfert Xlolbournc leaves.