NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR

RI VIEW OF MONTH’S WORK GOOD PROGRESS WITH DREDGE. LITTLE DAMAGE DONE BY STORMS. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbour Board was held yesterday. Present: Messrs C. E. Bellringer (chairman), E. Maxwell, J. R. Cruickshank, D. J. Malone, 11. C. Taylor, W. C. Clement, J. H. IL Holm, W. T. Wells and C. H. Burgess. Reporting on the work at the port between July 10 and August 10, the resident engineer (Mr. G. W. B. Lowson) said: — Quarterly boiler-cleaning and bad weather accounted for four lost dredging days, but otherwise the Paritutu concentrated exclusively on bucket dredging the 100-210 ft cut eastward of the Newton King wharf to a depth of 27ft below low water. The ground encountered generally proved hard and was interspersed with boulders, with a depth of water prior to dredging of only Hi or 9ft. By the close of the period, however, the cut had been brought bacK to a. distance of 395 ft inside the far end of the wharf, 8700 tons of spoil having been taken to sea. Apart from standing-<by time, the electric crane on the Newton King wharf was engaged 159| hours in working cargo at four overseas vessels. The bracing, tendering and sheathing of both wharves was attended to, and further repairs carried out to a very bad section of the Moturoa Wharf towards the far end of the overseas berth. Two new bearing piles were driven in the latter locality and superstructure timbers renewed. Construction of the Gin sewer along Wharf Street was completed in the scheduled time.

Although not yet completed, the formation of Moturoa Street for part of its width was well in hand by the close of the period. The sand is now being smothered with clay, whilst part of the metal required for surfacing has been put through the crusher. PROTECTION OF BREAKWATER. Fourteen ' more large concrete blocks and 24 tons of suitable stone were placed on the protecting apron towards the end of the breakwater extension.. A new corner bracket was fitted to the 40-ton crane at th© beginning of the period. Owing to the stall being otherwise engaged, only three more breakwater blocks (Nos. 2477 and 2479) were moulded. A few tons of suitable stone from Fishing Rock were utilised for refacing parts of the main rubble wall leading to Mikotahi. Mostly secured by the utilisation of crane and skips, 310 cubic yards of Mikotahi Beach gravel were landed at the mixer bins in readiness for block-making. New mooring thimbles and shackles for shipping were turned out at the workshop, dredge buckets and mooring chains repaired, bucket links bushed, and further alterations effected to the electrical system in order to. comply with the latest regulations. Other miscellaneous work has been carried out around the port, and the lighting, watei and air services maintained in a proper manner. The chairman commented that a satisfactory feature of the report related to the dredging eastward of the Newton King wharf. This gave the board a depth of 27 feet, though the original intention was.to make it 25 feet. The crane had been doing very important work and the engineer had said it would about pay its way. It was remarkable how well the breakwater had come through the recent stormy weather. He had traversed the breakwater with the engineer. Still more blocks would be placed on the apron work. Mr. Maxwell said it was surprising that as the result of three storms of the very worst type that the subsidence was not greater in the apron work. The farther out the structure had gone the deeper became the water, and he considered it very satisfactory that the work had stood up to the test so well. OVERSEAS SHIPPING. Shipping using the port during July was reported on as follows by the harbourmaster (Captain W. Waller): Twenty-five ships of an aggregate tonnage of 44,288, brought imports totalling 13,723 tons and took exports totalling 1548 tons, a grand total of 15,271 tons. Government coal landed amounted to 47 tons. Overseas ships were: Hurunui (9243 tons), Landed 994 tons, loaded 994 tons, draught 12ft Sin forward and 19ft 3in aft; Kia Ora (8031 tons), landed 2025 tons, loaded 760 tons, draught 16ft and 22ft; King Gruffyd (5063 tons) landed 3557 tons, draft 13 ft and 21ft Sin; Newton Pine (4212 tons), landed 1392 tons, draught 13ft 4in and loft 4m. The weather was very boisterous, but no damage was sustained by shipping

or the breakwater. On behalf of the fire protection committee of the board, the chairman reported a recommendation that a retaining fee of £2O a year should be paid to° the New Plymouth Fire Board in return for services in the protection of the wharves and buildings from fire, the arrangement to operate over a period of five years. Mr. Bellringer said the chairman and secretary of the Fire Board had informed him that there was no doubt this arrangement would be accepted. He considered it very favourable, as the Auckland Harbour Board paid’ the Auckland Fire Board a fee of £350 a year besides providing some of the equipment. It was decided to adopt the repoi t of the.committee and give it full power *to complete the agreement. It was decided to inform the Waterside Workers’ Union that as the board had erected the watersiders’ building and was providing the furnishings, light and water free, it could not undertake to contribute towards the wages of a caretaker. The Texas Oil Company was given permission to erect pipe linos, on the j board’s property and to retain them 1 during the .pleasure of the. board. The 'company was given authority to erect a pumping station on a site approved by the board’s engineer, the rental to be £2 a week and the company to pay the cost of putting in a siding, its maintenance and the cost of its removal when necessary.