MAINTENANCE OF HARBOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 21 November 1930, Page 2

MAINTENANCE OF HARBOUR

NEW PLYMOUTH BOARD MEETS. REVIEW OF MONTH’S ACTIVITY. The control and maintenance of the New Plymouth port was discussed at the monthly meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday. There were present Messrs. C. E. Bellringer (chairman), E. Maxwell, D. J. Malone, H. C. Taylor, J. H. H. Holm and C. H. Burgess. The engineer, Mr. G. W. B. Lowson, reported that the weather during the month had been erratic and the dredge Paritutu had lost four working days as well as one holiday, but otherwise had been, engaged steadily on bucket dredgin", cleaning the Moturoa wharf overseas birth, the dredge berth and the berths on the eastern side of the Newton King wharf. The vessel had been cleaning the western berths of the latter wharf to 33ft. below low water, but had been hindered by tide and shipping, and was now engaged deepening the fairway to 28ft. below water, 100 to 220 feet west of the Newton King wharf. This cut had been commenced on November 14, the ground at present encountered proving somewhat rough and requiring blasting. . The Paritutu’s returns for the period, all the spoil being deposited at sea, were:—•Bucket dredging: Moturoa Eastern and Paritutu’s berths, 5,200 tons; Newton King east berths, 3,800 tons; Newton King west berths, 3,500 tons; fairway 100-220 west, 100 tons; total, 12,600 tons. The electric crane on the Newton King wharf had been in attendance on three overseas vessels for 117 hours. ■ T,he new loading boards had been ‘brought into use for the first time nn the 'asphalted section of the Newton King wharf in loading both dairy produce and frozen meat into the s.s. Hertford. They had proved entirely satisfactory. The diver and crew had been engaged intermittently on the inspection of wharf pile sheathing below water level. Cable advice had been received from England to the effect that the three-cylinder marine engine for the pilot launch had been the s.s. Northumberland, due at New [Plymouth probably early in January. Sundry dredging gear had been overhauled in the workshop and work turned out for shipping and wharf repairs. Steel block trucks were being '■hipped and painted, and wharf and ships’ lighting and water services receiving due attention. i Chafing pieces had been renewed, pile sheathing repaired and old and surplus material removed from near the steps of the Moturoa wharf where the fence had been repaired and extended down to the first bollard. Odd decking had been renewed in the same locality. Iron for re-roofing the wharf sheds had been painted ready for use. Repairs had been effected to the totara sheathing at the end of the Newton King wharf, and coppering .repaired under chafing pieces, two of which-had been renewed. The engineer reported that he found the total inclusive cost of replacing .the existing fixed electric main port light on Mikotalii. with a flashing laiitern .complete with catadioptric reflector z d a burner furnishing a light of 1490 heffner candle power, would 'be about £540. By the utilisation of the exist g optical apparatus, however, the cost of conversion would be reduced to about £2lO.

He had lately been. investigating the possibilities of and had had. experiments conducted with automatic flashers for controlling the electric light and attaining the same objective (i.e. a flashing light) at, comparatively speaking, little expense to the board. Ordinary flashers, both home-made and. otherwise, had so far proved erratic over long periods, and he had come to the conclusion that a motor-operated, device might prove the only cheap and reliable machine he could, recommend to the board. This type of flasher might be procured on indent for £l2, so that although two machines would, be required (one for : emergencies), their cost would be trifling. Unfortunately, however, he was not yet in possession of the operating costs of such equipment, but should imagine that to prevent excessive increased current consumption ( at > present amounting to £2 .per month), a transformer might be included in the installation. Gas consumption by. the lantern mentioned would not be likely to exceed 15s a month. The agents were forwarding a coloured chimney to try out on the white ■flashing light at the end of the breakwater/ From later observations by the harbour master, he should be able to advise whether it would, be necessary to counteract the resulting diminished light range by increasing the lamp burner capacity, -and, if so, the 'consequent increased cost of gas consumption. ' As hot so much timber would be required for Moturoa wharf repairs during the coming year, he had had old and surplus material moved, from the storage section of the Moturoa wharf and the area cleared. When repairing the fence around the sjjpps, he also had had it extended to cot er the dangerous portion along the side. Both sheds on the Moturoa wharf were being re-roof-ed. The underwater portion of the Newton King wharf hardly received the attention last year the engineer would have liked, and he intended, therefore, to have the diver make a systematic and complete inspection as soon as he had cleared arrears. When the carpenters could be spared from other work, he intended dealing with bracing and sheathing above low water in. a like manner; he anticipated little heavy maintenance in this direction. At present, however, they were somewhat, ’behind with tendering maintenance on the wharf, and this, with the underlying coppering, should receive preference to the main work. Recently a fair expenditure on permanent way had been made, many rails on the old portion of the breakwater needing renewing. This was, of course, a necessary work, and was being done with rails taken from the tracks not now in use. The maintenance of the board’s shore plant is a matter requiring.careful watching. The engineer was taking the attitude that plant which was more or less a permanent necessity should have full attention paid it, and that other and obsolete equipment should be maintained only as opportunity offered. He had been seriously considering the advisibility of recommending the board to dump some of its more antiquated and unsaleable machinery, and so save upkeep. One up-to-date travelling crane, for example, could replace four of the present machines with advantage, and carry out work which not a single crane at the port was capable of doing. The harbour master, Captain 0. F. Mclntyre, reported that during October, 32 vessels entered the port with an aggregate of 71,894 tons. Imports totalled *10,005 tons and exports 4254 tons, making a total trade of 14,259 tons. During the month 805 tons of Government cargo had been landed. Details of the overseas vessels were: Zealandic, 8281 tons, draught 22ft. “in.; Antiope, 4545 tons, draught 16ft. 6ins.; Ruahine, 10,893 tons, 24ft. Tin.; Hertford, 10.923 tons, 19ft. 3in.; Port Brisbane, 8315 tons, 22ft. 2in.; Waihemo,. 5627 tons, 20 ft. 3in. One inter-colonial vessel, Saloy, 4545 tons, 15-ft. (iin., also arrived. During the month strong winds with moderate seas prevailed.