DREDGING OF THE HARBOUR

Taranaki Daily News, 15 April 1932, Page 2

DREDGING OF THE HARBOUR

POSITION VERY SATISFACTORY. DRIFT SAND NOT SPREADING. During the period that the dredge Kaione was working at the port of New Plymouth the vessel removed a total of 273,775 tons of sand. Speaking at the meeting of the Harbour Board yesterday, the chairman (Mr. C. E. Bellringer) said the dredge had put up a fine record, of maintenance dredging. Mr. Bellringer also pointed out that the big accumulation of sand had been around’ the end of the lee side of the breakwater, thus bearing out the contention of the board that the sand was not spreading over the bed of the harbour.

Mr. E. Maxwell said all the information went to support the position the board had taken up. Mr. Bellringer sajd the board had decided to take no risks and had therefore secured the Kaione to dredge. By next meeting he would be able to give details of the cost of the dredging. The chairman said the revenue, for the six months was down about £6OOO, which was the amount the board had anticipated. A gratifying feature was the satisfactory sounding which showed not less than 24ft. of water at low water. Mr. J. R. Cruickshank: The position from the point of view of draught is better now than at any time in the history of the port. The harbourmaster: Taken as a whole, it is.

The chairman, to the harbourmaster: You have ample fairway? The harbourmaster: Yes; much more room than at many other ports. Advice has been received from the Cairns Harbour Board, to which the dredge Paritutu had been placed under offer, that the board is not prepared to purchase the dredger at present. The New Plymouth Board has received a reply from Tasmania stating that there was no doubt the price of £2OOO asked was very low, but when duty, primage and sales taxes were added it ran into big figures. The letter also asked what the overhaul mentioned constituted, and would that amount cover the work required to fit the vessel for making the voyage. Would the turbines and top gear require dismantling before proceeding to sea?