BREAKWATER EXTENSION

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1934, Page 7

BREAKWATER EXTENSION

DECISION OF OAMARU BOARD

OBJECT DEEPENING OF HARBOUR

PROVISION FOR LARGER VESSELS.

STONE AVAILABLE FOR THE WORK.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

Oamaru, Last Night.

The Oamaiu Harbour Board at a special meeting this morning decided with one dissentient to proceed with the extension of the existing breakwater at an estimated cost of £37,100. The proposed extension is to afford protection for the dredging of the channel, allowing a greater depth of water by two feet than at present and permitting an increase in the draught of the vessels working the port from 19ft. 6in. to 21ft. For many years past the board has built up a fund out of revenue for harbour improvements such as in the proposal, the fund standing to-day at £33,000, which With other funds brings the total to £40,000 at the disposal of the board to carry out the scheme. Breakwater extensions have been previously reported on by the engineers, Messrs. Williams and Furkert, and today Mr. G. A. Lee, Auckland, consulting engineer to the board, submitted two proposals, one for an extension of 1000 feet estimated to cost £66,000 and the second for an extension of 500 feet estimated to cost £37,100. The second and smaller scheme was adopted by the board in the meantime, as the additional 500 feet extension could be proceeded with in future when more funds were available, the ultimate object being an increase of the depth of the channel to permit the working of vessels with a draught of 23ft. 6in. A trial shot in the board’s quarry near the breakwater recently disclosed a large proportion of large and suitable stone for the proposed work and the strengthening of the present breakwater, permitting the board to embark on the undertaking. The decision of the board will not become effective until the making of definite arrangements with the Unemployment Board for a subsidy on the wages of the workmen and the approval of the Marine Department is ob-' tained.. It is proposed to name the extension the Ramsay extension in compliment to the late Captain Ramsay, a former harbourmaster at Oamaru, who urged the necessity of extending the breakwater 20 years ago.