Timaru Harbour Board

Temuka Leader, Issue 3394, 28 January 1899, Page 2

Timaru Harbour Board

Mr Maxwell’s Report. Important Recommendations. The monthly meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board was held on Friday. Present—Messrs Fraser (chairman), Sullivan, Wilson, Thew, Skinner, Lyall, Manchester, Guinness, Macintosh, and Evans, An apology was sent by Mr Pringle. chairman’s .statement. The chairman stated that during the month an average amount of trade was done and an average amount of revenue collected, the latter £926 4s 2d from wharfage and ships’ dues, and £7O for sale of grabs to Otago Harbour Board, The annual meeting should have been held on the 16th, but he had postponed it as the accounts had not been audited. During the month the dredge Timaru had lifted 12,700 tons of silt and sand and shingle from inside and 400 tons of sand and mud from outside. The time had now arrived for sending the dredge to dock, but owing to the expected arrival of the ship Timaru and other reasons, the sending had been postponed. Mr Maxwell was in town and had submitted a report for the board’s consideration today, but beyond receiving the report it would not be prudent to take any action upon it, as this was the last meeting of the present board. It was right and fair that it should be placed before the ratepayers previous to the election, so that they could see what was recommended. It would be for the board t;> discuss Mr Maxwell’s wishes that the blocks along the parapet should not be carried so far out. Mr Maxwell considered that they should not be so far out by 120 or 130 ft, whilo the board thought that they should be as far out as they are. TITB LATE MB ELIVORTHY. Mr Lyall moved, Mr Guinness seconded, and it was unanimously carried “That a letter of condolence be forwarded from the board to Mrs Elworthy and family expressing sorrow and sympathy at their sudden and unexpected bereavement.” ANNUAL REPORT. The chairman’s annual report, which will be found in another column, was placed before the members in print, and was adopted. CAUCUSES. In reply to Mr Guinness the chairman said that there had been one or two caucuses of the majority of tho hoard in the past, when there was very important business to be done, but that was some time ago. CORRESPONDENCE. Among the correspondence was a letter from Mr Jacobsen, Nelson, offering to accept £l9O in settlement of his claim for commission on breakwater plans,— Received From Messrs Friestmau, stating that they would try and find a purchaser for the Morgan grabs, if thoy were sent to them.—Tho secretary was instructed to offer the grabs to harbour boards in Australia. From the Hon. W, Hall-Jones that he would bring tho matter of filling up the old shingle pit under the notice of the Minister of Railways. On the recommendation of Mr Maxwell, it was decided to pay Messrs Smith & Boys’ claim for an extra £lO for work done in surveying the harbour. REPORTS. The Standing Committee’s report was unimportant. Mr Stumbles reported that tho seas had been very unfavorable for carrying on repairs to the breakwater. He had finished three sections, about Gsft, in making which he had used IGO casks of cement, and 35 yards stone, and the shingle and sand he had to cart from the south beach aud Normauby, as the stuff uoar at hand was not good enough. Ho had placed 25 or 20 blocks on the weather side along a distance of about 160 ft for the protection of the work and on each side of it. Except five or six, these blocks were inferior. A good many fell to pieces when the seas struck them. One section more would finish the work at the bend,—ln reply to Mr Manchester, the secretary stated that tho cost of the repairs up to Saturday last, including cement, and wages £132, was £391, without counting the value of the cement. The harbor-master reported the arrival of 17 steam and 6 sailing vessels during December. The weather during the last mouth had been generally fine. On the IGth instant a heavy northerly sea set in, lasting until the 20th. A heavy southeast sea set in to-day. The usual soundings had Deen made aud recorded. The Timaru required docking, and the Tauiwha required overhaul. Mr Hendry reported on tho work required to be done on tho Timaru when iu dock.

ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £BO7 4s 2d wore passed for payment. MB MAXWELL’S EBPORT. Timaru, January 20th, 1899. “ The Chairman Timaru Harbor Board, “Sir, —I have the honor to inform yon that during my absence in Europe 1 have received from your secretary information about the condition of the harbor from time to time. It has also been intimated to me that the board had consulted Mr Napier Bell, M.1.C.E., and a copy of his report has been sent to mo for consideration. “ My last report to your board was dated, January 26th, 1898, with plans and soundings of October, 1897. Since my return to New Zealand on the oth iust. 1 have carefully studied tho information, and report sent to me, and the survey of Messrs Smith & Boys with data up to December, 1898, and have made some personal examination of the harbor works, and I have now tho honor to report.— During 14 mouths ending December, ] 898, there were recorded 78 days of moderate seas and 8 of heavy seas, total 80 days from the N.E. and E., and 111 days of moderate seas, 8 of heavy seas, and 5 of very heavy seas, total 124 days from tho S.E. This is an unusually stormy record, and there have consequently been extensive movements of drift from tho south, tho most evident being iu May, August, and November. 'There have boon an unusual number of seas recorded from the S E. during February, May, Juno, July, August, September, October, November. “ The annual survey shows an accumulation south of the breakwater as far as Rook Island, estimated by your surveyors at 170,000 cubic yards in 14 mouths. Tho shoaling in Caroline Bay to 20 chains outside the breakwater during tho same period amounts probably to 200,000 cubic yards, and tho dredges have carried to sea during tho same period 129,000 cubic yards, three-fourths of which have been removed from inside tho harbour. Tho entrance has boon well maintained, notwithstanding tho exceptional movements of tho drift. The records show that during 43 months ending iu December last an average of 103,000 cubic yards per annum of dredging has been done. H.W. mark of the beach at tho breakwater, which in October, 1897,had receded from tha line of October 1890, had iu July 1898 gone out beyond the end of the wharf. Tho December survey shows it to have receded again within the wharf end. Considerable quantities of the shingle forming tha higher part of the beach were thrown into the harbor in May, August, a»d November.

“There is nothing alarming in this. For several years it has prevented by advancing a parapet of loose blocks as the line of beach advanced. This line of blocks I advised iu 1897 should not be extended further, and that the drift should be allowed to come over, as it can be dredged inside much more quickly and cheaply than at the entrance. “ The coarse shingle extended, according to the survey, along the outer arm to within 250 feet of the end. The shoaling to the west of the harbour is considerable. This extends as far out as the soundings have been taken, 20 chains beyond the entrance and covers the whole of Caroline Bay, the extreme amount in many places being as much as Ift 6ln iu the 14 months. This action seems to be due to the structure of the breakwater causing large quantities of drift, which is moving along the coast, to be forced farther seawards and to be spread over the area west of the harbour after passing the entrance, the action of shoaling being assisted by the intervention of the shore line delaying the passage of the drift northwards. “ This seems likely to lead to inconvenience in the future, and it is desirable to consider what remedy is likely tc be best under the circumstances. When this point was considered iu 1895, it was thought that it could be dealt with by dredging, as the power of the Timaru was quite equal to the quantity likely to be met with. The difficulty of saving the finer silt has, however, proved to be very great, and if tho continuous shoaling has to be dealt with in this way the dredging plant wouldhavo to be increased. If other plans are resorted, in whatever is now undertaken, tho future of the port should be studied, so that when the time arrives for extending it the work done may be of utility. The seaward approach to the entrance at present is notcousidered a convenient one, and with the increasing size of the shipping, it may be desirable to improve it hereafter if possible. “ Hitherto the conditions prevailing have included the retention of a large of the coarser drift south of the breakwater annually. This is so no longer, and the dredging to be done and the shoaling iu Caroline Bay will, therefore, both be on the increase. Judging from tho experience of the past four years, the amount of drift passing along the coast is larger than was at first supposed. “ It should now bo considered whether any reasonable plan can bo devised which, while assisting to deal with the drift, will i also afford facilities for increasing the ; harbour accommodation, and admit of , improving the entrance. “ I have, therefore, reconsidered, among other things, the question of constructing . an eastern mole at the bend, referred to , in my reports of April and November, i 1890. “ When iu England I visited Shoneham, on the coast or Sussex, to see tho process . of lifting the drift from the seaward side , of tho mole,' and delivering it inside the , harbour for removal. This was done , partly by a grab and partly by hand labor, , dehveriag it into small trollies, and passing it thence through fixed hoppers into , barges. From 20,000 to 30,000 cubic , yards was dealt with annually by these , moans. The movement of drift appears to be very much smaller than at Timaru, and the system does not commend itself ’ as well adapted to meet the Timaru case. “ 1 have considered Mr Bell’s proposals for an extension from the end of the breakwater seaward, against which tho drift j would lodge. After past experience I am disposed to think that any work which I led to an accumulation of drift iu the immediate vicinity of the entrance is I open to very strong objection on that , score. • “ If a mole were run out from the bend , in the manner indicated ou the aocona- ! panyiug plan, for, say 1300 ft, the accum- ? illation of drift to the southward would , form an area ou which an extensive , basin could be cheaply dredged out, , suitably situated for purposes of traffic, warehouses, and railway sidings tho area ! thus reclaimed would belong to the board. The execution of the work might be ex- | tended over ten years or more, a first in- , atalmeut of 750 feet being now started, to ‘ be completed iu two or three years. The direction of this mole easterly would be such as to preserve the wash of the S. E. seas along the outer acm across the entrance. The cost of the first instalment would bo about £35,000. The entire mole would cost about £60,000 ;u rubble ' mound. t “ The shoaling of Caroline Bay and the location of the present entrance so far 1 west are likely to lead to future difficulties which tho board must be prepared to face. The eastern mole which I now propose will afford the basis for projecting a further extension forming on outer basin to the pressnt harbor, giving a much better entrance further eastward, and so situated that no further trouble need be apprehended iu connection with it. The outer basin, properly constructed, willjpractically relievethe inner harbor from the difficulty now experienced during stormy weather, for the swell entering the main entrance will spread, and, for the most part, be expended iu tho outer area. “ The eastern mole has tho recotn- ! mondatiou that it will relieve tho dredging operations, which must otherwise increase, and it will practically settle the drift question for tho next 30 or 40 years. “ If tho protection of the present entrance alone is sought, instead of the formation of an outer basin, one half of the extension mole will give ample shelter. “ Ou the whole the construction of the eastern mole has many advantages to commend it, and I think it will be found to afford the best solution to the many present and future difficulties besetting the port. “ It is not feasible to check the passage of tho whole of tho drift northwards, nor would it be desirable to attempt it were it so. “ Ponding the board’s consideration of tho alternatives proposed, viz., either increasing the dredging plant or constructing an eastern mole, the Timaru will have to bo utilised to the fullest capacity, and in order to overtake tho work it will bo desirable to work overtime while there is lino weather. “• Tho question of details of the eastern extension I have loft over until the board has had an opportunity of considering in a general way whether it is likely to adopt such a plan or not. “ With regard to tho outer arm of the breakwater,! find that it has sustained severe damage. No repairs up to this winter have been necessary, but it has beou apparent that the time was approaching when some outlay would bo needed. Last winter’s storms have developed damage iu four places, iu two of which it is very extensive. In places also tho pellmell blocks have either sunk or disintegrated. Whether these damages are due to inferior work in tho concrete, or to the ordinary wear and tear ou the inferior class of concrete which is made with this shingle, cannot be determined now. This shingle concrete is, however, radically inferior, and I would recommend that in future nothing but clean broken metal be used when concrete is required. “ There must be no time lost iu effecting repairs and getting down more protective works. Tho repairs iu the wall should bo made good with concrete, iu bags where necessary, so that the interstices may be thoroughly filled, and that the concrete may not be sucked oat or blown out by the sea. At the same time at least 150 block# should be made* to

be ased where wanted for protective purposes. As soon as the quarry can be opened out a supply of large rubble blocks can be got down for any further operations. It will doubtless cost a few thousands of pounds to effectively secure the structure, but it is imperative that no time or expense be spared to get the repairs done, as the longer they are delayed the more costly they will become. “ The question of extensive repairs in future is one which may very well be «onsidered in connection with the eastern mole extension. The extension will eventually gave repairs to the outer arm of the concrete breakwater.—l have, eta., "J. P. Maxwell, M.1.C.8. “ Consulting Engineer.” Mr Maxwell was present and answered a great number of questions. He estimated the cost of repairing the outer arm and protecting it from £6OOO to £9OOO. It was agreed that the dredge, as recommended, should be sat to work doable shifts on her return from dock; that the question of repairing the slip to take on the Taniwha be left to the new board ; that a concrete mixer be obtained, and that block-making be gone on with at once. The question whether the quarry should be stripped was not definitely settled. It was agreed that the further repairs be done under Mr Maxwell. Messrs Manchester and Lyall moved that a Wellman pump be ordered, as recommended by the engineer. The chairman, though in favour of getting the pump, thought the matter ought to be left to the new beard, but finally the motion was carried unanimously. EETIEING CHAIRMAN. Messrs Evans and Macintosh moved—- “ That the retiring members of the Timaru Harbor Board have much pleasure in testifying to the ability and courtesy displayed by their chairman, Mr Fraser, in the conduct of the business during his term of office.’’ The motion was carried unanimously, and acknowledged by the chairman, who in the course of his remarks thanked the members for their cordial assistance. The welfare of the port and district was clearly the utmost desire of all the members of the present board, and consequently their meetings had been businesslike and devoid of useless wrangles. It was his misfortune* to hold office daring a year of heavy seas, and their consulting engineer was absent from the colony, yet nothing serions had occurred, and the harbor generally had been considerably improved, without imposing any additional burden upon the ratepayers. He hoped that the, next board would be actuated by the same desire for the good of the port and district that the present beard had shown. The meeting then terminated.