"PORT ELIZABETH."

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12903, 14 February 1906, Page 7

"PORT ELIZABETH."

A well- attended public meeting was held in Greymouth last week, to consider the proposal to form a harbour at Port Elizabeth a projection of the- coast-line a- few mile's north of Greymouth. The Mayor presided, and said that all that was proposed at present was to ask the Government- to have a marine survey made, and obtain a full report on the question. At the present time they only possessed harbours on the West Coast suitable for vessels engaged in the coastal trade: there was not one that could be called an oceangoing steamers' port. Such a port was wanted, to relieve the coast of its isolation. At the present time, traders were greatly handicapped in competing in other markets by reason of the extra, cost entailed in the 5 handling of exports in small quantities. Last year 30,000,000 superficial feet was the timber export, the greater part going to Canterbury. This vear it would reach between 35,000,000 and*4o,ooo,ooo feet, the .bulk going to ..the.. East Coast. In the near future all the timber lands in the North Island would be either cut out or too far away from the point of consumption, and when such hap'pened, Wellington would have to draw on -the West Coast for supplies. There was also a prospect that the coal export would be greatly increased. For the anthracite coal—equal to the best Welsh—recently discovered in .the Paparoas, there would be an unlimited market ab the Eastern ports, because the distance would be much less than Wales. Such, being the case, he would say that instead of the present- West Coast output of 900,000, it would reach two or three million, tons per xinnnm. There was a possibility of the coal having to wait for the harbour to be opened: There -was the quantity and quality, and in price they had a long pull over the Welsh article. As to the Port of Greymouth, there would still be the necessity to maintain a coastal trade by small vessels, with such ports as Foxton, Wanganui. Nelson, etc.. The same fleet as at present coming to Greymouth would still, after the realisation of the project, remain in this trade. The work now proposed was not a Greymouth one; was not a West Coast one, but a colonial work of first- importance. Only on the West Coast existed those coal measures necessary for a huge sea-borne trade. He concluded by proposing a motion as follows :—" Seeing that the present shipping ports of the West Coast appear to have reached their maximum development, and are quite unable to cope with ocean-going steamers, to the great detriment of the Coast and the colony at large, and that in order to fully develop the export .trade of the State ccal mine at Runanga. the vast coal areas of the Paparoa ranges, timber and other pro-, ducts, this public meeting, representing the nnanimous and hearty opinion of the people of Greymouth. respectfully urges on the Government the grSat desirability of having the necessary surveys made and expett opinion obtained, by the British Admiralty, if possible, as to the cost, efficiency, and utility for naval and other purposes, of the proposed harbour at Point Elizabeth, as suggested by the Right Hon. the Premier on his recent visit to the West Coast.'?

Favourable reports by engineers were read, one being by Mr J. M. Balfour (who was drowned at Timaru in 1868) v recommending that a careful ■ survey be made; one by Lieutenant Wfiods. of the surveying ship St, Kilda, in 1868. suggesting * the making of a breakwater to provide a harbour of refuge. Mr Lord, an engineer. spoke in. favour of the scheme. He said that Point Elizabeth was an ideal place for a harbour of say 3000 acres in area, wHich would accommodate a whole fleet, and admit of the- largest ironclad coming righf: alongside the wharf. The- Point- would alsobrra;r New Zeahiml one day nearer Sydney, vuich ia thesa days of commercialism' was » gtwt #*riog. ia tlis coarse of bis rough

survey he found that there weTe shoals and deep water. At the rocks there were about eight fathoms of water, while the basin was free from scour, as was proved by the growth of seaweed, etc. At Point Elizabeth, there would be no bar,- and the largest vessels could be admitted. Tlie motion was carried, as also was one urging upon trie Government to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into and report -upon the advisability of the construction of a harbour at Point Elizabeth, and what will be the probable export and import trade of such harbour.