The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1909. WORK FOR THE DREDGE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13900, 11 May 1909, Page 4

The Timaru Herald TUESDAY, MAY 11, 1909. WORK FOR THE DREDGE.

Mr W. Angland, whoso letter is published this morning, doubtless had his interest in the affairs of the Timaru Harbour Board greatly quickened by a term of membership of the Board, and his objection to the proposal to lend the dredge to the Oamaru Board should therefore have more weight than if it came from one who had not had such intimate experience of the Board's duties. The quotations ho makes from the reports of engineers, indicating the amount of dredging work required to be done, and from tho Board's reports of Uio amount done, show plainly enough that the purpose for which Dredge. 350 was procured is a long way from having hoen fulfilled. Wc have taken the trouble to compare the liarhour master's soundings records for April 1809 and April 1909, and these show that, except where tho dredge has been working, there is some decrease of depth just outside the en- x trance in the ton years. Even disregarding this, the duty of the Board is to improve their own harbour, before becoming generous to another Board by postponing work necessary at home. The greater portion of the inner harbour has yet to be deepened; only a comparatively small portion of it having more than 22ft of water at low tide, and that is not enough to permit vessels drawing 22ft to enter or leave except at or near high water. It does not seem to bo of much use to dig a channel outside deeper than the interior of the harbour, except that tho rise and fall of the undulations outside make a. greater depth necessary there. The resident engineer, we understand, is now making a detailed soundings survey of the roadstead to a considerable distance, from the shore. It is difficult to see what use this extended survey can bo, beyond satisfying a mere curiosity. It cannot be of any assistance to the Board in carrying on its business. What would be of use, would be frequent and careful soundings of tho channel being dredged outside, to see at what rate, if any, it is being silted up again. So far as we" can remember, this important point has never been inquired into by the Board. Mr Maxwell warned them that silting up was to be expected, and he advised that the channel be cut with an upward slope to leeward, to permit the waves to drive the silt out of the channel as well as into it. Perhaps that docs not signify much, as the waves if they can drive silt uphill there will form a suitable, slope for themselves.