AVON ESTUARY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19813, 3 December 1919, Page 8

AVON ESTUARY.

SURVEY TO BE MADE. \ Tho chairman of tho Harbour Board 'Mr II B- Soreiisen) reported at tolay's meeting thai, in company with ' onv) members of the board and reprelentitivcs of the Now Brighton Power 3oat Club, he visited the estuary of the ■iver Avon, goins down from the bridge ! mdins to the Sumner pier in a motor '■ xiat drawing about 2ft Sin. The .start, was mado at or about, low water, and it wis to await tho rise of tho t'de before the passage could be competed, indicating the difficulties ot navigation in this part of tho Estuary. Dr Thacker moved that the board should obtain a report from tho engineer on the steps nece=«ary for makin.r tho river navigable. This would be if crent benefit to a, large number *pf boats. Mr "W. J. Walter seconded the mot:on, stating that b.-> bad intended to brinrr it up as new business. He thought that a report should be obtained on the request of the u=ers of the river for crHi" d<" r mHe improvements. Mr F. Horrnll omwod the motion, on t' e oTound- th:>.t the board was not concerned with " a few nlea<un-e boats." a n d f'e matter should be held over unfi' + he cn r, al miestion was «c-itW. Messrs TTnlknd. Gnlbrnith. Bb.cklev. c t-ir-v and Flood suwortcd th" »«oti<-n. Tbe engineer (Mr Cvrns Williams), referring +<-• n e -tntr>m"nt In- Mr Hoi-}"-y] that Jill drains into the river ini the citv were trapped, said that the tram only caught gravel v and larger pn-ti'dc:: but a lot of verv fine silt, in suspension, was consta-ntlv passim: (!"••'•" The board bad a detailcl mrvov of the Avon from New Brighton B-i'Vp to Fendaltou. and also, in connection with <he canal. .': snrvev m" t l '" lower portion of the E=fu:\ry; rind, iioart rd together from whether anvibin? r.bould be done to the channel, it wjis to have the cxi«tincr surveys connected so that there wmdd be a eoninMe survev of the whole Estuary. The motion was carried. Later on a lotter was received f rom *V Ch r ' Q t<'hnrcn Sniline and Bower Boat Club endor-unrr the . t''<-t the channel liad been verv low. and •ieo"ired. much attention and staking. The club undertook to sunneit ! an.r susiestion for keeping the lowi waW channel at a uniform depth of ZVJ or 4ft. ' :