THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 November 1950, Page 8

THE HARBOUR BOARD ELECTION

Independent Candidates At Dune Hill On Wednesday evening the independent Harbour Board candidates held a meeting in the Baden-Powell Hall, Durie Hill. Mr T. G. Mullins pointed out that 8000-ton ships used to berth in the port, but that now it could barely accommodate 1000-ton ships. Last year, because of the deterioration of the harbour, £45,000 had been paid to rail phosphate from New Plymouth, £lO.OOO for sulphur, and £lO,OOO for coal. New Plymouth was now aiming to wrest from Wanganui its position as a big wool centre. If we did not improve cur port in the near future we would cease to be a wool centre, and that might mean a loss of £lOO,OOO a year. He explained the main features of his scheme, which, however, he said, was really a combination of the ideas of experienced estuary harbour engineers of the past. He said that the Castlecliff berthage basin was a silt trap. The engineer who planned the basin intended the main wharves to be built on the outside of the wall in the current. Mr Mullins now proposed to bring the current into the wharves. Early in 1946 he had begun to take rock out of the basin wall and use it to build a wall to prevent a break-through in the weakest part of the spit. In three months the level of the basin mudflat lowered two feet six inches, which indicated that opening the wall would be an excellent method of sluicing out the mud. The board instructed Mr Mullins to stop the work, after which the 1946 break occurred, though it could have been avoided by the continuation of that work. Mr Mullins explained the great, value of the inner channel, situated as it is 20 chains from the South Spit. Piles 40 feet apart would be sufficient as a permeable guiding wall. Mr A. C. Nixon stated that bamboo poles were successfully used in India for the same purpose. KATES, AND VET NO HARBOUR Mr G. A. Healey showed how the deterioration of the port, had checked the progress of the town. He quoted Opunake and Foxton, closed ports, where harbour rates were still collected from the ratepayers. He warned the audience that, unless sound action was taken here, Wanganui could suffer the same fate. Mr Nixon said that after returning from India as a retired engineer, he was asked temporarily to fill the position of second engineer on the dredge Maui, which was operating in

the port. When she had worked for six months a fresh silted up most of the area she had dredged, and she stuck on the way out. The loss to the board was several thousand pounds. Mr Nixon said that a sitting member of the board, Mr. Burgess, had quoted the harbourmaster as saying that if the current were permitted to pass through the basin ships could not be turned at the berthage. Mr Nixon emphasised the fact that the current would obviously Assist the operation, which was well known in many other ports. Mr Burgess had also stated that, in spite of the flow at the town wharf, the berthage had to be dredged frequently. Mr Nixon stated that the last dredging done there was 12 months ago, with v crane on a punt—a truly Heath-Robinson performance. HOSPITAL ELECTION Dr. J. R. J. Moore, independent candidate for the Hospital Board, spoke briefly, stating that if elected he would endeavour to be a worthy member of the Hospital Board team, and whatever the verdict of the electors might be, he would accept it in a sporting spirit.