CORRESPONDENCE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 11922, 19 July 1906, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Our Harbour.

TO TH> BDITOB.

Sir, — Recent report* upon work done at the viver flits by the dredge may ts<>eni disheartening to your readers. I shwultl like therefore to say that the failure of the dredge to do what some people unreasonably expected of it ia no cauee for despou dency. The flats are undoubtedly formal sf material deposited by the rivei , what the river has placed there it can na■urediy waeh away again, if allowed, or en* eouraged, to do it. 80 far as I can gather, the dredgemaster has been improperly blamed for not completing the impossible task that was set him. There is no dredge 111 the world which, unassisted, could hope to permanently open that channel so leng (•3 th© Wanganul Eiver flows — to aay nothing of r-er doing it, an was predicted, in a period of from vwo to six months. It appoare to be thought by tlic Harbour Board that if, by dredging,' a narrow channel could bo cut 9ft deep at low water, the natural scojt wo>ild maini.un that depth. As a matter of i.v', the channel between the walls cannot >•'• considered to have reached a stable cmlitiuu until there is 16ft. at low water. Tiu-- depth will yet be obtained — and ought U> iiare been obtained many year? ago. But dredging alone wili never give it. As I have Frequently said, the revenue of the port is quito sufficient, without borrowing, to provide over 20ft of water on both bar and Hats within five or six years. — I am, vti

F. E. FIELD.

Feilding, July H'!i, 1006.