THE RIVER CHANNEL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15617, 27 September 1918, Page 7

THE RIVER CHANNEL

STATEMENT BY HARBOUR BOARD CHAIRMAN. REASONS WHY STEAMERS DISCHARGE COAL AT CASTLECLIFF. Dear Sir, —Immediately on reading the report of Mr G. D. Stone, Gas Works' Manager, to his Council, in reference to the river shoaling, I instructed the Harbour Master to again carefully sound the channel, and now send you a copy of his report. It seems a pity such statements as that of Mr Stone’s are made public without proper inquiry from a reliable source. From inquiries I have made, the real reason why those interested in coal ships prefer to discharge at the railway wharves, either at Castlecliff or town, is that the vessels are able to discharge much more rapidly that at the gas wharf, where the appliances for quick handling are totally inadequate for such vessels as the Inga type. I am informed this vessel can discharge ipto trucks at the rate of 60 tons per hour, while at the gas works the conveyor is only capable of taking delivery of an average of 25 tons per hour. Without in any way presuming to dictate to the Borough Council, I would suggest they consider whether the time has arrived for providing more expeditious and modern appliances for handling coal at the gas works wharf, and thus, as Mr Stone mentions in his report, “prevent the necessity of increasing the price of gas owing to cost of extra handling of coal,” —Yours, etc., A. G. BIGNELL. Wanganui, 27 th September, 1918. • (Copy.) Pilot Station, Castlecliff, 26th September. To Mr Bignell, Chairman Wanganui Harbour Board. Dear Sir, —According to your instructions, I respectfully beg ito submit to you the following report on the state of the river channel. Going back to the first trip, the Inga visited the port in January, 1913. The depth of water then in the channel varied from 13ft to 13ft 6in., very little difference to what it has been of late, which also varies from 13ft to 13ft 6in. I may state that in nearly all floods and freshes, and we had quite a number during the last winter and up to the present, a slight shoaling takes place from between Mitchell’s old works and the south, training wall. With a long spell of fine weather and clear water, and no freshes, it then scours out from 6in to 9in without dredgiug. This is the only shallow place in the river channel, all the rest varies from 14ft 6in to 20ft at high water ordinary springs. The last neap tides were exceptionally poor with so much south and south-westerly weather prevailing off-shore. The spring tides following’ again were quite the reverse, being 15in above normal. All the deepdraught steamers trading here at that particular time were in port, hut with all the poor neaps, when the Inga was ready to shift, she went up river drawing 10ft Yin forward, and 10ft 4in aft, being three inches by the head and had fully loin of water under her bottom, which was verv good on little more than a neap tide. The dredge is now working on the shallow part, and within a short period that reach will he up to its normal depth. I mav also mention that the gas wharf berth is particularly good at present, having 17ft of water, being an increase of fullv Oft. —I am, etc., (Signed) P. McINTYRE,