NAPIER HARBOUR.

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19054, 19 September 1933, Page 5

NAPIER HARBOUR.

development scheme. EXPENDITURE OF £335,000. DRAFT OF BILL APPROVED. (By Telegraph—Press Association,) NAPIER, Tuesday. , Plans for the development of a deep-sea harbour at Napier were vanccd a stage yesterday, when the Harbour Board gave its approval to the draft of a Bill to be submitted to Parliament sanctioning raising £335,000 for the execution of a scheme l approved some months ago. The scheme was the outcome of investigation last year by Mr Furkert and Mr Holderness, engineer to the Auckland Harbour Board, who were appointed to prepare report as to the best course to be pursued for meeting the needs of the port of Napier in consequence of the raising of the'ocean bed and the damage • caused by the earthquake in 1931. The engineers were in complete agreement in the recommendation that the board should go ahead immediately with the scheme for the development of the breakwater at a cost of approximately £400,000. Details of the proposal have since been carefully worked out, providing for the expenditure of the total sum to cover a period of a few years. The board’s first step was to apply for authority to use the unexpended balance of a previously-raised harbours loan, amounting to £71,000, for the purpose of commencing work at the Breakwater and also for the temporary maintenance of t'he inner harbour, which is used by lighters, but which has given considerable trouble since the earthquake through the reduction in depth consequent upon the raising of t'he land and also slltation from 'the repeated flooding of the river which flows into It. To Proceed Immediately. An Order-in-Councll giving authority to use the £71,000 was before the board to-day, and a decision was reached to proceed immediately with borings costing £1986, to ascertain the character of the sea-bottom at the breakwater, with a view to dredging. The board also had before it a draft copy of the bill containing provision for the expenditure of £335,000 on continuing the breakwater development work. '{ provision is also made for a poll of ratepayers to be taken. The Bill was approved by the board, and Is to be introduced during the coming session of Parliament.