3

H.-15

Wanganui Harbour District and Empowering Amendment Act, 1929.- —This Act empowers the Board to borrow a further sum or sums, not exceeding in the aggregate £200.000, for the following purposes: Raising the moles, £12,000; extending the moles, £90,000; new dredge, £50,000; Admiralty claim (" Kaione "), £15,000; first year's interest and sinking fund, £13,000; engineering, promoting flotation, and contingencies, £10,000 ; plant and equipment, £10,000 : total, £200,000. The Board's 1913 Empowering Act authorized the Board to levy differential dues on goods in favour of those produced or manufactured in the harbour district, as against those manufactured outside. An amending provision was inserted in the 1930 Act, at the instance of the Department, to the effect that the power to levy these differential dues shall not now be exercised by the Board in any year in which no rate is levied, pursuant to section 10 of the 1913 Act, to meet the difference between the estimated ordinary revenue and the estimated ordinary expenditure. Harbotjr-works. Karamea Harbour. —The area surrounding this harbour was unfortunately situated close to one of the centres of disturbance in the earthquake of June, 1929, and the harbour suffered very considerable damage accordingly. The wharf was wrecked ; the wooden training-wall which was being used as a staging for depositing stone for the new training-wall was so damaged as to render it useless for the latter purpose, thus increasing the cost of this work ; and in the flood which occurred on the 29th December enormous quantities of sand and silt were deposited in the bed of the river between the gorge and the sea. This debris was due to the large earthquake-slips which had occurred in the higher reaches being washed down by flood-waters. As a consequence of this the river-channel is at present bad for navigation, and it is somewhat difficult to forecast what course the river will take in the next flood. Plans were prepared for the erection of a new wharf on standard lines, but work was not commenced pending consideration of alternative proposals on lines locally suggested as being more suitable to the needs of the district. In the meantime the working of the harbour by shipping has become so impaired as the result of the bad condition of the channel which followed the flooding of the river on the 29th December that it is generally recognized that it would be unwise to take any further steps until the position has definitely improved, it being anticipated that such will not become manifest until after the heavy rains of the coming spring have passed, if then. A considerable amount of snagging has been carried out in the main channel, in order to as far as possible keep the water in that channel and remove any obstruction which would tend to form sandbanks, with the consequent detrimental changes in the channel. A comprehensive survey of the harbour area and adjacent portions of river and overflow-channel is being carried out for future reference. Prior to the earthquake the laying of tram-line from the quarry to the training-wall had been completed, and a certain amount of stone had been run out to strengthen the end of the tramway. It was fortunate that this had been done, otherwise the whole of the outer end of the existing wall would inevitably have collapsed. Before the tipping of stone could be resumed a very considerable length of the tram-line had to be lifted, straightened, and repacked. Four chains of stone bank had to be built, the trestle leading on to the shoreward end of the wall having collapsed. Thirteen chains of the old timber wall had to be straightened up again and reconditioned, and, the last 4 chains of the wall being beyond reconditioning, the permanent replacing of this length with a stone wall is now in hand. The lower quarry, near the mouth of the Oparara Gorge, has never been satisfactory, the stone breaking out too small, and a better face was located half a mile farther up the Gorge ; this has been opened up and a large shot fired with very satisfactory results. An adequate supply of large stone is now assured to complete the works. On account of the subsidence of the land on which the Harbourmaster's house was situated, it became uninhabitable, so that it has been necessary to acquire a new section and shift the house to it. Waikolcopu Harbour. —During the year this port has been well patronized by shipping, and the wharf facilities have been well maintained. The contractor for the rock breakwater has completed approximately 50 per cent, of his original contract, and to date approximately 16,000 tons of stone have been tipped. This has already reduced the range and increased the number of workable days at the wharf. The Tahaenui quarry, from which the rock for the breakwater is being obtained, has opened up well. The quality of the rock is good, and the present indications point to it resisting the action of sea and atmosphere very well. The shelter-shed on the wharf was burnt down during the year, and was re-erected on a larger scale, and a waterside workers' accommodation building has been built. Electric power from Waikaremoana will shortly be available at Waikokopu, when it can be used for all lighting and harbour facilities in place of the present small petrol lighting-set. Karaka Point Wharf. —The approach work at this wharf has been completed, and the wharf is now connected up with the Whakarapa Road inland. Matiotitawa Wharf. —This wharf has been built, and the approaches are in hand. Rawene Launch and Motor Landing.-—This work has now been completed, and both the incline ramp and the pontoon landing have been working satisfactorily. Tikinui Wharf. —The new wharf has been completed during the year, together with small tramline, portable crane, and shed. Tutukaka Wharf. —Plans have been prepared for the construction of a new wharf on the south side of the harbour.