NAPIER.

New Zealand Graphic, 20 December 1894, Page 20

NAPIER.

THE GREAT WOOL OF HAWKE’S BAY. O' the many pleasant and prosperous cities in this pleasant and prosperous colony, none is either more pleasant or more prosperous than that of Napier. One of the most progressive ports and advancing towns in New Zealand, Napier has made its way to the front quietly, and with apparent ease. And this is one of the characteristics of Napier, Prosperity here is not the rushing, bustling, noisy prosperity of larger cities. The people are on the surface an easygoing. intensely hospitable and comfortable set, but though they appear to take life leisurely, they get the prosperity all the same, and push ahead just as surely, though with less bustle than elsewhere. Napier is a place of very considerable commercial greatness, and it has the satisfaction of knowing that as the years roll by its prosperity must of necessity continue to grow, as the splendid country at its back is still further and further developed, and its produce becomes more and more valuable. Surrounded by high hills, Napier is one of the most healthy places in New Zealand, and its climate is usually considered the finest in a colony which boasts, and with reason, on the excellence of the climatic influences under which its inhabitants live. The air is soft and balmy, and while the winter is never severely cold, the summer months are never distressfully hot, and there is an entire absence of the muggy heat found so enervating in certain parts further North. The country is limestone, and this, we are told, accounts for the splendid health and fine physique of the people of Napier. Limestone country always produces a fine race is a well-known legend, and one which may be considered 1 proven ’ in the case of Napier. To obtain a good view of Napier one must ascend the hills, and from here the vista of the city is indeed enchanting. The town lies on a large flat facing the ocean, and follows the grand sweep of the splendid and symmetrical bay which has not infrequently been compared with the Bay of Naples. The resemblance is scarcely striking at first sight, owing, no doubt, to the fact that there is nothing to adequately represent Vesuvius. But Napier is considerably more pleasant than Naples as a place of residence. It may not have a volcano in working order at its front door, but it can also boast immunity from the smells and other objectionable features of the old Italian city.

Napier is probably the only town in the world laid out by a poet, ad the consequences are still to be seen in the high-sounding names of literature which have been given to the streets. We have Milton, Chaucer, and Shakespeare Roads, Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, and Dickens-streets, and this goodly custom of perpetuating the names of the greatest of our nation, also followed in naming the town itself, ‘ rings up the memories of immortal greatness, and sings a prophecy for time to come.’

Without doubt the best view of Napier is obtained from Prospect Hill. On one side is seen the wild open roadstead with the splendid breakwater running out from the shore, and of which we shall have more to sayanon. To the left of that stretches the long line of the Narrow Spit, with the little harbour of Port Ahuriri, where the tide flows in and ont through a narrow gut into a large sheet of water, called the Inner Harbour, but only a harbour in name. Then, turning to the other side of your coign of vantage, you may see the long lines of curving streets which belong to the business part of the town, and stretch along the beach, repeating its curve. These regular lines become broken and frayed as they reach the foot of the hills, where the houses of the most fortunate classes nestle in their green shelters, and cover the hills with little nooks framed out of nature by the hand of man. The new Band Stand, where atseasonable times an excellent band provides citizens with the most elevated of human pleasures, was recently donated to the town by two citizens. The great feature of the Napier of to-day is, however, the breakwater, which was begun in 1885, the designs being by Mr Goodall. The design consisted of a breakwater commencing at Ahuriri Bluff and running out a distance of 1,400 feet to the north east, thence bending to the north and running northerly 900 feet, and thence bending to the westward i€o feet ; the structure to be 36 feet wide, built of concrete in 30 ton blocks, and surmounted with a huge capping of solid concrete (called a monolith) each section of which would weigh between 400 and 500 tons. When the structure got into water deeper than 21 feet a foundation of limestone rubble was to be laid upon which to rest the concrete blocks, the whole to be protected on the outer face with immense blocks of limestone to act as wave breakers. Timber wharves were to be built on the inner side of the structure. Provision was also made for protecting the Eastern Spit beach, and connecting the works with the Spit Station by railwav. The plans were submitted to an Engineering Commission consisting of Messrs Napiei Bell and Scott. They reported favourably as to the practicability of the scheme, but recommended the lengthening of the breakwater 600 feet towards the north-west, as shown on Mr Goodall’s plan for future construction. They further recommended the construction of a western mole so as to make an enclosed harbour. The total cost of the whole works as recommended by the Commissioners was /486,823- Mr Goodall subsequentlyresigned his post, and his place was filled by Mr Carr. The work is still uncompleted at this writing, but there is little doubt that in a very short time Napier will be furnished with a breakwater which will make a port worthy of her splendid wool trade. ‘