THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2526, 12 June 1909, Page 6

THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Some-three or four years ago, owing to the heavy range in the (rive r which made the entrance to our harbor dangerous during ivugh weather,, the Harbor Board obtained the services of Mr. Merchant to report upon the best means of reducing this range. The engineer* advised that “wave traps should bo erected on the training-wall side, and he drew up plans ail d specifications for thus work. Tne fee Mr. Marchant received was a very large one. The Board decided to carry out this work and preparation was made to that end, but was suddenly stopped (owing to the agitation for the outerharbor) and the staging, etc, which had been erected, was dismantled. The Harbor Board have now obtained the advice of another engineer upon this matter (which has already been reported upon bv Messrs. Reynolds and Marchant) and it would be interesting to know what they are paying him arid also, what has become of the 'previous reports. If Mr. Maircliant’s plans were considered as ‘ ‘suitable’ ’ by the Board some three or four years ago it is only logic to suppose that it cannot have 1 deteriorated through the lapse of time. It seems to me, sir, that our Harbor Board are never satisfied unless they are paying away large sums of money to obtain engineer’s advice (of which, like doctors,, etc., no two will be forma to agree in their entirety), - and which are ultimately shelved without receiving more than scant consideration. R the Harbor Board would publish the number of reports they "have, obtained, the amount naid for obtaining same, .and lastly, but not least, the number of reports that liave been adopted and carried out by the Board it would intorMti " S ”