HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3254, 27 June 1911, Page 6

HARBOR IMPROVEMENT.

REPORTS AND.- PLANS BEFORE THE BOARD. REMEDY FOR “ RANGE ” URGENTLY REQUIRED. SHOULD THE BREAKWATER BE EXTENDED? The plan recently prepared by Mr. R W. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, regarding harbor improvement, was placed before the members of the Harbor Board yesterday. Dr. Collins immediately moved that they be considered bv a- committee consisting of the whole Board, and a- report be submitted at the next meeting. Mr. Brown seconded the motion. Regarding Gapt. Sewell’s plan, Dr. Collins stated, in reply to a question whether the committee should consider ? it along with Mr Holmes’s plan, that the Board had not officially asked for Captain Sewell’s plan. The Board had enough work to do, and he did not know whether they renuired to consider that plan. If the Board thought it necessary to consider it they should make an official request to Captain Sewell. He tholught it was unwise to burden, the Board with another plan at this stage. They could take one and then the other if necessary, and report to the Board. The Board would no doubt consider Captain Sewell’s plan officially at a later date. He moved that Captain Sewell’s report, plan and letter lie on the table till such time as the Board required it. He was quite agreeable to a letter being written- to Captain Sewell' informing him that they would consider liis report and plan. The Chairman: That is only fair. Mr. F. J. Lysnar wanted to know if the committee could not consider the two reports at once. The Chairman : Probably they have enough to do with one. It was eventually decided that the Board as a committee consider Mr. Holmes’s report, and a letter be written to him thanking him for forwarding it. It was also agreed to write to Captain Sewell thanking him for his report, and informing him it would be considered at a future date. Mr. Humphreys, in accordance with notice of motion given at the previous meeting, then moved: “That it is the paramount duty of this Board to make the entrance to th© harbor absolutely safe to the travelling public without delay.”

Mr. Palmer seconded the motion. Mr. Humphreys said that he need hardly state the necessity for this work as it* was apparent to all. If life was to be at stake it was the duty of the Board to remedy the matter without delay. He had every confidence that they would pass this motion, and then get to work and consider the question of extending the breakwater. Mr. Clark said that they wore all unanimous that something must be done, and they had been of that opinion for some time past. This Board had more information before it than the old Board, and when they considered Mr. Holmes’s scheme they might be able to move in the matter. Something must he done, and it should have been done before now. Mr. Brown, in supporting the motion, said that the matter should he attended to at once. Anyone who watched the range i.n the river on Sunday wcfuld see that it was imperative that something should be done. They had to remedy the range, for it was essential to make the entrance safe. , Mr. Sawyer was also m favor of the motion. He thought that in the event of the Board not adooting any of the schemes before tliem they should attend to the entrance. , The Chairman was quite in favor of something being done. Mr. Holmes was in favor of the extension of the breakwater, but he did not give them much information on the matter. \\ hen Mr Holmes was in Gisobrne he had several conversations _ with the Oveiseer, cind. li6 tlionglit it would be better if the Overseer were sent to confer with Mr. Holmes and discuss the matter or carrying out the extension. Two or three hours’ conversation would be better than two or three months of writing. It might be the means of assisting them in going on with the work at Mr. Parker wanted to know if there was provision in the finances for carryinoi out these works. The Chairman thought it would be some time before they lyanted much money in connection with harbor imnrovement. All they wanted to do was to decide when to start. They would have enough - money next year. iney had paid £20,000 this year, and it would be non-recurring expenditure, un connection with the dredge and- othei works SU pp or tcd the motion, and congratulated the mover on having brought it forward. He pointed out tliot the work of extending the breakwater could not be an individual work, but would have to be carried out in coniumetion with other works. -With. reward to the Overseer conferring with Mr Holmes lie thought that the Board would not undertake any works of tins nature until they had appointed a qualined engineer to, supervise and so forth, and it would not be putting the Overseer in a fair position in asking him to go down and get tins lnforma--tion. It would not be fair to the ratepayers, and if defects' occurred the members would bo blamed for not send ing down a qualified man. , Mr Clark thought that before they adopted any scheme they should have the best advice they could get. Hie extension of the breakwater for two oi three hundred feet would have to be fa Mi\ Holden was of opinion that it weald he necessary to extend the breakwater. • After further discussion the motion was carried. . ■ . Mr. Parker gave notice to move at next meeting:— 1 “That the Board obtain an impartial and independent report of the Murewai or Young Nick s Head site as a harbor suitable tog the requirements of Gisborne.”