THE PRESENT HARBOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3385, 28 November 1911, Page 2

THE PRESENT HARBOR.

AND THE FERRY SERVICE.

COMMENTS AT HARBOR BOARD’S MEETING.

The disinclination of the Union Steamship Coy. to run a ferry service from Napier to Gisborne as evinced m a recent communication to the Chamber of Commerce, resulted in the state or the river being criticised by Dr. Collins at a meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday. The Harbormaster. Capt. 4\. Gumming, reported; "I have the honor o report to you that the channel is keeping good. "Soundings for the month are shown on card. You will notice that we can get vessels drawing lift, up or down the channel at nearly low water, but we cannot get them alongside the wharves, as there' is about 3ft. less water in places along the wharves than in the channel. This is caused by we dredge disturbing the. silt when working. It is then carried by the tides and settles along the wharves. Shipping since last meeting: Steamers — arrivals 46, departures 44; sailing ships—arrivals 5, departures 4. Lighter dues, 44 at 2s Gd. £5 10s; harbor improvement rate £23 4s sd. .The beacons in the river have been painted.” . The chairman (Mr J. Townley) said that they couLd get lift to 13ft of water. The silt could come from underneath the wharf, and also from the buckets of the dredge when she was working, but they could' put on tne pumps and clean it away. They would then get 14ft or 15ft at low water with case. There was then nothing to prevent them getting out more rock and making it 20ft. There was no necessity for pumping out the silt or sweeping the channel just now, as the Union' Company had not put on their promised ferry service.

Dr. Collins thought a further report should .be obtained on this matter. Regarding the ferry service, the Board was not the first body that had discussed the matter, for the Chamber of Commerce had interested themselves in it. He thought the members of the Board might look into the position. The Union Company had had certain reflections cast on them- —that they had not fulfilled their promise to run a ferry service. The Compiny had promised that if it was within their power to run the service they would do so, but it was not within their power. For six months past there had been a piece of rock in the channel near the beacon, and he might inform them the Squall, in tcoming in some time ago struck that piece of rock. When they came to consider that the Squall was likely to strike there, the Company was not going to run a steamer like the Rotoiti, valued at from £25,000 to £30,000, .and of larger dimensions. One was a cargo steamer, and the other a passenger steamer. The Chamber of Commerce was asking for a regular passenger service, and the putting on of a vessel valued at from £25,000 to £30,000 to come up the river when the Board had left it in a dangerous condition, and this was not to be expected. He would like to ask the Harbormaster whether it was not a fact that the Squall struck this rock. The Harbormaster said that the vessel sheered round passing the rock, and struck the face of it. C'apt. Morrison had reported the matter to him. The dredge could not deal with the rock until it was blasted. Dr. Collins asked the members if undeg the conditions they could blame the Union Company for not carrying out their promise. In his opinion they I certainly could not. Until they ren- [ tiered the channel safe they had no i claim whatever on the Company. Let the Board tackle the position at once | and find out what period it would take I to remove it. He" moved that a report to that effect be obtained. Mr T. Holden seconded the motion. Mr Clark said that he was very much astonished at Dr. Collins’ remarks. Such statements would give the 'harbor a very great set-back. They knew the width of the channel and "know that there were no rocks in the fairway. There were no rocks that- the dreu„o could not move. The Union Company had; got the people in the hollow «i their hands, and were quite able vo look after themselves. He was sonv that Dr. Collins had made the statement, which would give a wrong impression. Dr. Collins said that they knew the rock was there, and it would require to he blasted before the dredge could at it. The Harbormaster said that the vessel sheered round and went againsc the face. Moll it should he removed. The Union Company required safety. In reply to a question the overseer said that on account of her propellors the Maui was unable to get at the rock. It would require to he blasted before she could get at it. When this particular piece of rock was removed there would be nothing to prevent .<■ ferry service being started. There would then be a uniform width of 150tt. There were no other obstructions ,o the river, and lie thought the rocn could ho removed in two or three months. The motion was carried. The B card decided later that as suvii as practical they would put the dredge at this particular point to remove the rock.