Breakwaters

The Breakwaters are formed of rubble stone blasted from the Quarries at Naval and Officer's Points, and deposited on the respective sites. The outer slopes of both Breakwaters are protected or faced with huge blocks of stone.

The Officer's Point, or Eastern Breakwater, is some 2010 feet in length, with a width of 40 feet on top and having an elevation of 6 feet above high water spring tide. The Naval Point Breakwater is 1400 feet in length. The former Breakwater has also a timber breastwork built along its inner face for nearly its entire length—known as the Gladstone Pier.

Water Area Enclosed.

—The Area of Water enclosed within the Breakwaters is about 107 acres.

Dredging

Dredging operations have been proceeding almost uninterruptedly for the past seven years, during which period 2,319,030 cubic yards, or 3,221,475 tons of dredged material, consisting of stiff clay and mud, have been removed, at an average cost of 6d. per cubic yard. The Dredging plant used has been a single [unclear: dder] Dredge and two steam Hopper Barges, the holding capacity of the latter being 250 tons each. The dredged material is removed by them to Camp Bay a distance of 3½ miles and there deposited. The present

Depth of Water in Inner Harbour.

Depth of Water Inside The Breakwaters and at the Wharves varies from 19 feet up to 25 feet at low tide. The Inner Harbour is still being father deepened by dredging, so that vessels drawing 25 feet may be berthed inside the moles [unclear: a] any time of the tide. The rise of tide is about 7 feet. Vessels up to 5000 tons can now [unclear: e] safely berthed at several of the wharves; as instancing this, the steamers Catalonia and British King were loaded to respective draughts of water of 25ft. 9in. and 24ft. 6in., [unclear: t] two of the existing Jetties, and steamed out of the Inner Harbour without the slightest difficulty.

Moorings

Sets of Mitchell's Patent Screw Moorings are laid down in the Inner Harbour, capable of holding vessels up to 2000 tons.

Berthage Space for Vessels within the Inner Harbour, Lyttelton.

The Berthage Space at the Wharves as shown in the plan will be:—

This Berthage Space is still capable of very conserable extension by the construction of additional Jetties.

Ocean Steamers' Jetty.

—A Special Wharf for Ocean Steamers is provided. Its length is over 500 feet, and it will accommodate two of the largest steamers visiting the [unclear: t] at the same time. Besides this, two of the other Jetties have a depth of about 25ft. [unclear: alside].

Special Berthage for Men-of-War.

—Special Berthage Spare is provided Men-of-War, six or seven vessels can shortly be Berthed at the Moorings inside the break waters, there is at present provision for berthing three such vessels at least, without in any way interfering with the ordinary shipping of the Port.

Expenditure on Barbour Works in Lyttelton

—The total amount [unclear: exended] upon Harbour Works in Lyttelton up to the present date is some £480,000 this sum includes the cost of the Breakwaters, &c., the purchase of the Dredging Plant, and also of a powerful Steam Tug, built to the special order of the Lyttelton Harbour [unclear: Boa], by Messrs. Laird, of Birkenhead.

Railway Lines on Wharves and Jetties.

—The whole of the Wharves [unclear: d] Jetties in Lyttelton have lines of Rails laid down upon them, and are worked by the Railway. Large shed accommodation is also provided on the wharves and in the Lyttelton Station Yards.

Grain Storage in Lyttelton.

—Provision has been made for the Storage Grain and Agricultural Produce in Lyttelton. The new Grain Shed alone is capable of olding 7.000 tons of grain, and there is also ample space for building additional Grain heds when required.

30th August, 1885.

30th August, 1885.

Graving Dock.

—The Graving Dock is completed, and is capable of docking a first-class ironclad, and any of the large ocean steamers now running to these Colonies. The general dimensions of the dock are as follows:—

Workshop at Dock.

—Messrs. Scott Bros, are providing a Workshop at the Dock capable of carrying out any repairs required by steamers, &c.

Patent Slip.

—A Patent Slip capable of taking up a 400 ton vessel is also provided.

The Total Cost of the Graving Dock, including Pumping Machinery and Caisson, was £104,000.

Wharfage and Port Dues, Receipts, 1883.

—During the year 1884, the Wharfage Dues in the Port of Lyttelton, amounted to £18,724, and the Pilotage and Harbour Dues to £6110. The Total Ordinary Current Revenue of the Lyttelton Harbour Board for the year was £32,846 9s. 9d., and the Ordinary Expenditure, for the same period, was £23,640 0s. 10d. The Surplus Balance for the year 1883, being £9751 9s. 7d.

Harbour Charges:—

Wharfage Dues (which are payable by the Importers and Exporters of Goods), are as follows:—

(Half rates on transhipments), and re-shipped goods free on declaration.

Sheds are provided on the Gladstone Pier for British and Foreign Imported Goods, and are worked by the Railway Department, and by this means vessels now obtain the most rapid dispatch. A large Grain Export Shed, 520 feet long, has been built by the Board on the new breastwork, and is worked by the Railway Department. The now reclaimed ground, of about 4 acres near the dock, will also provide space for sites for additional grain stores, &c.

Pilotage Dues.—On all sailing vessels over 100 tons register, 3d. per ton register each way.

Steamers, two-thirds of above rates.

Port Charges.—2d. per ton register.

N B.—There is No Berthage Charge on Vessels lying at the Wharves or Jetties.

Graving Dock Charges

—The Dock Dues for a 300 ton vessel, £20; for a 400 ten vessel, £22 10s.; for a 700 ton vessel, £30; for a 1200 ton vessel, £45; for a 1300 ton vessel, £50; and for a 4000 to 5000 ton vessel, £75; and four clear days are given in Dock in all cases. The Board find all labour in docking and undocking, but take no responsibility.

Tug Service

The Harbour Board's Steam Tug "Lyttelton" is constantly on the look-out for vessels requiring her services outside the Heads—the Day Signals for the Tug being. Answering Pennant over letter N, and Night Signals, Three Blue Lights burnt in succession. As a watch is always kept at the Heads Pilot Station Look-out, vessels giving these signals can be seen.

Towage Fees—Sea Towage, to a distance of 5 miles outside the Heads, or from sea 7 miles, rises according to tonnage, from £3 10s. for a 150 ton vessel, to £17 for a 2,000 ton ship. Towage removals are proportionately low, and vary from £1 to £9, according to tonnage. When the towage from sea exceeds 7 miles outside the Heads, an additional charge of £5 per hour is made. For work inside the Harbour £4 an hour is charged.

General

The Port of Lyttelton, which is situate on the north-western side of Banks' Peninsula, having an opening to the north-east, is the Chief Seaport Town of the Provincial District of Canterbury, is seven miles distant from Christchurch, the Capital, and is connected by a line of railway, the Moorhouse Tunnel (a mile-and-three-quarters in length,) being on this section. The Canterbury District is intersected by lines of railway some 332 miles in length. The population of the Town of Lyttelton is about 4,200, and that of the City of Christchurch and Suburbs about 32,000.

Lyttelton Harbour Board.—Seven and a-half years ago the Lyttelton Harbour Board was constituted, since then all matters connected with the Harbour have been managed and dealt with by the Board. The present Members of the Board are:—Edward G. Wright, (Chairman). Members—Hon. J. T. Peacock, Hon. E. Richardson, C.M.G., Messrs. Robert Allen, C. W. Turner, Captain A. Parsons, C. R. Blakiston, R. Westenra, W. White, jun., M.H.R., Captain T. McClatchie, W. B. Tosswill, H. Allwright, M.H.R., Frank Graham, and His Worship the Mayor of Lyttelton (ex officio).

Harbour Board Offices:—Cathedral Square, Christchurch; Norwich Quay, Lyttelton.

Secretary and Treasurer—C. Hood Williams. Clerks—F. Hindley, S. Muter. Harbourmaster—Hugh Mclellan. Dredging Superintendent—H. Turpin. Inspector of Works—S. Derbidge. Pilots—Alex. Reid and John Galbraith. Master of the Steam Tug Lyttelton—Capt. J. W. Clark.

Telephonic Communication.—The Board have had a Special Telephonic Line erected between their Offices in Christchurch and the Pilot Station at the Heads, and vessel's arrivals or departures are at once communicated to the Christchurch Office, and posted on a Board at the outside door of the building in Cathedral Square, for the information of the public. The Christchurch Office is also connected with the Telephone Exchange.

C. Hood Williams, Secretary and Treasurer Lyttelton Harbour Board.