History 1907

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History 1907 - 1955

The below history of the Port of Onehunga was published in the now defunct

"The Manukau Progress" on Friday, 23 March, 1956

In May 1907, the Mayor of Onehunga, Mr. J. Rowe, convened a meeting which unanimously agreed to set up a local Board to take over the harbour from the Railway Department.

A Committee was formed consisting of members from all the local bodies surrounding the Manukau. A Bill was drafted and it was hoped to get it through Parliament that session.

The short title of the Act was "The Manukau Harbour Act 1908".

The Manukau Harbour District shall comprise the Borough of Onehunga, the Papakura Town District, the Otahuhu, Mangere, Mauku, Awhitu, Waipipi, Waiuku, Karaka, Mount Roskill, Pollock, Papakura, Papatoetoe (spelt Papatoitoi in the copy of the Bill), Manurewa Road Districts, also part of the District of Drury and Avondale, part of Waitemata, and such parts of Mount Wellington and One Tree Hill Road into five subdivisions to the Districts that are in the Manukau Electorate, all these districts having a frontage on the harbour, more particularly described in the first Schedule to this Act.

4 ... The Board shall consist of twelve members, five shall form a quorum, two shall be nominated by the Government and ten shall be elected as follows:-

The district shall be divided into five subdivisions, to be called Onehunga, Waiuku, Papakura, Otahuhu and Mount Roskill districts.

Two members shall be elected for each of the subdivisions.

... The Board is hereby endowed with:-

(a) All wharfage (excepting the Railway Wharf), pilotage and port charges;

(b) All foreshore (excepting the Railway Reserve) and flats and sand banks within the Manukau Harbour district as constituted on the passing of this Act;

(c) All foreshore on the beach to the Waikato River on the south, and to a point marked A o the north of the Manukau Heads;

(d) The Harbour Reserves A, B, C, D, E and F, all of which are set out and more particularly described in the Third Schedule of this Act.

Manukau Harbour Endowments:

Lot 22 - Suburbs of Auckland, acres 140;

Lot 23 - Suburbs of Auckland, acres 196;

Whau Bay - Acres 135 to low water mark;

Lot 32 - Parish of Karangahape, acres 58, adjoins Huia Creek and the Harbour;

Lot 9 - Parish of Awhitu, acres 208, fronting entrance to Manukau Harbour;

Lot 34 - Parish of Karangahape, acres 1000, the point on the north side of Harbour entrance and Paratutai Harbour.

Foreshore which could be reclaimed estimated to be worth 200,000 pounds by Mr Millar, Minister of Marine.

It goes on to state that the Board shall maintain a wharf with necessary storehouses and appurtenances at, or near, the site of the wharves so taken and, if practicable, keep the channel or approach to the same clear.

In June 1908, the Auckland Harbour Board was informed by Mr Holmes that steps were being taken to construct a local body to take control of the Manukau Harbour.

The Board resolved as follows:-

"That the letter be received and Mr Holmes informed that, in the opinion of this Board, the control of Manukau Harbour should be vested in the Auckland Harbour Board".

The next move is the Auckland Harbour Board wooing the different organisations on this side of the peninsula to allow them to take over control of the Manukau Harbour. All kinds of promises were made. They considered that they had the plant, the experience and the capital to improve the facilities immediately.

At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on 14 November, 1912, Mr Rowe moved: "That the matter has been discussed and the only solution this Chanber can see is that we hurry up the Auckland Harbour Board to take control of the harbour".

Then another local Bill, Manukau Harbour Control & Auckland Harbour Board

Empowering", the short title of which was "The Manukau Harbour Control and Auckland Harbour Empowering Act, 1909".

This Act gave the Auckland Harbour Board the rights and privileges that were to have been bestowed on the Manukau Harbour Board if the Bill had been allowed to go through the House.

In the latest Bill, a member of the Board was to be elected every year by the Onehunga Borough Council.

In February 1913, the Chamber of Commerce had occasion to complain of the inactivity in the carrying out of the promises made by the Auckland Harbour Board for improvements to the Manukau.

The President, in his annual report, says: "Some three years ago the whole of the local bodies and Chambers interested in the development of our inland waterways met at Hamilton, and resolutions were passed supporting the Auckland Harbour Board taking over the Manukau ...

"Since the passage of the empowering Bill, nothing has been done to the Manukau by this body, and the extraordinary delay that has taken place owing to the dispute with the Government over the price of the Onehunga wharf not only prevents the carrying out of the great national canal project, but it also hangs up the economic development of the Auckland Province.

"There is also the danger that the Manukau will be kept in the background until it suits the interests of the Auckland Harbour Board to move".

The following year: "In reference to the Onehunga wharf, there has at different times been a great amount of congestion and delay in delivering and receiving cargo, and representations have been made to the Harbour Board to that effect, but it is understood that their policy is to wait until they receive the report of the Inland Waterways Commission before deciding on improvements.

"... Unfortunately, owing to the present European War, the Government has postponed the Commission that was to sit in December. ...

"One important matter the Harbour Board has taken in hand is the drainage of the Upper Manukau, and if this is remedied it will be of great benefit and distinct improvement to the district".

In May 1914, the Harbour Board had the question of providing further wharf accommodation under consideration.

In January 1922, the oyster beds at Puketutu were very healthy. An inspector reported quality and quantity favourable.

The same month the Auckland Harbour Board sent out their proposal for the enlargement of Onehunga wharf at an estimated cost of 94,000 pounds. Provisions were made to allow two coastal steamers to berth on the north or inward side. The bank to the westward will be dredged so as to give twelve feet of water at low tide both at the approach to the wharf and at the berths.

The Harbourmaster advised against bringing the wharf close to the bridge on account of the danger to vessels in berthing - by reason of a strong flood tide being liable to sweep them against the bridge. If found necessary, the connection to the bridge could be considered afterwards.

At this particular time discussion took place as to where the silt should be deposited. The Harbour Board wanted to put it back into the harbour, but the Chamber of Commerce said that it would be better on the foreshore above the Mangere bridge, so as to reclaim land for the Onehunga borough. Mr M.H. Wynyard, the member on the Harbour Board, pointed out that the cost would be doubled, and the only way out was to put the silt back into the harbour to settle.

The "Hapai" was the only dredge available and would have to be towed round North Cape. The estimated time for the dredge to be in the harbour would be 21 days, when it would shift 41,000 cubic feet of material a

day. The suction dredge would be the best, but the cost of dismantling and re-erecting after it had been brought overland made the proposition prohibitive. If the Council would foot part of the bill, it could be utilised to fill the lagoon at the lower end of Queen Street.

Mr H.R. (Hughie) MacKenzie, vice-chairman of the Harbour Board, said that the new wharf should be called the "Wynyard Wharf" in honour of "Montie" Wynward, who had done so much to bring it into being. He considered that there may be enough work for a permanent dredge on this harbour.

The Harbour Board was asked the following question by the Chamber of Commerce. "If, when constructing the cargo shed at the new wharf at Onehunga, will any provision be made for a loading bank somewhat similar to that provided on the Auckland wharf, or any other suitable mode your Engineer has arranged for? If no provision has been made, I am asked by my Chamber to provide such convenience".

Mistakes were made when the new wharf was erected some thirty years ago - that does not make it a precedent that mistakes should be made at this time. This paper has been drawing its readers' attention to the new plans for Onehunga wharf. These provide for a loading bank as asked for thirty years ago, but at the expense of the "Provisions were made to allow two coastal steamers to berth on the north or inward side".

Yes, 160 odd rustless steel piles, filled with concrete, are to be driven on the north or inward side, and a 66 feet wide ramp, 2.5 feet below the decking of the wharf, running the length of the wharf, with a rise of 2 feet 6 inches to the outer edge, is being erected now, and another foot is to be added to the decking of the present wharf.

Trucks will then use this for loading, but as pointed out previously, will all work cease when there is a high tide and a westerly blowing, or will the owners of these trucks be expected to drive them into the salt water?

When the ramp is finished the present sheds will have their roofs brought to the edge of the present wharf on the north or inward side, this, according to the Engineer, giving enough space for inward and outward cargo. But will it? Ever since the new wharf was built, accommodation for storage of cargo has been far too small, and the port workers and the shipping companies have been asking for extra space, but with no success.

The Harbour Board should immediately stop the ruination of the north or inward berth, and use the twenty or thirty piles already driven as foundation for another shed, and continue the wharf to the bridge on the south or outward side, that a previous Harbourmaster advised against.

We are only layman and the engineers have assured us that we are wrong in our fears, but thirty years ago the engineers gave the same answer to laymen. Don't let it happen again.

Since this article was written, the Auckland Harbour Board have decided to finish the present planned work, and make provision for a third berth if necessary, and to let the shipping companies know that they expect more labour to be available when the sheds are enlarged.

The intention of enlarging the sheds is to continue the roofs of the present sheds to the edge of the wharf where the ramp is being built. The extra space will be so small that it will not relieve the congestion one iota.

For a start, at the present time, a certain amount of cargo can be stored under the open roof on both the north and south sides. This space will not be available when the roofs are continued, as the north side disappears and the south side must be kept clear for the railway. Again, a passageway must be kept clear for the different brands, so, if anything, any space that will be gained will be used to replace the space that was available under the open roofs.

The men will be available when more storage space is available for the quick turnabout of the ships.

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