A Look At...
Westminster Dredging

Earlier this year, five vessels and 40 staff members of the Westminster Dredging Company's Sydney-based branch arrived in Gisborne to commence work on their £437,500 contract to excavate a new outer harbour capable of handling overseas shipping of up to 50,000 tons.

The contract was the first to be undertaken in New Zealand by the company, which has offices throughout the world and a fleet totalling 172 vessels.

Key vessel in the Gisborne fleet is the steam-powered bucket dredge Foremost Prince, which has now become a common sight (and sound) to local residents as it grinds its way steadily through solid papa rock on the site of the turning basin.

Working 24 hours a day, the dredge will take about a year to complete its task of excavating to a depth of 30ft, done in four cuts of increasing depth.

When Photo News looked in on the project the dredge was working on its first cut, across a 200ft wide front adjacent to the outer channel.

Viewed from Kaiti Hill, the Foremost Prince is pictured about half-way along its first cut on the outer edge of the proposed turning basin, which will be contained within the two walls at rear. In the centre foreground can be seen the company's offices and workshops.

A keen photographer, project manager Mr M. A. Verhulst records all his jobs on film

The bucket chain divided the front end of the dredge almost completely in two, leaving the bridge with seemingly little support.

Towering above the water, the bow of the dredge presents an awesome sight. In the foreground are rocks from an old groyne, which at low tide appear above the waterline.

A dumb barge, filled with 370 cubic yards of rock, is towed away from the dredge by the utility launch Chief, while another barge is manoeuvred across the channel to take its place. The spoil is dumped three miles out in the bay.

Frank Flynn is the project clerk

Sole female employee is typist Pat Owen

Dredge supervisor Frank Hennessy talks to the engine room on the bridge telephone. The dredge has two complete crews to enable it to work around the clock.