Evening Post 15 May 1883

Although operations were only started about two months ago, Mr McGrath has made excellent progress with his contract for the reclamation of the foreshore between the Queen’s Wharf and the Te Aro Foundry, and the work bids fair to be completed in less than three years, the period allotted by the City Council. A mole has been run out near the foundry, and this will form one of the sides of the section which is to be filled up. The contractor has made arrangements to obtain an unlimited supply of earth from the points between the Clyde Quay Hotel and Oriental Bay, and a line of tramway across the harbor from that locality is now in course of construction. About 100 spans have been laid down in the water, and it is expected that the mole will be connected with the shore by this means in less than a fortnight’s time. Iron rails will be laid down as soon as possible, and then a locomotive will be employed to draw the truck-loads of earth to be used in reclaiming the foreshore. The area to be filled in is about 70 acres, we are informed, and to reclaim such an extent of foreshore many thousands of tons of material will be required, but no difficulty in carrying out the work expeditiously is apprehended, and the contract will probably be out of Mr McGrath’s hands in two years from date.