AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 88, 15 April 1896, Page 2

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD

c The ordinary meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board wna held yesterday afternoon, Mr G. S. Kisaling presiding. Naval Depot.—Capb. Cusemenb, of H.M.s. Rapid, ab Lyttelton, wrote fora cheque for £30, the price of the old naval depot ub the North Shore.—lt waa docidod to call on bhe Devon port Borough Council (now in possession of tho dopot) to pay the amount. North SnoRE Dkfences.—The following letter from Mr C. li. Vickerman, Rosidont Engineer under tho Public Works Department, was road : —" The reclamation ab tho Torpedo Depot, North Shore, ia to be enlarged, and for thia purpose land has been taken from Mr A. Watson on tha land side. I am now instructed to proceed with tho reclamation, and write to recjuesc the approval of your Board and for permission to go on. As the boundary is ab present our filling may go outside of it somewhat, but further land will have to be taken ab this place and a plan will be made, and whab ia required will be proclaimed in a similar way to the piece already taken there from your endowment."—The letter was referred bo the Works and TarilT Committee.

Ferry Service.—A letter waa received from Dr. Bakowell complaining of want of punctuality in tho timetable of the Devonport Ferry Company's North Shore • teamen*. He says that on the 10th mat. tho 10.10 a.m. steamer wae 15 minutoa late, and that on another occasion the steomer was a quarter of an hour late. The complainb was referred to the Ferry Company for an explanation.—Mr Napier said that there was urgent need for a landing stage for the ferry eervice, to facilitate the traffic. Dredging.—Two letters—one from J. Welmun and the other from G. Higgins— with rogard to dredging and reclamation work, were referred to tho Works and Tariff Committee.

Leave of Absence. —Tho Board granted leave of absence to Mr B. Kenb for three months, owing to his proposed departure for America by the San .Francisco mailsteamer.

Receiving of Cakgo. —-When the Works and Tarifl Uoromibtee'e report came up, Mr W. J. Napier proposed thab the Board ehould take over the receiving of cargo from foreign trading and intercolonial vessels, and that Messrs Kissling, Craig, Gunson, Julian, Houghton, Farrell and the mover be a Committee to report on thß method to bo followed ac soon as poßsible.—Mr Napier urgod the immediate desirability of the Board adopting this system of handling cargo. The present system was the cause of greab inconvenience and confusion. The Auckland system was unique in the colonies, and was retrogressive instead of progressive. There was no attempt to handle cargo in a businesslike and systematic manner.—Mr Farrell seconded tho motion, and the majority of the Board supported it.—Mr Ntlpier's motion was carried.

Finance and Legal Committkk.—The report of tho Finance and Legal Committee, aa already published, was read. —A clause referring to an alleged encroachment by fencing at the North Shore was referred back to the Committee. — The proposal to ask the Wellington Harbour Board to allow their engh.eer, Mr Ferguson, to visit Auckland to report on harbour works was struck out.' Mr Devore thought the Board should engage a consulting engineer.—Regarding the proposal to prepare plans and specifica^ tions for Quay-streot Jetty No. 3, come discussion took place on the proposed new jetty. The clause was adopted.— With reference to the recommendation to instruct the Foreman of Works to remove all advertisements on the wharves, waiting rooms, etc., the Board referred the clause back to the Committee with instructions to consider the question of, letting the right to advertise on the Board's wharves by tender. —The rest of the report was adopted.

Pilotage.—lb was decided to call a special meeting of the Board in Committee ab 7.30 on Tuesday next to consider the question of altering the pilot service. Shoal Bay.—On the motion of Mr M. Niccol ib was resolved, "That the Finance and Legal Committee report upon the expediency of extinguishing riparian rights in Shoal Bay, North Shore, and the best means of accomplishing this."