CALLIOPE DOCK.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 163, 12 July 1899, Page 3

CALLIOPE DOCK.

The comprehensive report submitted by Mr J. M. Brigham to the Harbour Board yesterday afternoon furnishing details of his negotiations with the British Admiralty re the equipment of Calliope Dock was not considered iv detail. The report being read, the Chairman (Mr W. J. Napier) said the Board would no doubt see thnt Mr Brigham had made several suggestions in his report, and moved that it be referred to the Works and Tariff Committee to report. Mr Brigham's labours had been satisfactory in many respects, and he had no doubt that gentleman djd his beat on the whole, but, of course, there was that item of £27,000, on which there', would be different opinions. Thaty £27,000 would have to be paid some day by successors of the present Board. Mr Brigliarn, however, apparently could not have done otherwise under exiating circumstances, and he personally had no doubt that gentleman did his best to secure the best possible terms for the Board. Mr M. Niccol said it was only fair to state with regard to that £27,000 that although it would ultimately have to be paid by the Board, still they would have plenty of margin to allow the Board to provide for payment, as they were allowed 4 per cent, and borrowed at 32 per cent. He thought the Board would be quite justified in cordially congratulating Mr Brigham upon putting matter's on such an excellent business footing. He could well appreciate the difficulties Mr Brigham had to encounter in bringing the matter down to a bare agreement. He thought on the whole Mr Brigham was to be congratulated upon the manner in which he had completed the work set going by Mr Witheford. Of course, Mr Brigham took up the lines at the point Mr Witheford dropped them, but still it had entailed an amount of work to bring the matter at length to a satisfactory issue. The motion was then adopted.