HARBOUR BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 280, 24 November 1915, Page 9

HARBOUR BOARD.

■"■ ■ m ■ ■ ■— WORKS PROGRESSING WELL. AN EFFICIENT DREDGE. An ordinary meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, when there were present: Messrs. H. D. Heather (chairman). W. E. Hutchison. E. W. Alison, W. B. Leyland, W. AVallace, E. J. Carr, T. B. Arthur, and P. J. Nerheny. The Engineer (Mr. W. 11. Hamer), reporting on the work done during the fortnight, stated that good work was being done by the dredge Hapai in the hard sandstone on the western line of the new Central wharf, and dredging bad reached a depth of 35ft below low water, spring tides. Work upon the Auckland Dock site was practically finished. Tbe waterside road had been in use for some time, the other road was now complete, and the land was available for leasing. The City Council had laid Its electrical mains along the footpaths, and all other services had been carried out. The Council had also commenced work on the approaches to the new roads, though he had not been successful In his endeavour to get the work done concurrently with the Board's work. The old brick wall at the dock entrance had been moved round to form the new boundary of tbe Sailors" Home. Tbe gap in the bank, St George's Bay Reclamation, had now been closed, and the spoil was filling up behind it very fast. The facing of the embankment was being paved with bluestone. The City Council had approved of the new lines of the King's Drive extension," arid 1 all-work there was now ln hand. Good progress was being; made on I the Quay Street landing, and work was 'progressing from both ends. The southern [shed on No. 2 jetty was being removed. The repairs to the Devonport Sandsptt beacon were nearly complete, and the lighting apparatus was due from England this {month. An oflice for launch owners on tbe I Hobson wharf would be finished in a tew j days. The motor ambulance bad been removed from No. 2 jetty to the police and Customs building. Queen's wharf. During a strong gale on November 6 the tide at Onehnnga rose to 17ft lin above the level of the Auckland Dock sill. This was about 131n above tbe previous highest record. SHIPPING RETURNS. The Harbourmaster (Captain H. H. Sergeant) reported that during the fort- , night ending November IS 256 vessels, of I which 11 were oversea or intercolonial .steamers, entered the port, their gross tonnage being 110,462, and net tonnage j 65,206, a decrease of 47 vessels and 125,233 gross tons as compared with the same period of 1914. The departures consisted of 2T>3 vessels (a decrease of 51), | including 9 oversea and intercolonial steamers. The total tonnage was 95.118 gross and 56,695 net. The Calliope Dock had been engaged for four days by four vessels of 1,095 tons. Four vessels of 419 tons bal used the 600-ton slipway. The Harbourmaster at Onehunga reported the j arrival of 11 vessels and the departure ot the same number, the aggregate gross tonnage being 7,447 in each case. HANDBOOK TO BE PDBLISHED. The chairman made -the suggestion that the Board should undertake the publication ( of an annual booklet on the lines of that published by the Wellington Harbour Board, giving information as to thei history, development, and present facilities of the port. He believed that It would be of value and interest to a large number of people passing through Auckland. Mr Leyland mentioned -that be had received a number of requests, from America and elsewhere, for information about the port, and he felt that a -booklet would be very useful indeed. A committee, consisting of the chairman and Messrs Alison, Hutchison, Nerheny, and Carr, was Bot up to carry the work through. NEW BY-iAWS. ! After the ordinary -meeting, a special meeting was held to pass two new by-i laws. The first, referring to the pre- 1 payment of outward wharfage, tuds as follows:—"No person shall permit or allow | any goods to be shipped for export tn any vessel unless all export wharfage dues payable upon such goods shall have been' paid to the Board, or arrangements satisfactory to the Board shall have been made for their .payment." The other refers to the payment of dues on vessels using the Manukau wharves. MISCELLANEOUS. It was resolved to undertake the reformation of the short street between tbe Northern Roller Mills and the New Zealand Shipping Co.'s wool store, at a cost of £160, and to hand it over to the City Council in terms of an agreement with the latter. With reference to the request of Messrs A. 6. Paterson, Ltd., for a rebate of . wharfage on 3100 sheep which they had : been obliged to land at Orakei by means |of ferry boats, as the s.s. Wbangape was I unable to berth at the Orakei wharf, it I was decided to reply that -the Board was unable to accede to the request.