HARBOUR BOARD ACTIVITIES

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LII, Issue 8616, 13 June 1924, Page 8 (Supplement)

HARBOUR BOARD ACTIVITIES

The foHoivskig comprehensive review of the operations of the Tauranga. Harbour Beard for the past year was submitted to the lash meeting of the Board on June 5, by tinretiring Chairman, Mr Donald Grant ;—lt is customary for tout Chairman to review the work of the Board each year. Accordingly I have pleasure in presenting my report covering the period which dates from May 2nd, 1923. “Whilst" 1 am somewhat disappointed that the Board s policy in regard to a Harbour Scheme is not more clearly defined, and that- the progress made is net mere noticeable, still, 1 think it can be honestly claimed that some good work has been done by the Board during the past year. I can see that at the oulf*A I expected too much, and perhaps under-estimated the difficulties which seem inseparable iront local body operations namely- conflicting 1 local interests and the consequent hampering rtf arty negotiations with the Government. Tt is well-known that nothing short of unanimity will impress the Government in these troublesome times. Matters in connection with the work of the year which are worthy of

mention appear to me (<.:* be as follows ; “Finance -The revenue lias increased during the year by about -£'6oo, notwithstanding the reduction made by the Board in charges tm limber, which tin* Secretary informs me is equivalent to about £560. Tlii.s increase in (lie revenue is satisfactory, and there is no reason why next year should nut show a further increase. The Board's funds in hand amount to approximately £IO,OOO, of which t>n« half i.s loan money, and one half in the general account. These funds are invested at short call and are available when required. As is known, it has been derided that the Government shall build the new town wharf, and upon completion it is ter be taken over -by. t Kofc.lL.n,rd■ The price charged is to be cost of erection phis 10 per cent, and the total amount is not to exceed £122,000.

“In connection with the financial arrangement# for the carrying out of this work, a deputation consisting of Messrs Macmillan, M.P., Montgomery, and myself, waif eel on the lion, the Minister of Public Works on May 22. With the valuable assistance of the Minister arrangements have been made for a loan to the Board cf up to £40,000. This money will be available in instalments as and when required, the rate of interest being six per cent, with a two per cent sinking fund f; r a twenty year term, or alternatively one per cent 1 sinking fund mth a thirty-six year term. I notice that the New Plymouth Harbour Board has arranged for the sale of- five per cent debentures in London to the amount of £IOO,OOO at 94. If these are the best terms offering in London then I consider Ujc Board is better off under the arrangement made by the deputation. T would recommend the Board to borrow under the longer term, namely 36 years. I further suggest that as there are now no financial difficulties in the way, the Board should undertake the erection of the wharf purchase was to have the area

REVIEW OF PAST YEAR'S WORK

■ itself. It will be remembered tint ■ the Department undertook to buih the wharf simply to help the Boarc ■ oil of a difficulty. This arrange- - merit was quite acceptable it a betI ter one could not be made, even 1 though it involved payment to ihf : Government of 10 per cent < n the cost < f the work in addition to tin payment if 4 per cent to theßo-ard'f own engineers. However, the financial obstacle has now b-sen removed, and 1 consider that the Board should have the work carried out by contract under the supervision < f its cwn engineers and thus save the 10 per cent which would he payable to the Government, and which amounts to about ,£2400. In regard to the dredging required at; the berthage site of the proposed new wharf, the had sufficient encouragement from the Hon. the Minister of Lands and the. Under-Secretary, Mr J. B. Thompson, to believe than one of the dredges now at work at the Waihi South swamp might be hired fer a she t period to do the immediate berthage dredging necessary. “Purchase cf Land.—ln November the Board completed the purchase uf 428 acres of native land at Panipani Point, Matakana Island, for 10/ per acre. The object of the

planted with trees which in a few years time would arrest the drift c.f sand into the harbour at the entrance. The- area in question lias been substantially fenced, and the tree planting has commenced. About 20 acres were planted last season with, pinus racliata 2-year <dd Trees, 1250 to the acre, at a cost cf £ 7 per acre. So far, the 1 rocs arc doing very well, and it has been decided to plant a further 20acrcs this season. The trees are supplied from Hip Government. Nursery at Kotorua. It is expected that these trees will turn cut to be a valuable asset to- (lie Board iu years to come. I consider the should continue; plantin.e at the rate of ahc.it 25 acres yearly, until the whole area is planted. I have recently seen some one lime sand hills which have been successfully planted and all drift of sand cheeked. Aquartor acre section has been purchased near Katikati as a re-

serve for the dumping cf river shingle for tale by the Board. The section cost- £lO and the Beard lias received about £35 for shingle landed at the dump, so that the purchase has already proved profitable.

Harbour Equipment. During the year a 40 h.p. towing launch and a 60-ton scow have been purchased. The purchase was made to enable the straightening of the cutter channel to be proceeded with, to facilitate’ the working of ocean go ing vessels at the .Mount’. Tho launch has been thoroughly overhauled. and tHe scow, which has bien earning for tlie Board £2 5/ per trip freighting limber, is also in good order. The scow is now being filled up with derricks and gear to lift the harbour buoys as required. This should result in the saving of about £-15 per annum. ‘“Repairs. The Board s buildings ami plant have been kept in a fair slate of repair. 1 consider that’ repairs to the deck ol the wharf should be carried out by means of a thorough overhaul say every three as haibiur moorage and berthage sites on the foreshore. To this end

1 months, rather than by the present e method of continually replacing odd planks which are found to- be deL ’ feclivc. The office has been shift - ed from the western to the eastern side of the- wharf U, suit the rcnvi-u----1 i« nee of the Public Works Depart- * mc-nt. The Victoria Wharf has been dismantled and the- sound tim her Is available fer use- in a temporary wharf intended to be -ereeled at Pilot Bay in connection with the straiglitening of tlie cutter channel at the Mount. ' “Board Engineers. Messrs Mason, Lee Owen and Brown have been appointed engineers to the Board for a period of 5 years at a retaining fee of id 00 per annum, and villi a commission of 4 per cent on the cost of all works carried out for (lie Board. 2A per cent on completion of plans, and 1A per cent on completion of the work, “Harbour Charges. 1 consider the scale of harbour charges should Ins revised and where reasonable, increases made to secure to the Board adequate revenue. There- are eerla'll additional sources of n venm which should also bo tapped, such

the foreshore- should be surveyed in the near future. Tins will avoid boundary troubles later on. ' : Maketu and Wailti South Estuaries.-- A Hill is being prepared for consideration at the eonnng session of Parliament deiinnu: the Board’s control at IMaketti and Waihi South Estuaries.

“General. - I want to take this opportunity of urging on Hoard Members the importance ol facing I he issue of a harbour policy which will be m the best interests of the while of the great distinct to which we as hoard members are responsible. There is a danger that through shortsightedness and eun(liclihg local interests’ this Board will miss what I consider to be its attainable objective’, namely, the provision of a port worthy of the name which will be the- natural outlet O’ ftjic produce" and tradei of theBay of Plenty. Iti is plain from recent discussions which have arisen as the result of effort made tcv improve the shipment cf daily produce that the loading of Home liners will he restricted to ports which can be worked in all weathers without loss of time. We know the phenomenal. increase in production of dairy produce in this district, ami the furher possibilities in this direction, is, it, then, too high an aspiration that this port .should in the- near future be’ a dairy produce {lading port from which Home liners could load and sail with regularity ami certainty ?

“The story of the struggle ot ITarbonr Boards In make harbours on our coasts, despite all obstacles, and of the expeditin'?-of mil lions of money in the process, amounts to a tragedy. You know, gentlemen, that we have an almost natural deep

water harbour, and it behoves us to accept nature’s gift and make the iro.-t id’ it. ‘ In conclusion 1 wish to thank Heard members individually and collectively for their assistance and support during the year. We have ha,! differences ut opinion. but t]jcv have not been actuated by any personal motives.

in the Canterbury Province, came to Tauvauga as manager. The business ( f the Company is to tell the heavy trees, convert them into: timber, then improve the land that lias been cleaved, and offer it for sale for farming purposes. After building and equipping the sawmill, the Compay constructed a light railway from the' mill to Omnkoica, anil built a substantial wharf at the northern terminus of the line, at the mouth of the To Puna. River. The railway is six miles in length and besides serving the Company’s purposes is utilised by the many farmers along the route: for the transport of produce and goods from and to' the properties on. both sides of the line. The: bulk of tho Company's output of timber is sold in Auckland, being loaded on the sailing vessels at the wharf and conveyed direct to Auckland. Most of the tinker is rimu of fine quality'. Since the Company commenced operations it has milled the timber from a large area, and has been offered and intends to mill other bush country in the locality. The Company has already' sold a fair area of farming land, on which fourteen .settlers are residing. This fourteen settlers reside, still have sov era! areas of all sizes to dispose of. This land grows splendid grass and crops, and the settlers on the Company’s area have gone in for dairy fanning and cropping, and are obtaining very' satisfactory' returns. The new settler is not' put on the land and allowed to struggle as best he: can. The Company', after selling the land to him, offers him employment in the sawmilling industry, if he requires outside work, and most cf the new settlers have found this help of considerable value> in becoming established us lauded proprietors. Special assistance is also- afforded by the Company in regard to supplying timber for buildings and in connection with the transport: of goods on the railway. There is no denying the tact that the Company is accomplishing good national work in the settlement- of new country and in helping the new settler after he has purchased the laud. The results so f.u have been eminently' satisfactory. The whole of the new- .setters arc of the right stamp and wiii succeed, as (hey have purchased their lauds at prices which were i > where near the figures paid fur hunts in other districts where the loom carried prices far beyond the* producing value. The Company has now several thousand acres of laud ready for sett lenient and judging from the numerous inquiries that an coining to hand there is o', uy prospect of the number of settlers being augmented in the near future, especially as the area has railway connection with the harbour, while the Omokcroa rail-

“I take this opportunity of recording my appreciation of the assistance of the Hon. the Minister of Public Works and his officers. They have shown their desire to assist the Board to the utmost of their ability. I wish, also, to thank the Secretary and other members of the staff for their good work during the year,’’