HARBOR BOARD.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4280, 18 April 1879, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The Lyttelton Harbor Board held a meeting in the Board room, Government Braidings, Ljtfcalton, yesterday, at 2 p.m. Present B. Richardson (chairman). Hon. John Hall, Messrs Mnrray-Aynaley, B. J. S. Etarman, C. W. Turner, B. Allan, H. Allwright. The secretary, Mr C. H. Williams, read the minutes of the previous meeting, and they were confirmed. The Chairman then tread the following statement:-— OHAIBKAW'3 BHPOET. The following sums have been paid in to the Board's credit since onr last meeting :— Wharfage, £2188 3s 9d ; towage, warps, and pilotage exemptions, £96 2s; total, £2284 5s 9d. There are several accounts for payment to-day. Further correipondence will he read between the Hon. Minister for Public Works and myself, in reference to the scarcity of trucks. It is much to he regretted that the Hon. Minister for Public Works should have introduced into the question anything relating to political matters, but the responsibility of doing so rests entirely with him. The correspondence will, at his expressed request, ba published in the newspapers. While on the subject of scarcity of tracks, I think it only right that I should record my opinion that the railway officials here have done all that could be done, with the appliances at their disposal, and with the existing regulations, to meet the extraordinary demands upon their resources, and without doubt there have been several instances recently where large |home-bound vessels have been loaded with great despatch. Far instance, the ship Maraval was loaded and despatched ia fourteen days. But from this fact it must not be understood that the demand for trucks in Lyttelton has in-any

way lefcened. The demand it ' ever, as will be seen f nm a JZJ" 8 * M W-day, from the Harbor-master report* that ten vessels are now* lvinl • ■**» ' stream waiting for diicharaiim {} * . two others for loading berths. ThisT,'' as * undoubtedly is for the most part «£?«■» ' the insufficiency of the truck budti! ** number of vessels berthed at the i, *° * during the past eight or nine da-« »v* s havo averaged some fire or six trucks each, which is quite inadequate to th * **' quiremeats and to their qaiok desDatch ' ?* the matter of traversers for the wha - have had several interviews win, t-,.^ 6 *' 1 * tary for Railway, upon Z * and I understand from fci m that v* Commissioner of Railways, whom th« nJh will be pleased to learn has duties, will consider their proposal umL n? matter. I may state that om enrinJe?!.. within the last few days, been in «I, Z> tion with the Besidonb ]j ? with reference to the proposed plan oft!? versers for the wharves, and I j that to Boon as Mr Low is able to preou, plan, it will be submitted to the Board it • i proposed to put crossings in the middla 5 the jetties, instead of the second traverser suggested by the Board. lam further <_\ ■ vised by the Secretary of Bailwavs __ i tenders are about to be called for the mm*. ' of the two steam oranes for the jetties. -SS '' that the question of the two steam lifu fnt the Gladstone Pier will be ooniidered by M ' Conyers at an early date. Tho qoeition ef ■*■ the site for the Board's offices in Lvttelton '* still remains in abeyance, the question* havina ) been referred to the Government at WeUingW r Our offices in Ohristchuroh will be re&dv 'ft jf" our next meeting. A letter will be read fret**, i ' the National Bank of New Zealand, with a I gard to the minimum fixed by the Bo»rd fgj \ the sale of our debentures. As the matter had I been considered and decided upon at a er! \ vioue meeting, I thought it right to bring {J." [ question again before them before replying te ' the Bank. The Board will bo glad tolfsa ■' that Messrs O. O. Bo wen and E.O.j. Steve® have aooepted the appointment as linj-JM . fund commissioners for the Lyttelton Harbor *- Board loan, and it will be necessary thatt&» i Board should order their Beal to be ' their appointments. The debentures are a« i ready for sealing, and the statutory daderation relating to tho proposed loan is \ is being drawn up by Mr Nalder, tba Board's • solicitor, and will be made by the Becr«tary sg * sOon as it is ready. The steamer Stad Usar- ■ lem was brought in yesterday by Captain Jfc- ' Lellan, under steam, direct to No. 3 jr o t-J ; mediate Jetty, and berthed without the slightest difficulty. It is a matter of con. gratulation that we have a port and jatw M . oommodation in the Middle Island aTu&bl-**. at all times to vessels of this class. The dotfc plans are being pushed forward, and the engineer states they will be completed in about i ten days. The outer pilot, Captaiu G-&J. t braith, bas during the past fortnight had firs I days' leave of absence, provision was made fo? f the due fulfilment of his duties by sending I Mr Bt. Croix to the Heads. Several applicn. • tions for pilotage exemption certificates will ba considered to-day. The following resolutions wero passed •-— SINKING PIJHK OOMMISaiONBEa. " That the seal of Lyttelton Harbor Board be affixed to tbe warrants of appointmonts B. C. J. Stevens, Esq. and CO. Boweu, Ejq, as commissioners for the investment ot the > sinking fund, under the Harbors Act, 1873," j PIIOTAQB fcXBMraONS. "That pilotage ertimption oertificat-ee hs f f ranted to G. F. Davis, master of SwsUow, ■ obn Christy Smith, Aratapu, and John Watt. I Akbar." | iBSKir:: übkbbbs. ! Mr Harman infttrmed the Board that Mr > Craig's absence was, he regretted to uj, I caused by serious indisposition. The chair- [ man on behalf of the Board, expressed its I sympathy for Mr Craig. The Chairman said I a telegram had been received from Mr Cunningham, stating that his absence was caused by a mistake, he being under the impression that the meeting of the Board wests be held in Christohuroh. AOOOPHIS. Accounts amounting to £2310s were pawed for payment. The Secretary then read the Mowing eordespondence:— Railway Department, , , Wellington, April. Ist, lfflft. j Sir,—Tour letter of March 7th came a-oSy W I hand. Through my absence from Wellington it i has been overlooked, hence the delay whioh hsi 1 occurred in acknowledging receipt, for whioh 1 | beg to apologise- 1 I. I have te express regret that my telegram | in answer to yours, whioh was sent more ins 1 playful spirit than otherwise, and on tho spare! f the moment, seems to have been displeasing te you. Seeing, however, that it haß elicited th , letter now under reply, there ia less cause for | regret; . 7 I _. I do not disguise from myself that yemr | complaint as to the unavoidable lack of trucks | : at Lyttelton in the early part of a particular 1 day, was aimed more against the admimatratios f to which you are politically opposed than at any If practical result. 1 3. I cannot for a moment suppose thai jt»| were ignorant of the fact >hat evory poasibk f effort was being made by the department to pro- I vide for tbe enormous traffic which the grain |, season and the opening of the through tins f to Invercargill has developed—offorts which, X as regards the grain season, have be*->n so far L more successful than at any previous period, fI have been informed that aa much as 2S# I tons have passed through the tunnel in a siegfe | ! 4. The system of working the railway, of | which yon complain, has already been altered to tho extent of rednoiug the time allowed te discharging waggons from twelve hours ts five hours. A further redaction hm bees j suggested, but I am adverse to enforcing-this unless it should be found to be absolutely necea- : sary5. It would serve no practical pnrposfl fe> | - discuss tha various points upon which yonr letter touches. Opmions differ at to tha administration of the Public Works department in the past, and while I do not den/ that tha present administration comes far sidfi ol pitfection and has many shortcomlnfs to answer for, I venture to think that in m nspeot would it come off second best, were the t» gue jusargu- j ment applied. . .'•■ " , i 6. It may not be amiss, psrhups, W »»» I exaotly.what haa been dons ia relerenco to t Bupply of waggons since the present Uiyvexa- t ment assumed oi_.ee. This will be eeea item a return, of which tho following ii the i\xb | stance:— f Wheels and Axles. { Ordered on Dec. loth, 1877, 460 pairs. . May 23rd, 1878, 386 „ Waggon Ironwork, including Wheels m j Axles. { Ordered on June 22nd, 1878, 600 sots. Feb. 22nd, 1879,1000 „ Feb. 28th, 1879, 267 „ In addition to the abov», attracts were » f in Pfi colony in October last for the jnuiß&e* , tare and deliVery of 600 trueka complste. 7. A large quantity of Purin timber t« framing has been distribntsd amonff «» Government workshopa. There at* notr B' Christchuroh alone upwards of 500 sou prepared and ready to be pat together t» moment the iron work comes to hand * large number of these would have been afiuiable months ago but for the *onf«rltm»» mishap to the Bhip Piako—■a mishap for wai« B » possibly, somo hold the Government responsible. . H..L 8. It will bo gathered from the foregoing UM within the past sixteen months obligations taw - been inenrred for waggon stock to the extent» j about je200,000 when complete • I may add further that endeavors have k» rnado to stimulate the manufacture of WW?" ! outside the Government workshops by allow-f ] them to be nsed on Government hnca on swa» , fair terms ac may be agreed upon. Aa yes "J i practical result has aceraed; it is, howew,»" , be hoped that private enterprise thrmbota™* l colony may be induced to enter largely into «» | business, as is the case in the United iungaom \ and in America. . . »,.. ! 9. Altogether, I feel that if thp not been equal to the demand, it has i * oi JTZ from lack of effort on my part. On 7th last I cabled the Agent-Geueral to thei cw» that it was absolutely imperative that:iw<^. standing orders for wheels and axles Bfaw " jT; shipped at once, even if it involved a precuw to the contractor to do so. _ __-,»■-_ 10. AppUcaKon was made to the wveaunsw of Qaeeaaland, whose gauge is theEameaflonw* but without success. , ~. _„« 11. I cannot conclude without pu« n| right with respect to a mistake iato have fallen as regards cost of from the North Island to LyttQlton. jg»Fg; I waß not -£10, as you allege, but *•*_*"■!, o _u I Even although it had been it wotfd ow? | have afforded a proof of my anxiety exigencies of the grain season at any That trucks have been sent from to the North Island is undoubted, fortunately, however, this does imputation whioh, I V^^_/ a J r iv calling attention to the subject.. stances are tbese-Some 50 sets «J»H£J to %s work which were ordered from WW -' shipped to the North Island der sent to Lyttelton, they arrived at a time tnuf needed in Canterbury; mstead » t^X : _va& shipped they were fitted up in the am** workshops, and after the P««^«l2rfSto» rir season had subsided they were fom» w original destination.

m> mind it is an oltow J^ Utt« to mc has heen iattfl. I shall feel obliged if yon ■4* honor to be, Sir, Tour obedient -J-J^^^. Harbor Bo«d, : Christehureh. j """"" Aeril 4th, 1879. meeting took ri»ee ywterday. April Ist onlydjivered d<MUy. Board meeting, and then EnwTJ. BICHAHJWOK, 7 Chairman Lyttelton Harbar BoardI Wellington. Lytteltoa Harbor Board office, Lytteltoo. to April 9,1879. .55,--Tji_-i*t_e hononr to acknowledge the jgL ofyeur ktter of April Ist. in wpljrto 7th, and of oourse accept your **__]&_dt the delay in forwarding same. abea_y informed jou by wire, yonr mc till the'day after the last ZZLgofihe Board. "TLte taken the liberty of numb-snag th paragraphs of year letter oonsecutively tgf fggy reference. With regard to paragraph No. 1, yon express Jrle*z«* that your telegram in answer; to more in a playful spmt than SSJL. »nd on the spur of the moment, Ao., that the tetegram.seot yon on a joint telegram, signed by the SL*a«t of the Chamber of Commerce and car respective official capacities aa !£* Tt was submitted tothe respective bodies. !SL*wrrol*rtoitwas submitted in the same during the sitting of S&Lrfon March 6th. I had no reason, nor , 15 7~Z nMid anpear to have any, that your be treated in a playful •Ser at the Crown should reply to an official ' gK without stating it to be non-officml, ac ftjtardly be supposed that pubhc bodies are fa^Sttoißquirewhether replies to theircom- , are sent in earaestness or for the ( Sjas&mot the Minister. __„... few»F&ph No. 2 you assert that the com- i __Tvw " aimed more against theadmiois- | i result." I have to state that , itetel^minquests was swt at the , to rf the Chamber of Com. Zin by mc, sad I deny most on his part and on mine,.that Had or£a intended to have any ri«Sfican«whatever; further that it did a practical remedy, ♦•«-. that of J thetnicki more often, which suggestion you, i in toot fetter rmder reply, allude to in para- j graph Ko. 4. which you state you are averse to eafewe unless fonad absolutely necessary. - In te paragraphs 3 and 4,lam fully aware _st tbe offloers of the traffic and locomotive j (Wrtments hare made, and are making, most ttrsnioos efforts to provide for tha enormously jasased tasffie. . lie sixth paragraph'of your letter furnishes Seproaf (that I had not at command when I : rote yon on March 7ih) to show that my state- ' silt that your attempt to unduly enforce the essphrment at heal manufactures has caused a ' pat deal of the present scarcity of trucks, was tindif correct, Yea state that en December 15th, 1877, you e-dered 460 pairs wheels and axles, and on May Erf yon ordered 386 pairs of wheels and axles, lodging from what one now sees at the various aflway --litres, a great part of those have jarred aad are stored, but to the present mo* ussßi it wo-eld appear from your letter that no soeev— tor tha waggons for which these wheels ala-tes were imported have been ordered, and lathe ironwork that was ordered on June __£, 1878, which has been and is coming sbnriy to hand, that is being used with the i audi and axles ordered the previous Deoember j sal May. Ftesfraph No. 9 also refers to this subject, si to it I would reply that yon appear to have ' &gottea that it was on the suggestion of a ipatatka of the Lyttelton Harbor Board on December 7th, 1878, and after extreme press's, thai your cablegram of that date waa sent; M it now appears that, instead of telegraphjf as you promised for the ironwork for the S is to be sent out, yon only cabled for and axles, of which you had at the time, tdtSl have, a full supply. W»_ repaid to paragraph No. 7, you had •fiaa-y informed the Board of the preparations *B»3»by yourself and previous Governments in ' ife-is-f ef woodwork for waggons expected fo * at-*-' ; bat when I oome to the latter portion of \ festpjtngraph, that " a large number of these -roeSAWsbeen available months ago but for •tia-a&Aoaie mishap to the ship Piako, amis- \ _ptet »iai possiblj some hold the Governartajpassihle.'' I have to remark that your ktt-itmeg carefully written, and being aa offlos/fsjdy to mc as representative of the &-£, sod forwarded with a request that it hinHzihed, cannot be taken to be written in i {_$ft_ spirit, and, therefore, can only be *__sito create an erroneous impression with fie Board «*■*"* the publio. for it must have been barn to you and your officers (the fact which I fam astertained from reference to the ship's -asmfest) that no waggon ironwork whatever -m shipped on the Piako, and therefore the imytU&e that some people held the Government agcndble for the fire in the Piako is intro- | ca=d into your letter for mere_ effect, and has m Wring whatever ou the subject. As to paragraph No. 11, aa no part of the ■JSMspoeaence contained any statement from i saw to the ocst of the transmission of the ■—_—_ tent from here and returned from the loth T»W?i I presumed you drew your infor- ; safest from the report of the Board's proceed- < agiia the pahlie press. If you had continued f—t reference to the newspapers, you would kit cs-sb that I carefully corrected an error I ' feSisteonflris subject, and although not re- ' pwt«d,l tiarjd that I had the information from *yy «t rf doora. I aocept your further ) CKTBCtUBt. i W_hregnd to paragraph 15,1 am quite con- : tet to lairsiia pnblio to judge as to the re- j tfetim stents, of the past and present adminisbsbm of the Pablic Works Department, and discuss the matter in ' *sr siape, you wiD admit that such dis- j assies wooH more appropriately take place in ' j &S Ho*B*e of Bepresentatives. ' 5 T« appeal to my want of generosity. I 1 *«& ft» fay --mc-Uled for, as you are well awe that I ha-re at all times heen ready to , -tasweryuaitaKein my power bothtoyour- , *K*ad te the of yonr department; and • TiWever aay he my feelings upon the political J.**wof titsqjjertion of administration, I have »ff aHowri tbsi to interfere in anyway on the isy assy occasions I have been consulted on < ■Khsisal Eatterj, considering, as I always have 5 Harbor Board *"« Pilie to give the greatest assistance | service. And, in conclu- j em,l w-ffl thathadit not been for ■ JCOTSHMagirlaiyoa call "your playful tele- • tiasiKig ecnespondfince would not have j yoatldak it to continue thk ' y-*«»a»ee, may I ask that you will en- ■ | •»« to ■ separate any reference to tha political i ! JW« the oaesaen from that of the ordinary i i "™**3« the Harbor Board, as it might prove j *2^ tot s***5 *** interests and that of Go- , rjy fir?' * Br * mixed up in a political j you and myself. i l ««u«hoa«rtobe. Sir, , Tbht obedient ■ B-WABS BICHAEDSOir, * » _ CSairmaa Lytteutoa Harbor Board. J ** Jtmea Maesadrew, %, « •Ksfcter for ___]_ c Worka, Wellingtai- < 4«M*»rman read the following report ] "g* Wbor muter.— i e__7\T* n the honor to forward, as re- i %jxa.aliit of thefwsels and their i gs?*swwai_a« for berths in tha stream, < g"*™'*of their arrivals. Teaselst—Tin- ] fiu! , V A * a 4th : AP«I sth: ] wsoer, Aißil 7th; Albert, general, . S J «T Blkt, ember, April 12th; Cross- ' 15th; Sea Shell, timber, . Si &± **«terfonrie, ooal, April 15th; caai, April 17th; Canterbury, ■ •^^J Tie hLst-named vessel has < khdZ/i!! 1 * **&*zb_Tge, having come to port I *, fheharqua Lcaraine is diseharg- i g|»Wittt a the stream, ready for a loading i , the honor to be, air, 1 Tonr obedient servant, b___i «• McLaLLAK, Harbor-ißuter. !fcA*~* a»_ght some record of the actual ' CTw*: trB «» ahould be kept, ehowing ] ts*rt_3 f" P TeB to e "«h Teoel at the ' w v *"& Te-cl ***&? *•* ■ return wonld, if . » &«»» who have the power to * Sas-oJr I 2" a more potent effeot JEfl^ 9l complaints. 1 the suggestion of Mr < ,0 »*-__-^^ Bt <ma ' Hefi& inclined to ' sHchare- ' thought the Board should be { **-^J!?^ "Byreport, ahowingthe ' each resselihoold J expecud to reoeive. andthe * Printed to the Harhor-aiaßter ' *• P«*- -The nulway « JT 4 nß ™» Bo*"* tw" \ _\jfri__Ts K & Ui "er them __ey had J ** »9S_l thonAt the berthing 1 •** lor the I

-1 to be gained by the list _efecred to. yMx YToxiter J. fcr- the information of the Btoard, submitted an estimate of the lost . whioh had accrued to shipmasters in respect to tftventeen .vesfel* during the past month through being kept in the streast;awaiting to discharge. The estimate showrd that besides interest aad depreciation on values of cargoes the seventeen vessels had lost £1903 in expense* while they were lying in the stream. Mr Murray-Aynsley coincided with the Chairman'a remarks. _He was fully aware of the great lots and ineonvenienoe the merchants were put to. He, however, thought that were the, merchants to present the matter to the Board, a statement of facts, specifying the actual loss they were put to, the Board could take action upon it. Mr Turner said the Chamber of Commerce had taken all the steps possible towards obtaining a remedy. He was in favor of acting independently of the railway. TobuSd a shed of their own on the Gladstone Pier into which any English ship could b» discharged in a week, in plaea-of its taking a month. - Mr Hall said he would be sorry to think any ill feeling ahould arise between the Board and the railway authorities, but be considered the Board should he informed of the actual facta, showing the delay to which vessels were put. He did not see how the Bailway Department could be offended with the resolution suggested. He would move—"That a return be prepared, showing the number of trucks supplied each day to each vessel at the Lyttelton wharves, and of the number required for her proper discharge. Also a return of the detention at the wharf in the caae of each vessel, showing the delay in her discharge, and of the length of time each vessel had to wait for a berth." The resolution pasted. Some discussion then took place in referto the shed on the 'Gladstone pier, the chairman stating that he believed the Board would ultimately have to purchase it outright, and carry oat the remainder of on that pier aa originally intended to be done by the Government. Ships would then be discharged directly into the sheds. DEBBNTTTBES. A letter from the National Bank of New Zealand, submitting the question of minimum of £100 to the Board, was read hy the secretary. Mr Harman moved with reference thereto the following resolution:—" That the National Bank of New Zealand he informed that the Board see no reason to reduce the minimam of £100 net as already advised to them." Mr Hall seconded, and it was carried. BXKCTIOK BXPHHBKS. Mr Allan, seconded by Mr Harman, moved —"That the election expenses incurred by Lyttelton and Christchurch Councils in connection with the return of members be defrayed by this Board." Carried. HOCTCH OT MOXIOK By Mr Murray-Aynsley, seconded by Mr AHwright—" That considering the important business connected with a shipping port required to be performed by a Resident Magistrate, the Government's attention he called to the necessity of filling the office of Besides! Magistrate at Lyttelton, which has now been vacant over three months."

The Board then adjourned, to meet in Christchurch on May Ist.