HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10131, 2 September 1898, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

The nvdinary meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Hoard was held yesterday. Present—.Messrs F. Graham (chairman), R Durilop. .McMillan, Waymouth, and Captain JicClatchie. The Chairman reported that since the last meetmj,' the following sums had been paid in to the Board's account: —Wharfage, £927 ritduthly, Buddo, (Jibbs, Chalmers. Hay 6s \d; vent No. 5 shed, £312 10s; pilotage ami port charges, £561 18s 8d; towage •tor;..-:.-. Ac., £222 15s; total, £2024 Us 9d. On the loth of last month he had placed tr.« vi- at the disposal of the Defence Commission, and nu-nibers of the Hoard were invited to accompany them on the visit of inspection made r.uind the harbour of Lyt-U-lMn. The launching of the Sumner li'feb'Mt took place las-t week, and he thought tin l'.'iaid had every reason to be satisfied with the iact of their having obtained a first-• i.i>•* lifeboat. The Lyttelton lifeboat has now been returned to Lyttelton. With it/I ere nee to the remittance of £6000 by a 90 days' draft, to pay interest on debentures due in London on 31st December, the IJoa/d continued the action of the Chairman. The Chiiirmim reported that on the 15th ISJB, £8000 was paid out of tlie Sinking Fund in pnivha.se of £5000 of .St. A'ltxiiis Borough 4 per cent. Debentures at par, in accordance with the Board's resolution. Ihe balance of the purchase money for these debentures, amounting to £12,000, and making £20,000 in all, will become payable to the St. Album Borough Council on*the sist December next. Correspondence from the Bank of New Zealand was read with regard to the floating of debentures for £00,000 under the Harbour Board Act, 1897, for dredging purposes, and some discussion took place with regard to the Board having a Sinking Fund in connection with the loan oi not. Mr Waymouth moved —"That the loan be issued without a Sinking Fund." Mr Buddo seconded the motion. Mr L'itcaithly urged that as the harbour would continually require attention in view of silting up, the Board should ha'-e a sinking fund in connection with the loan. Captain McClntchie urged that tlr. ou'er harbour wa-s not by any means silting up. There was a part of the outer harbour which was just the same depth now that it was when the first settlers arrived. There was no doubt that the inner harbour vvoull iequire attention. The Chairman painted out the &v----yangement by which they had been enabled to purchase a dredge, which would do all they wanted, at £13,000 less than they expected ; they had that amount as a sinking fund, or to do more dredging than they would have been able had they had to buy the more expensive dredge. Mr Chalmers urged that it was sound finance to have a sinking fund. The Chairman pointed out that neither the Go\ eminent nor the St. Albans Borough Council had founded a sinking fund for their loans. The motion was then put and carried. Accounts to the amount of £7450 17s lid were passed for payment. Mr Dunlop gave notice of motion for next meeting with reference to the issue of the loan by tho Bank of New Zealand as the agents of the Board. Mr Waymouth moved —"That the amount and time of issue of debentures for the loan and any other question connected therewith be referred to the Finance Committee, to leport at next meeting. Mr Hay seconded the motion, which was {Carried. . A report was read from Captain Galbraith, stating that the blocks and tackle for lowering the boats on the tug Lyttelton, had been inspected and passed by Mr Croll, Government Inspector of Machinery. A report was read from Dr. Guthrie, with reference to the state of J. Page, to whom the accident on the tug occurred. The report was received. An extension of one month was granted io the Harbour Improvement Committee, to bring up their report, re harbourmaster and pilot staff. The Chairman reported that Messrs Boyd and Keif, had been written to, pointing out that the time for the delivering of the first part of their black birch timber contract expired on 31st ult. A letter was read from Messrs Boyd and Koir, pointing out that exceptional circumstances had delayed them. These were the fire in Oxford bush and a recent snow etorm. Mr Buddo moved— "jfhat one month's extension of time be granted to Messrs Boyd and Keir to carry out tlie first portion of their contract." Mr Pitcaithly seconded the , * motion, which was caried. Correspondence was read from Mr E. G-. Wright, M.H.R., stating that the committee had reported against the Bill on the ground that the Board had not deposited the plans with the Marine Department, as provided by Section 148 of the Harbours Act, 1878. The Chairman said he had forwarded the telegram sent by Mr Wright to the solicitor to the Board, who had forwarded the following opinion:—"l oonsidered that I had taken the necessary steps in connection with this Bill. With reference to Section 148 of the Harbours Act referred to in Mr Wright's telegram, this section enacts that no land shall be reclaimed, no graving dock, dock, or breakwater shall be constructed in any harbour except under the authority of a special act, in which case three months, at least, before the session, plans shall be deposited in the oltiee of the Marine Department, &c, when it is proposed to carry out any of these works, whether the land is already vested in the Board or not, an Act ot' the General Assembly sanctioning the work has to be obtained, and the provision as to depositing plans applies. The proposed local Bill proposes to vest certain Sortions of the foreshore in the Board, so iat the Board may exercise the powers conferred by sections 8 and 9 of "The Harbours Act Amendment Act, 1883" in those cases where the foreshore has been legally vested in the Harbour Board, section 3 of the proposed Bill being taken from section 9 of the Harbours Act Amendment Act, 1883, and no works such as those contemJlated by section 148 of the Harbours Act, 878, are proposed or contemplated, and in mv opinion! the provision as to depositing plans does not apply." vie opinion was received. It was resolved that the application to lease the dock workshop site and two additional acres, by Messrs Anderson, stand over for one month, and that the matter in the meanwhile be referred to the Harbour Board Improvement Committee to report Upon. , Some discussion took place with referenca to the inspection of the construction of the new boilers for the tug. v A motion that Mr Milne be instructed to supervise the construction of the boilers was proposed, but withdrawn until the receipt of the tenders for the construction of the boilers. A letter from the Stunner Borough Council, forwarding a resolution by the Council, asking that the trees, house, &c, be removed within, one month from date, was received. A letter was read from the Department of Agriculture, asking what the price for Btorage of dairy produce in the cool chamber would be. A. report was read from Mr Mclntyre recommending that the charges should" be the same aa last year, viz., three■ixteenths of a penny per Ib for butter for handling and freezing; 2s per ton for cheese for handling, and Is per ton for storage, not exceeding two weeks. Mi Dunlop moved—"That the scale of last yeai bo adopted." Mr Waymouth seconded the motion, which was carried. A letter was read from the Farmers' Coopmtive Association, asking whether the Harbour Board would be prepared to dump *nol during the enduing season. The I .'haii-man said that the Harbour Board did not yet undertake dumping wool. «nd tlioiviore (he answer would be that the New Zealand Shipping Company and Shaw, Savill and Albion Company had undertaken to dump wool foi ships outside their own *t the same price ns charged by the Wellington Harbour Board. It was resolved ttiat the answer as mdi by the Chairman should be sent to the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association. The next meeting of the Board was fixed »or 29th September at Christchurch, and the •Board adjourned.