HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11340, 1 August 1902, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

I A meeting of *« _ytt«-*<» Board mtf _-d yesterday, « wool*- p*__ded. owing to the ahseoce of Mr li. fc. Wright through UnessThe Ohairi»aa reported as foMows: —Considerable progress nas been n_ade last meeting with the widen-** of No. * £ct, tne pd„ lor 51 bays »» Lvek up to to-day. A represeawtion Se» made to the Union Sw» iwav raising an objection to this jetty beS'kngtheLd by 100 feet ort t?° S subject wiH-be laid before you from the Railway Depart-««rt> master, and'onr pdote. The dredge c»£ timies to do excellent work; 41,250 tons S-r- removed last h*r dredg--I^r-ect-"ntmonthis BO 000 tons. ihe periodical blowing Ihe dredgs boilers is due this week, and advantage wiH be taken oi ---temporary soppfge to dock her and refix the danmged hoi'door and bulkhead; the work sho-d nob take longer than three day*. The banbooks on the table show that we have a credit of £13,150 13* 8d at No. 1 account, and a credit of £344 8s 4d No. 2 account. There ia £17,000 on fixed deposit maturing on 31st December next, and in «"W'W<« w ® have a renewal fund deposit of £55*3 lis Bd. Our liabilities, or arrangements for wharf extension, eooi storage additions, ami tug renewals amount to £26,000. The current ordinary revenue is somewhat less than the corresponding six months of last year ending June 30th. Our pnotage and port charges for the past six months is £603 16s 2d Cess, and wharfage dues are £528 17s lid less than last year to June 30th. Our treasurer in his yearly report anticipated this diminution, and based his estimates of receipts and expenditure accordingly, which leaves a surplus of about £10,000* over the Board's ordinary expenditure for the current financial year. The balance of our dredging loan, amounting to £15.000. will be issued before the close of the current year. I am sure you will join with mc in expressing sincere regret in reo-ard to the continued indisposition of our Chairman, Mr E. G. Wright, and trust that Ire will soon be well enough to take his seat. a_ra!n on the Board. The Harbour Improvement Committee reported that offers had been received for the supply of .refri_.era.ting plant respectively from the Linde'Cbmpany, and from Mr C. A. Macdonaild, representing the Hercules system, as under: —Linde Company, 4-ton ice-making plant, deliverable in four months. £945-: Hercules. ice-mak-in_r plant, deliverable in three months, £915; Hercules, 10-ton ice-making plant, deliverable in three months, £1530. The Committee recommended the acceptance of the tender of the Hercules 10-ton .ice-mak-ing machine, to be erected and in work- i ing order on or before the 31st October next, and that the Board's seal be affixed to the contract. With regard to the additional cool storage accommodation required, the Committee recommended that a two-storey fully-insulated building be erected at tihe west end of the existing cool chamber, the dimensions of each of the two rooms to 'be added to be 36ft by 28ft. The lower loom to bs used as a grading room alt the outset. Mr Strouits, the architect, est-'mated' the cost of a sin_rle-storey brick building at £967, or a double-storey afc about £1500. The rooms to have twelve i inches oif insulation, and the whole build- j ing to be completed within two months from the 7th August, 1902. It was also I proposed to make a small addition to the j boiler hon.se ai the east end of the building- The Committee had received a letter from the Railway Department, of- I j fering to .grant the use of a site for a 1 I Customs shed, for examining passengers' j luggage, to th" rwestward of the fruit and oyster sherl, and fronting the siding an the ! breastwork on the west side of No. 2 jetty. ! The <site to be granted conditionally that- ; the shed shall be removed should tiie land j be required for railway purposes. The j Committee decided that the consideration . I of this question be deferred for the pre- ' sent. j A letter was read from Mr Lambie. j | stating fhat Pfie captains of the Union I Steam 'K—p Company's isfceaniers had called attention to the fact that the lengthening i of the No. 2 jetty by 100 ft would render j the handling of their vessels a matter of I considerable difficulty. Fifty feet addition would not matter so much. Captain Clark, reporting on this, stated that the pilots and himself saw no difficulty in the sten_e~ berthing at lN'o. 2 jetty when the extension of No. 2 jetty was completed. Captain Thorpe, chief assistant pilot, reported that he did not think there would be any difficulty in berthing the steamers afc No. 2 jetty when completed. Captain Thorpe suggested that the ends of the wharf should be make round, instead of square. Mr Pitcaithly said that the space in the inner harbour was somewhat corjtracted. . He thought they should give careful attention to the statement, of the shipmasters. ! Mr Kaye said that the public had been clamouring for tho reform of having the extension made so as to let the trains run I on to the wharf. He had consulted the ' shipmasters at Lyttelton, who had poohpoohed the idea of any difficulty existing to the steamers getting out. He thought tho suggestion of Captain Thorpe as to | the rounding of the ends of the wharves a very good one. Mr G.bb moved-—"That in view of the reports of Captains C'iark and Thorpe, the Beard proceed with the work of lengthening No. 2 jetty." Mr Kaye seconded the motion. The Chairman said, that he quite agreed with the extension of No. 2 wharf to the full extent, as it was necessary to enable the trains to be worked. As regarded No. 3. it might ba weli to reconsider the question of extending it to the full length- He thought the Union Steam Ship Company's tetter was instigated by the fear that the shunting operations would not be as expeditiously carried out., as there wouTd be two steamers, ono on each side of the wharf. ' But the Union Steam iShip Company must remember that, the wharf had been widened. Mr Pitcaithly said he thought, it was high time that "they should have an engineer to give them an expert opinion, and he wou'd trive notice to move—"That the Boa.rd take into consideration the question of the appointment, of an engineer in view of the increase of their works."* He thought that ths Union StPum Ship Company oujhfc to be considered, as they were the best customers of the BoardThe motion was agreed to. Inspector Derbidge reported that there was a good deal of ironbark timber and

pile, due to be delivered raider Sir WbealIra_ wafcract. It was resolved tha* the «e_«*_y write to Mir Wfcea_er on the subject. A. Wpoi* -r*e received from the chief of the dredge Ifco the effect that Che' boiler o-___g was due. It was reS—red that the dredge* go hrto dock as soon ass possible. The Superinisecoiding Engineer reported regarding the improved} system oi mooring the dredge when wo-iiag alongside the fwtea_ves, by which time, was aaved. T_e report, —i. adopted. iMr Kaye urged the attacking of the mud hank on the eastern side erf the breakwater. The Chairman said lfcbafc Mr Wright, after consdSang with the dredge authorities, had cosne te tie «inclusion thai- st would be better to w»it till the new links arrived before deaiing with —te work meni tioned toy iilr Kaye. The Board went ni-> Committee to conI sider tihe report — the Engineer, Mr j MeSkle, on the completion of the tug boilj ere and the renewals of contract g by -dr • John Anderson. On the Board resmnisg, it was reported that it had been decided to pay the ascot—i of Messrs Anderson, less the penalties incurred under the contract as if it haj_ Ibeen signed on December 13th, instead <c£ September 15—_ Accounts amounting *tto £2997 4s lid on No. 1 account, and _8408 lis lid on No. 2 account., were passed for payment. Tenders for the simply of black birch planking for breast - oak renew— were opened, and that of Messxs Bain and Rossiter, Oxford, accepted. A letter from the Bsinfe of New Zealand re dates for remitting interest due in London on December 31*t, 1902, was read.' On the suggestion of the Chairman it was resolved to cable the ainonnt on December 29th. A letter was received from the New Zealand Shipping Conrpa.«y, with reference to the serv-oes —' the jtteani bunch to their ocean tecs, offering to pay half the amount charged. Mr Gibbs pointed out that Messrs Agar and Thomas charged £53 for ah hour's work. The comipa__y were to pay the a__o_—t for the services of a full-powered tng, not these small launches. Tbe arrangement was, he considered, an iniqnitous one. Mr Pitcaithly aigreed with Mr Gibbs that the charge made was absurd. Mr Connal pointed out that the Sham-, Savill and Albion Company did not object fo the ch&rge. If they reduced it to the New Zealand Shipping Company they most make similar concessions to the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company. Mr Kaye said there was no doubt a good deal in what Mr Gibbs had stated as to the e^xpensoveness of the arrangement, but it had been made, and the objection shornd have been raised at the time it was agreed to by the Board. Mr Gibbs pointed out that under the regulations the Board were entitled to charge a sum for the services of the tug, not the small launches. Mr Kaye moved—''That in the case of the charges to the New ZeaJand Shipping Company no remission be made." Mr Hay seconded the motion, which was agreed to. On the recommendation of Inspector DerbxJlge, it -was decided to purcfaass 715 ft ironbark, offered by Mr G. A. Whealler. A letter was read from Mr H. McPherson, of Cadiz, asking as to docking facilities and charges in Lyttelton. The Secretary was instructed to forward the informationThe Marine Department wrote, asking whether the regulation prohibiting the use of naked lighius in ships' holds was carried out in. Lyttelton. A report was read from Captain Clark. Harbour Master, stating that the regulation was enforced, and he had no knowledge of it. being contravened. j On tbe motion of Mr Connal, it was resolved t° ask Captain Clark to report further re the provision of additional acoora.modation for coastal vessels. Mr Pitcaithly gave notice to move at next meeting—"That the Board advertise for the services of a competent engineer at a salary of £1000 per a_num." The Board then adjourned till August 28th. ■