HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13596, 3 December 1909, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Lyttelton I Jarbour Board, held on Wednesoay, *"«« Utended by Messrs H. F-iedlaaider chairman)," A. Kaye, W. Dunlop. R. Mcore, J. L Scott, J. Hay, C. Cook, \l. J Miller, T. D. Boag, J. Storey, J. Wolfe, F. Horrell, J. Richardson, J. Lambi'e, J. A. Frostick, and Dr. rhack-r. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The Chairman reported that i&ince last meeting the following sums had been paid into the Harbour Fund account: — Wharfage, £1745 Is Id] pilotage and port charges, £1392 lis 3d; towage, storage, etc., £1348 17e 9d; total, £4456 10s Id, as compared -with £3729 IDs 9d for the corresponding period of last year. The bank book showed the current account to be in credit £340. 17s lOd. As -he Board's financial year would close on the 31st inst., it would be necessary to hold the neit meeting on Wednesday, the 29th inst., in order to complete the passing of the monthly accounts for payment. Members would be pleased to learn that the secretary and treasurer, Mr G. Hood Williams, recently returned from Australia considerably improved in health, and that there was every prospect of his being able to resume his duties at the commencement of the year. (Hear, hear.) FRUHLING DREDGING SYSTEM. The Harbour Improvement Committee reported having carefully considered the Engineer's report on the Fnihling system of dredging, and recommended: —-<a) That the engineer visit Europe to investigate the Fruhling or any other system of dredging which he may consider suitable for Lyttelton Harbour; (b) That the engineer be authorised to obtain either tenders or quotations, as h© may deem best in tho interests of the Board, for such a dredge as he shall have decided upon as the most suitable. Such tenders or quotations to be submitted for the Board's consideration. Mr Colin Cook, who dissented from the clause in committee, again dissented, and the proposal was passed without discussion. OUTLYING JETTIES. The Harbour Improvement Committee also reported on the request for the erection of a jetty at Teddington, and the question of levying charges for the use of outlying jetties. They recommended :—(a) That, provided the Mount Herbert County Council undertake not to oppose the vesting of the site in the Lyttelton Harbour Board, a. jetty be erected at a cost of £250; the Mount Herbert County Council to contribute the sum of £10 per annum towards the interest on the cost of construction of such jetty at Teddington; (b) That steps be taken to collect a similar sunf from the local authorities in whose districts jetties have been erected, in respect of each of the various outlying jetties vested in the Lyttelton Harbour Board. The report was adopted. SUMNER WHARF. Mr Cook drew attention to the state of the wharf at Sumner, and urged that it should be made safe to the public He moved that it be attended to as soon as possible. The wharf should be made safe at once or closed. Mr Kaye said that the public should not get the impression that the jetty was unsafe. If it were their engineer would have been the first to close it. The Engineer said that the Sumner jetty was settling down owing to the original piles not having been long enough. He would not say that it would be safe if packed with but he would find that out before the ■ holiday season. At present it was perfectly safe. The repairing would he a much bigger matter than members were awaTe of, as fresh piles would have to be driven. The worst that could happen in the meantime was that part ot the wharf might sink a foot or so, and that would harm no one. Tlie Board decided that the Engineer would take any steps necessary to ensure the safety of the public. PROPOSED NEW JETTY. The Engineer submitted a, memoran- < dum on the advisability of constructing another jetty, eastward of No. 2 jetty, before throwing any of the present berths out of use by executing repairs and alterations to No. 7 jetty. After going carefully into figures, he found that the cost of a new jetty eastward of No. 2 would be £25,000 (timber £19,000, labour and. ironwork £6500). The cost of repairs and alterations to No. 7 jetty would be about £15,702. It would take about fifteen months to get the material for the new jetty here, and another fifteen months to construct it. In the case of alterations and repairs to No. 7 jietty, they could be carried out one-half at a time, so that only one berth would be thrown out of use at once, and the expenditure (involved in the first installment of the work (the western half) would) be only £8758, of which the cost of the timber (£5882) would) be spent in the first year, and the balance (£2876, labour and ironwork) in the second year. If the work were to he completed in three years only, the timber for the second half (the east side) would be received while the first half was being constructed, making the total expenditure on the second year £2876 (labour on west side), and £4213 (materials for each side), or a total of £7089. In the third year the work on the eastern half would be carried out at an expenditure of £2731. In view of the fact that throughout such a busy export season as the last no delays to shipping occurred, in spite of No. 4 jetty being closed for repairs and alterations, it appeared that the work of altering No. 7 jetty next year might be carried out, one half at a time, without causing any delay to shipping. But if the Board wished to make quite sure of keeping the accommodation ahead of the trade, the proper course was to provide a new jetty eastward of No. 2. before any of the other berths were thrown out of use. The important point was that if it were decided to provide the new jetty first, the preliminary steps should be taken without unnecessary delay, as the necessary repairs to No. 7 jetty would be overdue by the time the new jetty was finished. The report was referred to the Harbour Improvement Committee. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter from the Union Steam Ship Company's solicitors was received respecting pilotage charges on s.s. Waitemata. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman to confer with the Board's solicitor. The Woolston Borough Council wrote stating that it had been decided to call for tenders for the dismantling of the old swing bridge at Heathcote. The commander of H.M.S. Pioneer wrote thanking the Board for their courtesy in allowing his Majesty's ship to lie alongside the Gladstone pier. _ Mr Cook gave notice of motion for next meeting that the Board consider the advisability of providing a teleI phone system- for the use of vessels at the wharf. »