LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14580, 5 December 1912, Page 5

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Lyt- J telton Harbour Board was held yestcr- j day. Present:—Messrs U. .uooro j f chairman), J. Lambie, F. Horrell, J. Btorrv, T. D. Boag, C. ALison, C. Cook." M. J. Miller,. A.-Kaye. J. JDougall, G. Laurenson, M.P., and Dr. Tnacker. Tho Chairman reported that since the last ordinary meeting, the following sums had been paid into tho HaiDOur Fund Account .-—Pilotage. £-176 los lid: wharfage, £_OSO 16s sd; towage storage, etc., £1719 6s 4d; total. £5976 19s Gd; and in addition tho sum of £1,234, advanced t<» tho Sinking Fund Commissioners Account early in tho year, had been refunded on the loth ultimo, making the total lodgments £7210 19s 6d. The ordinaiy casn receipts received during tho corresponding period of tho previous year were :— £3924 4s 2d. Tho Bank Book showed tho Harbour Fund Current Account to bo m credit £174 13s 7d. On tho 21st ultimo, he authorised the remittance, of £uOOO, by a demand draft on London to meet ' tho half-year's interest on tho Board's £200,000 Loan, and this had been dono without withdrawing any portion of tho £7000 at present on deposit at call with the Christchurch City Council. Tho report was adopted". The Finance Committee reported having received a verbal application for a loan of £5000, on mortgage for a period of 8 months, at 5. per cent, per annum. Thoy recommended that tho matter bo left in their hands with power to act. The committee also reported that a loan on mortgngo to tho Board for £10 000, at 5 per cent, per annum, matures on tho 11th January, 1913, and they recommended that tho matter bo left in their hands with power to act. Tho report was adopted. Tho special committee appointed by the Board to consider the Superannuation Schemo for Lyttelton Harbour Board employees, presented an interim report, in which it stated that it had considered the Government Actuary's report on tho proposed superannuation Scheme for the employees of tho Board, together with tho secretary's report thereon. In view of tho fact that tho repoit and returns submitted by the secretary indicated that the fund, if established, would ho self-supporting, without any contribution by the Board, tho committee recommended that tho secretary's figures be referred to the Government Actuary, with tho request that ho submit his views thereon, and furnish further information relative to tho 80 per cent, subsidy, which ho as/ timated would bo required to ho paid by the Lyttelton Harbour Board to ensure the solvency of the fund, Tho report was adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT. '. Tho engineer reported that •. tho dredges had lifted 138,920 tons of spoil from tho harbour during tho month. The reclamation bank had not advanced much, and the mud in tho corner was gradually rising. The blasting punt had been repaired, and tho concretes wall bohind tho breastwork between Nos. 3 and 4 wharves completed. Work on No. 7 jetty was at a standstill for want of a few necessary beams, and some carpenters had had to be paid off. The beacon at Governor's Bay in connection with tho marks for the north sido of tho entrance channel had heen erected and the marks were now in us©. Tho report was adopted. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE'S REPORT. Tho Harbour Improvement Committee reported that ifc had carefully considered the Lyttelton Borough Council's application for financial assistance in erecting a stone wall on the road to No. 7 Jetty, and recommended iho Board to bear half tho cost of tho ppoppsed waily, qhk condition that the JJlyttelton Borough Council undertook to grant tho Board a 15ft road access behind Lot 15 on the reclaimed land, without cost, when the Lyttelton Harbour Board required such access, in accordance with the Engineer's report, dated November 18th, 1912, on the subject. . * The Committee had considered tho Engineer's report on the question of installing mechanical capstans on tho wharves for tho haulago of trucks, instead of using horses, and beg to report that they have no recommendation to make. The report was adopted. MISCELLANEOUS. Tho request from tho British and Foreign Sailors' Society for an annual donation towards the upkeep of the Seamen's. Institute in Lyttelton, was referred to the Harbour Improvement Committee for a report. The Secretary of Marine wrote, advising that the Governor-in-Council had approved tho erection of beacons to mark out tho channel to Teddington, in accordance with tho plan prepared by tho Board's engineer. It was reported that tho Chairman had approved the Warehouseman's report, recommending that the price of ice bo increased to 45s per ton for .- ton lots and over, and 3s per cwt for lots under half a ton, owing to the increased cost of production. The Harbour Improvement Committee were authorised to accept tenders for materials for the Governor's Bay Jetty. Upon the motion of Dr. Thacker a vote of thanks was accorded to tho deputy-chairman of th© Board (Mr R. Mooro) for the able manner in which he had carried out his duties during the year. Mr Moore suitably responded. Tho next meeting of the Board will be held at Christchurch on January Sth, 1913, at 11 a.m.