HARBOUR BOARD

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 157, 27 March 1908, Page 5

HARBOUR BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board was held yesterday, the mombers present being Mr. T. "Wilford, M.P. (Chairman), Plon. T. K. Macdonald, Messrs. C. E. Daniell, F. H. Fraser, C. W. Jones, J. W. M'Ewan, M. Cohen, Bolton, and Harkness. . SPECIAL MEETING. A spccial meeting was held to formally adopt tho new by-laws (which will como into force on April 1), to give effect to the increases in charges recently agreed upon. ORDINARY BUSINESS. ' The current account showed a crcdit balance of £15,493 3s. 7d., the imprest account a credit of £200, and the fixed deposit account a credit balance of £60,000. The payments passed were: —Wages and accounts, £14,363 Bs. lid., progress payments on contracts, £4559 6s. lid.; salaries for March, £798 3s. Gd., a total of £19,720 19s. 4d. , THE PATENT SLIP. : The chairman reported that Sir James Mills, Messrs. W. A. Kennedy, John Duncan, and Harold Beauchamp were appointed on March 5 to represent the Patent Slip Company on the Joint Committee to confer with the Board's representatives on the question of the acquisition of the Patent Slip property. Mr. Wilford said the negotiations wore not yet complete, and a report could not, therefore, be, submitted at that meeting. - EVANS BAY SCHEME. ! The Chairman also reported that in accordance with tho provisions of Clause 148 of the Harbours Act, 1878, the plans in connection with the Board's., proposals in Evans Bay and other matters were lodged with the .Marine Department on Match 13. WHARVES AND ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE. The following recommendations of the Wharves and Accounts , Committeo were adopted:— • (1). That a reply bo sent to ,tlie Post- ' master-General stating that in the opinion of the Board an. amendment of existing legislation is desirable in order that wharfage may bo chargedoii goods ■' arriving by parcels'post. | (2). That tenders be called closing at the April .meeting for 500 running sheaves for hydraulic jiggers for, the King's '• Wharf Stores. ' WHARF LABOURERS' AWARD. t The Chairman reported that tho Arbitration Court sat on Thursday, March 19, and commenced the hoaring of tho Wharf Labourers' demands, a week earlier than the date originally fixed. A new award had since been .filed, the most important alteration 'being the granting of preference to Unionists. . * V The secretary reported :— i That at the instanco of the Judge of tho Arbitration Court a conference between representatives of the employers and of the Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union had been held on Wednes- 1 day, March 18, to 'discuss the question • of the place of engagement of' labour. . That the to recommend' the Board that provision should be made for a''waiting-room on the : ground floor with the object of facilitat- ■ ing tho engagement of the men in or near the: building. , That the/Conference agreed upon ' Clauso 17 of the award to read :— , . " All labour to be engaged at some ; 1 definite place or places to bo arranged from time to timo by ail agreement be- ! , tweeri the secretary to tho Union and the 'employer •or employers concerned , ; 'jointly, with the Secretary of the Wellington • Harbour Board.' In the event of the parties i being unable to agree to a place, or places i of engagement, the ; matter to be referred to the Chairman of tho Conciliation Board of the Wei- / lington Industrial District for his de- : ' ■cisioh. This motion to be without pre- , judice of the rights of the employers to . ■ raiso the question „of men being en-, . gaged • elsewhere under exceptional circumstances." : :'\ . TENDERS. The Board, in committee, resolved to accopt tlio lowest tender in order for the supply ol\ 25U tons of hoop steel and 6 tons of studs; also to accept tho lowest tender, if in' order, for each of'tho following annual supplies and services Hardware supplies, ship' chandlery, oil and colourmen's stores, timber, glass, i brassfoundry work, gas litters' work, removal of rubbish, coal; ofhco stationery, - manufactured ' stationery, letterpress printing, and lithographic printing. '■ Mr. Uolieii. said. thai: ho believed 1 an improvement could bo made in tho system, of, tendering for supplies, and he'intended to' movo in the matter later on. Tho; Chairman said the Board would be very glad' to have the benefit of tho special knowledgo which Mr. Cohen possessed in such matters. Ho suggested that Air Cohen should confer with the secretary (Mr. Nicbolls). / MISCELLANEOUS. Tho following recommendations of the Wharves and Accounts' Committeo' wore also adopted by tho Board in committeo: — 1. To affix the seal of the Board to an agreement to lease between C. Palliser and Mitchell, Luke and Luke in refer- ' once to the party wall between Lots 22 . and 24, Grainger Street Block. 2. To take no further action with,ro- ■ gard to the making of' by-laws regula'ting the issue of\ permits to expressmen . touting for biro, on the wharves. , 3. Tliat the application of J. Bringins : for a license tor a , proposed slip at Balena Bay be not granted.' , RATS. The Chairman said that, under regulations j passed by the Health Department in 1902, diiips from places outsido- the Dominion, if thought necessary, .were required to place tin discs on their hawsers to prevent rats coming ashore. Recently 34 plague-infected rats had i been discovered in soventeen days in Sydney, ; but a few days ago ho,had counted ten haw- 1 sera at the Wellington wharves without the discs.', Tlio power of compulsion la'y with the Health Department, and not with the Board. It would be'a wise precaution to draw the attention of the Health Dopartment to tho matter. It was agreed that this should be done. INSURANCE AGAINST EARTHQUAKES Mr. Bolton brought up'the question-of insuring the Board's properties against earthquakes, or fires from earthquakes. A letter from a firm making an offer in this respect had been included in the correspondence: Later in the meeting Mr.' Bolton gave notice of motion That steps be taken to insure tho property of the Board from damage by earthquakes or fire resulting from earthquakes; such insurance to be effected locally if satisfactory rates be obtained, and, if-not in London." , ' NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr. Bolton gave notice of motion-"That all gates to tho wharves bo kept open for the convenienco ■ of the public during Sundays and holidays betweon the hours of 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., and the main gate oil Sunday only from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m." Tho Hon. T. K. Macdonald gave notice of motion "that a report be presented at the next meeting of tho Board as to the lighting of each of tho wharves; showing:—(a) whether lit by electricity or gas, (b) the number of lamps and candle-power respectively of tlio gas and electric lamps, (c) tho probable cost and efficiency of olectricity and gas of 1000 candle-power respectively, (d) recommendations with regard to a more complete and effective lighting of the whole of the wharves."