NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3496, 20 September 1882, Page 2

NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Tuesday, SErTEMUER 19

The Board met at 2.30 p.m. Present : Messrs J. D. Ormond (chairman), J. A. Smith, J. H. Vautier, E. Lyndon, J. G. Kinross, M. R. Miller, His Worship the Mayor, and Captain Gleadow. CORaESFONDENCE. From the Marine Department, enclosing a corrected chart of Port Ahuriri, and requesting that the exact position of breakwater, channel, &c, be marked thereon, so that any necessary corrections I might be made on future charts issued. From Mr Kennedy. Greymouth, requesting a refund of £69 odd paid by him as wharfage on coals landed for the use of the Government railways here.— Referred to the Board's solicitor for his opinion. From thp harbor master reporting an improvement in the bar ; vessels drawing lift. 6in, could now be brought inside. From the Board's engineer, reporting on the dredging operations for the past month. IMPROVED HARBOB ACCOMMODATION. The Chairman intimated that, since the last meeting, the enginner had been engaged in pieparing necessary data for the guidance of engineers competing for the bonus offered for the best designs for improved harbor accommodation. Flans, which were now laid before the Board, had been prepared, and it was intended to have these lithographed and distributed, along with the engineer's explanatory memorandum. The Mayor pointed oat that there was an important omission in the explanatory memorandum; it should mention that the Tukaekuri river occasionally brought down immense quantities of silt. It was an essential point that competing engineers should knew the nature of the rivers. The Chairman thought the nature of the Ngaruroro river should be described in the memorandum as well. Mr Kinross moved that a copy of Sir John Coode'e report should also accompany the plans and memorandum. The latter motion, on being put to the meeting, was lost, only the mover and Mr M. B. Miller voting in its favor, and the plana and memorandum prepared by the Board's engineer were approved subject to tbe additions suggested by the Mayor and the Chairman. I CONDITIONS FOX COMPETITIVE DESIGNS. A draft of the advertisement inviting competitive designs was submitted by the 1 chairman and approved. The following conditions for the competitive designs were also approved : — " Designs to be delivered at the Harbor Board office before noon on the 25th of January, 1883. Designs to be accompanied by a full report upon tbe nature of the works, tbe mode of construction, and their effect upon currents shore lines, &c, also detailed estimates of cost and maintenance ; estimates to be based upon the price of materials and labor given in the schedule attached to these conditions. The co3t of the proposed works not to exceed the sum of £250,000. Drawings to show at least one general plan of the proposed works and the position of tbe same drawn to a scale of ten chains to an inch; also a detailed plan and sections of the proposed works. Designs to be marked with a motto or device, and accompanied with a sealed envelope containing tbe name and address of tbe competitor. A premium of £500 will be awarded to the design which the judge or judges (who will be engineers of good standing) appointed by the Napier Harbor Board shall select a? the beet, provided that such design shall be approved as practicable by such judges j in the event of the Board determining to carry out the works under the direction of the designer, such premium to be merged into the usual commission of 2| per cent. The accepted plans and report to become the property of the JSapier Harbor Board. All rejected designs will be returned to the various competitors free of expense." The following resolutions were carried without dissent : —"That the designs be referred to two English engineers of good standing to decide which is the best plan for a harbor for Napier, and award the premium of £500 to the designer, provided such plan complies with the conditions under which designs are called for, and is in the opinion of the judges practicable for tbe port of Napier." "That the Government be requested to ask the Agent-General for New Zealand to communicate with the engineers hereafter named, and engage tbe services of two of them to act as judges to determine which is the best design for the harbor of Napier ; the Agent-General to obtain, if possible, the services of the two first-named engineers—failing them, then the next two on the list who will be willing to act, or failing any of thrro, such two engineers of good standing as he may select. The following are the engineers named by the Board: —Sir John Hawkshaw, Mr David Stevenson, Mr James Abernethy, Mr Thomas Elliot Harrison." THE WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL BESOLUTIO>\ Mr Ormond said that, as one of the representatives at the Board of the Waipawa County Council, he bad re» ceived the following letter, forwarding a copy of a resolution passed by the Council at its last meeting ; — Waipawa County Council Office, September 9, 1882. J. D. Ormond, Esq. Sir, —I have the honor, by direction of the Chairman of this Council to forward to you as one of the members representing the Waipawa County on the Napier Harbor Board, a copy of a resolution passed by this Council on the 7th inst. Trusting you will support the same, I have, &c, Alex. St. C. Inglis, County Clerk. "This Council regrets the action taken by the Napier Harbor Board at its laifc meeting in agreeing to offer £500 for competitive designs for a harbor at Napier based on data to be furnished by the Board without having first obtained the opinion of a first-class marine engineer as to the best site for a harbor for Hawke's Bay." "That a copy of this resolution be sent to the meiui

i bere representing Waipawa County on the 7 Harbor Board." To that letter he had sent a reply, which he thought it might be well to read to the Board. It was as follows :-~ Napier, September 14, 1882. Sir, —T beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th inst., enclosing copy of a resolution passed by the Waipawa County Council at a late meeting, expressing regret at the action taken by the JVapier Harbor Board in offering a bonus for designs for a harbor afc Napier -without having first obtained the opinion of a first-class marine engineer as to the best site for a harbor for Hawke's Bay. I scarcely think the Council clearly understood the position of tbe matter when it came to such a conclusion, as from the published reports of the remarks made by most of the members of the Council, as well as from what was expressed by speakers at the late public meeting at Waipawa on the same subject, it appears there was a general concurrence of opinion that if a harbor can be constructed at Napier, even at a much higher cost tban at any other part of Hawke's Bay, that the harbor should be at Napier. I believe the great majority of the country settlers hold tbe same view. The action of the Napier Harbor Jfcoard in inviting competitive designs for a at Napier is taken with the object of deciding that question. The only point of difference, therefore, between the County Council and the Harbor Board is, -whether / before calling for designs the opinion of a ' marine engineer should not have been taken. With all respect to the opinion of the County Council I venture to think the course pursued by the Harbor Board is best calculated to attain the object desired. In support of that view I -would \irge — That Napier has a right to first consideration. There is a town with a considerable population and a large amount of property involved, and I hold that it is the first duty of the Board to getaharbor at Napier if practicable, and that inviting competitive designs for such a harbor, which designs have afterwards to be referred to and approved by first-class marine engineers, will in the most practical way determine that question and that the expenditure involved will be money well spent. That the construction of a harbor anywhere in Hawke's Bay will involve a considerable expenditure, which will have to be provided for by the district proportionately to the advantages derived, and if the harbor can be constructed at Napier the town will bear a considerable share of the cost, whereas if the harbor is constructed elsewhere Napier could not be expected to contribute to the same extent. That from the foregoing considerations it is evident the case is not one -which should be decided solely on the professional opinion of a marine engineer as to what may be the best site for a harbor in Hawke's Bay ; but rather what is wanted to have decided in the first instance is, whether a harbor suited to the requirements of the district can be constructed at Napier. I hope the explanation I have given of the action and intentions of the Napier Harbor Board will satisfy the Waipawa County Council, and that the support of the Council will be given to the Harbor Board in promoting what I believe to bo the common interest of all parts of the Hawke's Bay district.^—l hare, &c, J. D. Orjiond, Chairman Napier Harbor Board. The County Clerk Waipawa County Council. P.S.—As Chairman of the Napier Harbor Board I think it right to communicate to the Board at its next meeting your letter to me and my reply.—J.D.O. ACCOUNTS. The month's accounts, amounting to £587 13s 7d, were passed for payment, and the Board adjourned.