Harbor Board.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5967, 21 October 1890, Page 3

Harbor Board.

Tho Board meet at 2 p.m. Present: — Messrs J. D. Orinond (in the chair), P. Dolbel, J. H. Vautier, J. H. Twigs, R. Harding, J. C. McVuy, G. H. Swan, J. W. Neal, F. \V. Williams, and W. J. Willcocks.

CORBKSrONDKNCE. From N. and M. Agency Company, forwarding Mll-of-lading for 3000 casks cenv-nt by Kthelbert.—Received. From Union Company, applying for exemption certificate foi Captain McLean, of tho Wnihora.— Granted.

From Murray, Roberts, and Co., asking the Board to consider the advisability of equalising tho port charges on coastwiso and foreign vessels.—Mr MeVay said the heavy foreign charges militated against the port. —Mr Williams said a vessel made Auckland her first port; tho bulk of the cargo was for here ; she came on, and only paid Id per ton, while if she had come bore first it would have cost Gd per ton.—Solicitor's advice to be taken as to whether alteration of present by-law as to port charges would interfere with compulsory pilotage being enforced. Letter to be considered at next meeting.

From W. Lonergan, stating his willingness to continue his lease of block No. 2, Ornnrimui reserve. He asked permission to orors the other section.—Three yoare' lease granted, subject to mouth's notice.

From C. X Taylor, asking permission to cnclos i v fish reserve at the Western .Spit. —Granted, subject to removal.

From Town Clerk, calling on Board to abato a nuisance bordering on Wellesley road.—Referred to Works Committee.

From County Council, complaining of tho encroachment of the willows planted ou the batiks of the Tutaeknri river.—Authority jjfivn to have the willows trimmed.

From N.B. aud H.B. Freezing Co., asking that tho conditions attached to tho grant of £75 for removing boulders bo altered. Tho company during tho lust two neurons hud paid £1260 l"s Id for wharfagp, had provided its own wharfage accommodation t<> tho extent of £274 Us for tho lower wharf, and £758 12s 10d for the upper whiirf and its* approaches. In it later hitter the conditions wore accepted.—Mr Carr said tho work was nearly completed ; tho cost would bo from £160 to £170.—Mr Willcoeks said tho Company had a fair claim, on tho Bourd to spend pound for pound, as they had made their own wharvoH.—Mr Swan moved that the Company receive pound f.r pound up to £100.—Curried. ■ i'rom Union Company, complaining of the loss of time and expeuso in providing horses for shifting trunks when loaded or discharged.— 'l ho Board could not provide horned. From I'alliser and Jones, stating they would rcquiro 12 chains of mils for quarry use and about 4.") chains for reclamation..— Kngiueer to see what arrangement can bo raiifte with contractors for providing the raile. The pilot reported depth of water on the bar 15 feet, in tho channel between tho piers 14 feet. Owing to tho strong westerly winds the upper part of tho harbor was getting shallow, and ho thought it advisable to have tho dredge working there for some time beioro the busy time commenced, co that ho might have berths for the lighters. —Employment of dredge there approved. WOiIKS ANt> UAEBOa COMMITTEE*!) KKPOKT. The Works and Harbor Committee bavins; considered the several questions submitted by the Board, beg to make ttie following recommendations :— 1. Slip for Small Boats.—That the engineer select a site on tho south side of the Iron Pot to bu deepened sufficiently to allow small bouts to be moored at the old. breastwork, 2. Pcnnaneut Improvements to West Quay.—That aa the necessary repairs have been executed at West Quay", tho qutmtion of permanent improvements ho deferred :i. " Public B.sdi.-s Powers Act."—That the Governor-in-Council b« rcquesti'd to (kokiro the Board i-hull bo ftibjeet to tbo provisions of "Tho i'ublie Bodies Powers A<it, 1887." Koport. adopted. ENGINKKII's BEI'OKT. tract'lias again!)• en very much retarded owing to the very uncertain state of tbo ana. the early portion of this period enw l«et rt-port a lurgu quantity of rubble was kid for the foundation of tho brgakwutor rctiiid the curve, and a quantity of wuveI liifi'.kcrs \vnn> put. over near the root and iiisi) to protect monolil.rm ;J2 and iW. In < r.lor to reptiir the d-imagu (already rupoih'ii) to the foundation of .monolith No. 32 (tho last of the Ist section of break-

water), it was found necessary to renew the whole of the 32nd monolith and portions of 31 and 32 by means of blasting; this having been done, the foundations were tnado good by re-layiug blocks and bag blocks, and on four different occasions preparations were made for reconstructing the monoliths, but on each occasion heavy seas came on and prevented the work being done, and necessitated closing up the gap with blocks temporarily, to protect the wharf. No opportunity has been lost to endeavor to complete these repairs. At 2 o'clock this morning the gap was boxed in, af; 3 30 o'clock a commencement was made to fill in the soncrete, and it is anticipated that by 6 o'clock this evening the repairs to this portion of the breakwater will be completed. Should the weather remain favorable it is expected that Work at the end of breakwater will be resumed on Friday afternoon or Saturday, morning, and that the remaining two monoliths to complete tbia contract will be laid by the end of the following week. In the meantime should the weather be favorable the stone punt will be brought out again, and the laying of rubble foundation proceeded with. This contract should therofore be completed by the Ist November. ; The contractors have been busy during the past month clearing away the heap of spoil at foot of bluff quarry, and two more days should complete this work. The large cranes have been cleaned, painted, and put in repair ready to hand over. Contract No. 35, Third Section of Breakwater.—The contractors, Messrs Palliser and Jones, have a gang of men at work erecting tho concrete mixer, and another gang obtaining rubble in Sturm's Gully and preparing to lay a tramway from the main line up the gully. Their plant has arrived from Timaru and they are putting it together, so as to have everything ready for a commencement as soon as they are put in possession of the works. Western Quay, Spit.—The necessary repairs to this quay will be completed in a day or two, they would have been comploted sometime ago, but there was a length of about 40 feet which could not bo done when frozen meat was being shipped, and coals landed. The quay is now ready foi tho Railway Department to put the rails in order. I am" informed that it is soven years since anything was done to repair this quay ; it has beon thoroughly done this tiint) and should remain in good ord«r for several years by driving a few now sheet piles in front wherover the piling is seen to bo giving away, there are several places where sheet piling is required now, and piles will be driven as opportunity oilers. A considerable quantity of boulders dredged from the boulder bank have been utilized in the repairs. Dredging Boulder Bank to Afford Wharfage Accommodation for the N.B. and H.B. Freezing Company.—Very good progress lias been made with the dredgirjg , of the boulder bank, the work having proved easier than was anticipated. It would bare boeu nearly completed now but for the nifnverablo weather during the last week, jl think ten days more work on it will complete it, and it will bo a great improvement to the channel. Owing to the weather it lias beou necessary to discontinue work here for tho present and to ro-commence dredging along tho west quay, as the harbormaster reports that the westerly gales have caused a considerable silting up along the

quay. Life-saviug Apparatus.—When the new life-saving apparatus, which was obtained from Home after the wreck of the Northumberland, arrived, a sort of corps was formed among , the Harbor Board officials to take charge of and work the apparatus, but I understand that the greater number of the oorps have left the Board's service and that the corps does not now exist, so that in all probability if it wore unfortunately neces« sary to use the apparatus no ono would know anything about it, and there would consequently be a dangerous delay in getting it into operation. In the Old Country there is the Coastguard eervico to manage such things, and here I would suggest, as we have no such trained that if possible arrangements should be made with the Volunteer Naval Brigado to take over the apparatus, practice with it, and bo responsible for it. There would then be a well-trained and disciplined body! of men to work the apparatus at a wreck, and if discipline and training are specially required at anything I submit it is at a shipwreck

J. T. Cabe, O.E. ' It was decided to ask the Naval Brigade to take over the life saving apparatus. • Authority was given to drivo piles as recommended. The authority given to the Chairman at the last meeting to come to an arrangement with the contractors was withdrawn, and the engineer was authorised to push on the work to completion ac fast as tho contractors could do it. WOOL CHARGES. Report of the Committee appointed to con-, eider the question of railway charges on wool from Woodville to Napier. Sik, —In view of the near approach of the wool season, when there will be a considerable quantity of wool available for export from the district adjacent to tho railway line between Danovirkoand Woodvillo, and as the special tariff now in force for wool from i'a'lmerston to Wellington will tend to draw produce in that direction, the Com-, mittee suggest that the Commissioners be requested to make an immediato special reduction in the rates on wool to Napier (Spit) from all stations between Danovirko and Woodvillo similar to that now in force on tho Wellington and Manawatu line. Tho diversion of this wjol would seriously affect tho revenue of this Board and diminish the earnings of thu Colonial Government railway. Tho present rate from Palmerston to Wellington is os 6d, while the rate from Woodville to the Spit is 7s 6d, the difference in mileage between Palmerston to Wei-, lington and Woodville to Spit being only trifling. The committee understand that the Commissioners intend making this concession when the line is oponed through the Manawatu gorge, but as the recent clips will delay the opening of the line until the wool season is practically over, the Board should ask that the concessions bo made at once, so as not to lose the revenue derivable from the wool this season.

The committee aleo note that the Wellington and Manawatu line have a special rate of 22a Gd for goods under class D from Wellington to Longburn, while on our eeotion of line the tariff ie 31s 2d for the same distance. Suoh differences in tho rates have a reducing effect on the import wharfages, as goods of this class for the inland districts are thereby liable to be diverted from our port. The Committee would, therefore, urge that the Commissioners be requested to make reductions in this diroation also.

F. W. Williams, Chairman of Committee. Adopted. Reductions had been gazetted. TENDKEB. Two tenders were received for tbo Omaranui block, and that of J. Beatson at £85 per annum was accepted. ACCOUNTS. Vouohers to the amount of £2826 2s 7d were passed for payment, on general account £505 10s, and on loan account £-2320 12s 7d. The Board then adjourned.