HARBOUR BOARD.

Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 119, 12 June 1885, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

Tho ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Board was held yesterday afternoon. ProBent — Mesars. E. Pearoe (chairman), G. Fisher, Wheoler, Lancaster, Booth, Nathan, Heaton, Duthio, and Captain Williams. The Chairman laid upon tho table the redistribution of the various insurances effected on the Board's property, the total amount being Mr. Fisher remarked that he observed that about XOOOO worth of policies had been effected with foreign offices, and only .£3OOO with colonial officoa. He considered tho position should have boon reversed. Mr. Duthio eaid that insurers were driven to the foreign offices whether they liked it or not, on account of the difficulty experienced in getting adjustments from colonial offices. Mr. Nathan was of the Bamo opinion. Colonial offices frequently disputed the settlement of small risks which foreign offices settled withont dispute. Tho sum of £5 was passed to Mr. Brodetiok for the loss sustained through a parcel going astray. The Chairman said the Wharves Committee had decided to leave the appointment of a clerk of works to the Engineer, who had appointed the wharf carpenter to tho position. The Chairman informed tho Board that the gridiron had been closed, as it was unsafe, and boats which need it now did so at their own risk. The Chairman intimated that the Finance Committee recommended the raising of a loan of .£50,000 at 4J per cent, interest. So far as he was aware the lowest rate of interest on loans not guaranteed by the Government waa 5 per cent. , and withont being considered disloyal to the oommittee he might say that personally he had recommended !> per oent. The Auckland Harbour Board loan was raised at 5 per cent., and realised .£lol l2s Gd. Mr. Duthio remarked that even supposing the loan was floated at the minimum, the Board would not be embarrassed. The Chairman, in reply to Mr. Nathan, stated that the minimum loan quoted on tho Stook Exchange was £50,000. Captain Williams expressed the opinion that the Board should be able to obtain money at any rate as cheap as the Harbour Boards on the West Coast. The Chairman said that tho Finance Committee had ascertained that the bankers would permit them to draw against the loan to the extent of .£IO,OOO, which amount was all they asked for. The recommendation waß agreed to. The Engineer reported that in accordance with instructions given by the Board on the 11th Deoember, he had employed a diver to examine the whole of the tmderetrncture of the Queen's Wharf, and that tho examination was completed on the 20th ult. The diver was employed for 52 days. During that time the pileß had been carefully examined, and the sheathing had been renailed or renewed where required. Stumps of old timber piles had been cut off at the ground level. In cases where the sheathing was fonnd not to reach the ground, the piles had either been E'aeathed or the exposed parts had been enc&sed with Porthind cement concrete. The examination showed that in nearly all parts of the wharf the metal sheathing is hnro and there loose. Two of tho red gum piles are greatly eaten away for some feet in height where the copper was loo&o or broken away, and tho engineer had caused beams to bo framed in so as to relieve the pilos from the weight of the superstructure. Five piles in a contract recently completed on the middle T, and three piles on the inner T, have not the sheathing reaching to the ground. Of this the engineer was only aware that in three the copper was not driven into the ground. The result of the examination, in the engineer's opinion, pointed to the fact that totara resists the action of marine life muoh better than iron bark or red gum, whioh seems to be much changed where exposed. The total cost for labour, material, and use of diving dress in connection with the work under water amounted to about .£165. The report was agreed to. The Engineer reported tho boat site for the timeball was Mount Victoria, and the next best site was at the back of the Torrace School. It was decided to inform the Government of the Engineer's recommendation. Accounts amounting to £27%) 11s 5d were passed for payment. The Chairman announced that the credit balance at the bank was £2548. The report of Messrs. Buller and Gully relative to the recent claims decided in the Compensation Court was received. Mr. Fisher remarked that the manner in whioh the case had been conducted by their counsel had tended in no email degree to the BHcoessful iFsue. Mr. Dutbie considered that their buccosb was attributable in no small degree to the exertions of Mr. Ferguson, their engineer. Mr. Fißher willingly bore witness to the energy of the Engineer, not only in the case under notice, but in all the acts of Mr. Ferguson since his appointment. Mr. Dutbie considered that some little concesrion should be made to the men em-

ployed by the Board with regard to defraying the coit of their uniforniß. He thought it but (air that the Board should pay half the oost of the men's uniforms. Mr. Fisher Becondod the motion, which was oa tried. Captain Williamß movoJ— " That tho inn or T be extended to the breastwork oa tho N.W. side of tho Queou's AVb*rf, and widened in such a way as tho Kiiginoer may think best for storiufj tho looso property of the Board " Mr. Wheeler eeuoDdod the motion, and suggested that the work should take precedence of the wool wharf exlonbion. Mr. Hoaton supported the motion, and BQggostod that a place should bo constructed on the extension in which tho labourers whilst waiting for thi^ping might toko shelter. Tho motion was a roed to.