THE HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 6329, 29 June 1883, Page 1

THE HARBOR BOARD.

» The ordinary meeting of this Board yetterday afternoon Was attended by Means Baft* (acting-chairman), Mill, fatersen, Bums, Burt, Barron, and Barnes. " ' f . The new by-laws were adopted, with a few amendments, and ordered to come into opfrav tionon July 6. . | Correspondence on the subject of the, proposed bridge across the harbor to Waveriey was read. «,,*'■' MrPATKESox expressed the opinion that it would be against the interests oftho harbor to allow a bridge to be thrown aeros* it; and on his motion it was resolved fist the Board could not approve of the plana submitted. ?: \ The local manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company thanked the Board; lor the prompt manner in which the togs will placed in attendance on the lonic.

REPORTS. The Finance Committee reported tbitas the subject of office accommodation miistbe dealt with shortly, the question of shed storage could then be further considered. H was acknowledged that storage in the shape of a Queen's bond would be the real solntion of the difficulty in getting clear of goods from the transit sheds in a reasonable time. It was recommended that three months* salary be paid to the iainiiy of the late Mr Dick. The Committee reported being strongly of opinion that it ought to be made compulsory on all employes of the Board to insure against distress consequent on injury by'aocident. The treasurer was instructed to receive L2117s from TurribuU and Co. in settlement of the account for towage of the Jasper. It was decidejl to increase the allowance to Mm Dick, making a total payment equal to six months' salary from the time of the accident. The Works Committee were requested to consider a scheme for the establishment among t&e Board's of an accident otherwise for the employed to be insure* in an accident insurance society. / " The Works Committee reported thaWae following tenders had been acceptor;—Plunkett Bros., L 37 12s, for metal for (Uses wharf (also 120 yards at schedule rates, for Jetty street wharf); John Farron, Llifltf, ' quarrying and loading stone for waling. The Friestman dredge is providing a d«fP: ' water berth at the Rattray street wlluf, *' and the Vulcan will be available for *she same purpose in a few days. The Committee asked for power to make de&bite ~ provision against accidents. Ui The Engineer reported:—" Mr Catlin, late engineer and dreage-maßter of dredge 222, informs me that he declines to go on board the Vulcan*, and, prefers retiring from ."the service of the Board altogether. Mr Alexander Cameron, who has been winch;. man on board 222, declines to go on thefVulcan, but would be glad of employment in any capacity in the Board's service. His certificates oi former employment on; the Clyde are very good, and as he appears.to have done his duty with satisfaction on 222, I think he should have an opportunity of any suitable employment with the B^aroV* THE BAB. _\- The following telegrams (from the GhauV" man were read:- , - Wellington, 23rd Jane, 1888.' Secretary Harbor Board, Dunedin. Clause 67 appears to preclude acceptance, but sup* pose Board intends accepting M'Queen's Offer, al hough calling tenders. Strongly advise they should. If so, what use experimentalising wtta dredge, as Board by resolution appear inclined todof ThinLthis is a mistake. Have you forwarded to - Government account for dredging? No news from Government yet. Feel despondent as to our chances. Would recommend no more dredging at Port till q<wß« tion is definitely settled. H. S. Fish, Jm.

Wellington, 26th June, 1891. - If tenders called for deepening bar, think tenderers should prepare own specifications, and time shoukTl» short. Assume Board acting with intention accept M'Queen's offer. In view of this, strongly opposed to tinkering with dredge as proposed. Am writing lufly this day's post. . H. 3. Fish, Jtm. 28th June,J|B3. Mr Barr has had full charge of dredge 822 up'tp.pre* sent time. If such radical chances necessary now, how is it he has not recommended them befotp?, At last meeting of the Works Committee he endorsed action then taken. Am entirely opposed to what is now being done. Think undei any circumstances M'Queen's offer is better than anything Board cut accomplish, even under Mr Boss's superintendence. A full meeting of the Board should have been obtained before such radical departure from that recommended by Works Committee. Be loan: Will, if fNsaih&asar suit Mr Oliver to-day, and wire you again. . ': , H. S. Fish, Juk. The Chairman said that the above telegrams were received together with another from Mr Fish, intimating that he had written and posted a long letter to the Board on the same matter, which he wished <she Board to consider in Committee. He niraself (the speaker) would far rather have read the letter in open Board. Mr Fish appeared not yet to know what Mr M'Queen's offer really was—it was not Mr M'Queen's purpose to make a passage 200 yds wide, but 200 ft. Mr Fish had repeatedly made the same mistake. Mr Btjbt thought that as Mr Fish ajkeji them to take his letter in Committee, the Board could scarcely consider it openly. J Mr Barron said it did not. seem so much a complaint at Mr Boss's going on with |he dredge as at Mr M'Queen's offer not having been accepted. , Mr Mill said he would not be a party to a thing of this sort—it was not the right thing when they got an offer from a man. like Mr M'Queen to cast it on one aide, Mr Boss had now got the dredge, and he had no hesitation in saying that it would be four weeks before it would be ready to start work. The Chairman: Perhaps it would be better to take this discussion after I have reported what I found in connection with the dredge on going down to inspect her; Mr Burt : Certainly. I think that if she iB in such a dilapidated state as to require four weeks' work on her, it is a very good thing that Mr Boss was put in a to find that out. The Chairman stated that he, in company with the Engineer, visited the dredge on Saturday last at the Heads. The result of his inspection of her working was to show . him that things were not at all in a satisfactory state. The buckets did their work properly, but the hopper never becamemore than half-fullj and for more than an hour the dredge was worked at an entire waste fuel and labor, as the sand went oat ftflfitst as it was put in. He had given instructions that she should be brought up to Port Chalmers to be put in~ proper order, as she Was not only in a useless but in a dangerouiwondition. He was quite satisfied that When repaired she would remove the bar M.effectively as by any plan. He then suggested that the Board should go into Committee. Mr Barnes objected altogether to Committee work. Someone was to blame, and they should let the public know who it was. Mr Burns said the public would know all at the proper time. RESIGNATIONS. Mr Paterson, before the Board went into committee, had to explain that his term of office as a Government representative ended on June 30. He would be unable to continue in office as a member;' consequently this would be the last meeting i$ which he would be present. No doubt the/' Government would appoint a better member —■say one from the Chamber of Gmuneroe—who would enlighten the Board on a vjadely of subjects. f 1 1. Mr Burt said he was a Gowmisatnt member also, and he had to inform Hftili Board that he had written to the ment intimating his inability, through 'Want of time, etc., to attend to the duties longiij. He had to thank members for laejl

courtesy to him during the three years fee had sat upon the Board, and he fiineerely hoped in the future to see things go on all right." He might make one or two remarks, although, had he remembered this was his last meeting, he would probably have been better prepared. Ho had to express his pleasure at finding Mr Fish now so willing to go outside Sir John Coode's plans. He (Mr Burt) had urged that pubiio tenders should be called for deepening the bar, but he had not got muoh sympathy. If his advice had been followed be was sure a dozen tenders would have been sent in. But Mr Fish's inconsistency surprised him. Some little time ago he had been all for closely following Sir John Coode's plans, and doing nothing outside them i now, at a moment's notice, he was prepared to accept a tender for LI 8,000 for work entirely outside Sir John Coode's plan. For himself, he had to Bay that if the law allowed he would have accepted the tender with pleasure.— (Hear, hear.) Another matter he wished to refer to was that the Board had no practical engineer to look after its works, see to their proper conduct, and keep the machinery in proper order. If they had had euoh an officer the dredge would have been put to rights long ago. He was quite sure thousands of pounds would be saved if they had ft responsible man at the head of their works. He had heard recently at Port Chalmers that the dredge there was working at a great sacrifice. —(Hear, hear.) This was one of his reasons for leaving the Board—that he sjaw things going to waste, and Valuable machinery being abused because of the want of a practical engineer. He hoped the Board would see their way to appoint a suitable man. He had to thank them all for the amicable way in which he had been treated. Mr Ross bore testimony to the efficient manner in which Messrs Burt and Paterson had performed their duties. The Board then went into committee, and adjourned in committee till Monday, at 3 p.m.