THE HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 6480, 22 December 1883, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the Otago Harbor Board was held in the Board's office yesterday afternoon. There were present—Messrs Ross (chairman), J. B. Thomson, Wales, Cargill, Ritchie, A, Thomson, Hislop, Barnes, Elder, Reid, Mill, and Captain Scott. WHARF EXTENSION. The discussion of the resolution moved by Mr Barnes and seconded by M? A. B. Thomson —"That the tender of Messrs Findlay and Co. for the extension of Rattray street wharf for 700tt be accepted—was resumed. Mr Cargill- moved as an amcm.'rnent—- " That an offer be made to Messrs Findlay and Co. to proceed with tivo construction of 400 ft of the proposed wharf extension p.t schedule rates, as per their tender." He thought that on this proposal being put before the tenderers they would agree to construct a portion of the wharf at schedule rates. Captain Scott seconded the amendment. Mr Ritchie said he could not vote on the question until the financial position of the Board had been considered. As far as they knew, the Board had only about Lf',ooo to spend on the Upper Harbor, and therefore they should be careful how they entered into Contracts.

'Captain Scott agreed that the Board Bhould not spend more than was necessary, but the expenditure that would be authorised if the amendment were carried was absolutely necessary, and would provide ample accommodation. Mr Barnes was willing that the motion should be withdrawn in favor of the amendment,

Mr Ritchie : What expenditure would the amendment involve?

Captain Scott : About L 4.000: between L 4.000 and L 5.000. Mr Mill: It will cost about L 24,000 before the dredging is done. Captain Scott ; The dredging must bo done ia any case. Mr Elder said he wa3 exceedingly BO *ry to see that the piecemeal policy pursued by the Board in the past was going to be perpetuated by the present Board. He found that at present they had the Rattray street wharf, with its extension, which had cost the Board L 12.933 2s Scl, and the Jetty street wharf, including strengthening, which had cost L 12,335 4s 5d ; and they were told by the Engineer that the latter was positively valueless, for it could not be made available for a large class of vessels except at a very large expenditure. Tho plan which he saw at last meeting showed the greatest depth of water alongside this wharf to be j 6ft, and yet that wharf, which could only j give Sft at a particular part of it, had cost j L 12,335, The steamer Hawea the other j ■day could hot get away from Rattray street j ■wharf because it was blowing, and there was j not sufficient water for her to haul away j from the wharf without risk to herself and i Q'cher vessels. If this was the case, how •was the Rattray street wharf to be made available in any way whatever for vessels of anything like an ordinary draught of water? The alternative that was spoken of by both the Eugineer and Harbor-master W43 that in place of putting down this new wharf at a cost of L 20,000, the steamers' basin should be dredged out, a row of piles put in front of the present wharf, and the wharf widened. They distinctly said if this were done there would be sufficient accommodation for the trade of the place, and the Harbor-master told them "it should be borne in mind that dredging between the wharves is absolutely necessary to allow of vessels being swung, even if the wharves remain as they are." He considered that this alternative proposal should be adopted, and he wanted the Dunedin members of the Board to take his word ouce for all that any expenditure in the Upper Harbor that he could see wa3 necessary he should vote for with hearty good will. He would be no party to opposing necessary expenditure, but he thought in the state of the finances of the Board, the Board should take into consideration in every way possible the husbanding of their resources. If an expenoitvue of LIO.OOO was sufficient in the meantime, no more than that sum should be spent. Jetty street wharf at the present time was useless, and his contention was that if dredging was dono alongside it vessels could be shifted to it from.'Rattray street wharf, and the end of the latter wharf could be utilised for the larger vessels. A fact worthy of consideration was that rails were laid down on Jetty street wharf connecting with the sheds, and they could be used.

The Chairman pointed out that the Engineer bad reported to him that it would be unsafe to dredge to a greater depth than 1 Oft alongside the wharf. The piles were only 36ft long ; they had been driven into soft ground, and some months ago it was discovered that the jetty was being forced over by the deposit of material on the land aide.

Mr Barnes remarked that Mr Elder's suggestion was merely for patchwork. The Jetty street wharf was very useful for small vessels, and it was no use dredging places that were wanted for vessels of light draught. Captain Scott said that as the material at Jetty street was soft it would certainly slip if they commenced dredging there. Mr Mill concurred with Mr Elder. He deprecated the hasty manner in which tenders had been called, and considered that the old Board had acted unscrupulously in the matter. Mr J. B. Thomson said he had never before known of a member of any body a general election attacking the Board of which he had himself been a member. Mr Mill had said that the old Board had acted in an unscrupulous manner, but he (Mr Thompson) considered that the only member of the old Board who had acted unscrupulously was the member who had just sat down. Mr Mill had admitted that he had done everything to thwart the acceptance of tenders; but what had been his conduct ? Mr Mill did not, like an honorable man, move that the tenders be not received—(Mr Mill : I did)—but moved that the time for their acceptance be extended; and it was freely stated in town that Mr Mill was anxious the time for tenders should be extended in order that a friend of his might be in a position to tender. Mr Mill denied that there was any truth in the rumor, and offered to lay down L 25 against a similar amount by Mr Thomson, to be forfeited and- to go to the Benevolent Institution if he did not disprove the statement.

Mr A. Thomson opposed both motion and amendment, and supported the view taken by Mr Elder. Mr Cargill having retired, the motion moved by Messrs Barnes and Thomson was withdrawn, and the amendment by Mr Cargill was carrie cU lIAREOR DUES. The Chairman said that the next business was the consideration of the motion of which notice had been given by Mr Cargill—- " That the harbor improvement rates on imported goods be increased 50 per cent., and the export rate on wool to 9d per bale,"

A letter was read from Mr James Macfie stating that he had entered in to a contract to supply the Dunedin Gasworks with 7,000 tons of coal during 1884, and, having based his calculations on the Board'b present rates, he would suffer serious loss by the proposed increase.

H. Guthrie wrote stating that the raising of dues 50 per cent, meant stoppage of all lightering, for even with the present dues those engaged in the business could barely make wages. Parliament had been petitioned twice on the subject of abolishing the differential dues, aud had tho merchants taken up the matter warmly, success would have attended their efforts, and the Board V; revenue would have Leen increased 1.15,000 per annum. If the dues on coal were raised, all coaling vessels would discharge at. Port Chalmers ; whilst increased rates on timber meant tho entire stoppage of many coasting vessels engaged in the Invercargiil and Catlin River trade.

Captain Scott intimated that the manager of the New Zealand Timber and Wocdwr.re Company had intended sending him a letter on the Bubject, and had told him an increased rate on timber would stop the business.

Mr Cargill moved his resolution in accordance with the notice given, but admitted that there were matters in the letters read which might deserve consideration. The feeling of the Committee was that Parliamenthaving provided certain sources

of revenue, to whioh limits had been fixed, the only thing that could be done, since the revenue was wanted, wa3 to levy the full amount of dues. The Board had been forced into this position, and he therefore moved the resolution. Mr Ritchie seconded the motion. The Committee had no alternative, but found itself compelled to recommend that the rates be raised. Ho considered that the Board should not act upon t» supposition o£ what might take place, and thought that, though the writers of tue tetters ought certainly to be well informed on the matter, it could not be di?£UisPd that they -were directly interested and likely to make the worst of it.

I Mr Barnes thought th<s report should be sent back for further. cons(deri,ti»n. It seemed to him absurd to charge the same rates on tea as on cCa'k Mr J. B. TtioMsox believed that the effect 0? Raising the rat?s on coal and wood would be to prevent those commodities being brought to Dunedin by water, and he moved that after the words " fifty per cent.' 1 be added " with the exception of timber aud coal from New Zealand ports." Mr Walks seconded the amendment,,, Mr Mill desired that Scotch aud Newcastle coal should aho be exempt Iwii\ the s proposed increase of dues. | Air Elder also thought that all coal J should be exerrtpt from the increase. | The C"-airman was opposed to the amendI ment;, as it savored cf a Protection policy, t and opposed to the original, motion, because ) he considered that the increase of the dues I would prevent any ships from comiDg up the channel as effectually as would the building of a rubble wall rcvcsTS it. He thought the better plar, would be to leave the rates alone, to exercise due economy, and to endeavor to have the differential rates abolished at the next sitting of Parliament, or at least such an alteration of them as would augment the Board's revenue. He felt satisfied that if they increased the dues 50 per cent, they would afterwards regret doing so. The motion on beiDg put wascarried, after being amended as follows t —"That the harbor improvement rates on imported goods (excepting coal and timber from New Zealand ports), and upon wool exported, be increased in accordance with the report t received from the Special Committee on I Finance—upon imported goods to 50 per | cent, above present rates, and wool to- 9d | per bafc,'WORKS AT THE HEADS. Mr Cargill said he considered it necessary that the Board's Engineer should go on with the preparation or his plans for the works at the Heads. Mr Barr liad proposals which would effect a, considerable saving to the Board, and which he understood had I been approved of by Mr Blackett. When he | added that the bar had silted up 2ft within I tho last few days, he thought it would be admitted that no time should be lost. He I moved—" That the Engineer be instructed to prepare plans, etc., with the utmost posI siblo despatch, for submission for the approval of the Governor-in-Council." Captain Scott seconded the motion, which was adopted unanimously.