THE HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 6523, 13 February 1884, Page 2

THE HARBOR BOARD.

The following reports have been prepared for presentation at to morrow’s meeting The Harbor-master reports : “ I have the honor to furnish for the information of the Harbor Board the monthly report as follows: —On the Bth inst. took soundings on the bar, and found the least depth at low water in the line of leading beacons to be 17ft; beacons slightly open to the westward, 18ft; and, 400R west of beacons, ISft. The above soundings are reduced to zero in the tide-gauge fixed at the sandspit. The lighthouse at Dowling Bay had the foundation washed away during thf last high tides; and 1 have since caused it to be placed on longer piles. The s.s. Plucky has hai her bottom cleaned and painted, engine and boiler thoroughly overhauled and repaired, and to-day has taken the place of the p.s. Koputai. The latter boat will require to have her boiler rc-tubed at once, as the present tubes are very much crowded, several of them having burst during the short time she has been running in the place of the Plucky. The Kio schooner, the master in charge, grounded on the eastern side of the Victoria channel, just below the fourth pile from Dunedin, and lay for twenty-four hours. The Koputai failed to get her off the first tide owing to the darkness of the night, but was successful the following morning. The vessel sustained no injury. The shipping returns for the month of January arc Arrivals : Foreign ve-sels, S of 0,093 tons ; intercolonial, 9 of 8,969 tons ; coasting, 50 of 13,028 tons. Departures : 3 foreign vessels of 3,500 tons; 11 intercolonial, of 10,443 tons; 55 coasting, of 15,013 tons.” The Engineer reports I have the honor to forward along with this the report of the Inspector of Works, and tabulated statement showing the work done during the month of January. A very largo portion of the month has been occupied in an overhaul and repair of the plant, which is now generally in such a state of repair as will enable the work to be carried on with effect and expedition. A very satisfactory gam has been achieved in both the Vulcan and New Era dredges by alterations which will allow the former to dredge to from 24ft to 26ft, and the latter to 21ft. The Vulcan, since the completion of her overhaul, has been working alongside George street pier, Port Chalmers. The New 7 Era has been engaged in the steamers’ basin. The dredge 222 has been employed on the bar when the weather was favorable, and other times at Port Chalmers. Only four days of January could be got on the bar. The*rocky walling has been made up and extended at both its southern and northern extremity with rock derived from Logan Point Quarry. It will be advisable to continue the Vulcan at Port Chalmers until about the end of this month, to deepen alongside of both the George street and Bowen warns. I would now submit the following recommendations to you Timber lining at the back of Rattray street Wharf. —As has been previously reported, the rocky material at the back of the Rattray street wharf at its outer extremity slips down into the berths alongside, and is thus a constant source of annoyance and even risk to vessels which may be lying there. To prevent this, I would recommend that the back portion, where no short piling has been executed, should bo lined with timber down to low-water level at a cost of about L4SO. This should he done by contract. Gear for Dredge 222.—An examination of the spare gear on hand for Dredge 222 shows that there is

enough of the working parts, with the exception of the bucket-backs already reported upon, to replace any breakages likely to occur within the next twelve months—that is that these parts will not be required in working position until that time, and others to replace them again will not be required for some time after that. After fully considering the circumstances of the Lucket-backs along with Messrs Darling and Wales, it would appear that the best course to pursue in securing new ones would be to commission Mr Darling to obtain and accept tenders for new castings in Britain of a pattern slightly different from the present ones, but still of a form to suit the present fronts. The cost, of say fifteen, would be about LOGO landed here. A complete bucket should be sent Home at once as a pattern. Carpenter for Dredge 221—The present carpenter of dredge 222 has given notice that he desires to leave the employ at the end of the present mouth. I would now recommend that Mr Skinner, of Fort Chalmers, be appointed to the position at the present salary of Lll per month. The Engineer forwarded two sheets of drawings showing the present condition of the Victoria channel, and reported “ Looked at in a general manner the changes in the changes in the channel are very hopeful, and on the whole are of a nature to give confidence in its future. There are two places, however, where the difficulties inherent to a new and dredged channel, have not yet been wholly overcome, these being between Dunedin and Ravensbourne, and near Burkes. These, however, are not of a serious nature, though it will be necessary to watch them carefully until the training walls have been so far constructed as to fully control the currents. In my report of 13th September last upon the capacities of the channel I pointed out that it was then equal to the passage to Dunedin of vessels drawing 16ft to 17ft. Thi- has been verified by the arrival at Dunedin wharf of the To Anau, the Manapouri, the Thurso, and the Mataura, drawing from 15ft to 17ft 2in.”

The following special report will also fce considered Your Committee, in pursuance of a resolution of the Board passed on the 31st u!t., have the honor to report that they visited the site of the proposed works, accompanied bv the Board’s Engineer, and examined the quarries where the stone for the seawall is to be procured, and the route over which the tramway is proposed to be constructed to convey the material to the works. Your Committee, after deliberation, unanimously agreed to recommend—1. That the Board's Engineer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for the tramway to submit to the Board, and to make immediate preparation for proceeding with that work so soon as the Board shall sanction the same. 2. That so much of the engineering plant belonging to the Board as can be made available, and, if necessary .the locomotive engine, with as many of the waggons, rails, sleepers, etc,, as may be required, be called in from those on loan (unless other satisfactory arrangements can be made), and if found insufficient that tenders be called for additional plant 3. That the whole of the plant be conveyed by one or other of the tug-boats to the site of the works. 4 Your Committee also recommend that a request be made to the Government for prison labor to execute this work, and that so soon as the preliminary arrangements can be made and the date for commencing the works fixed, tenders be called for the execution of such parts of the work as cannot conveniently be carried out by prison labor. 5. Your Committee further recommend that the Engineer bo instructed to call for separate tenders for supply of timber and ironwork (so soon as the drawings have been approved) for the first 300 ft of staying. Andrew Thomson. Robert a. E, Scon. Polish adventurers.— Arctic explorers.