HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 10212, 14 January 1897, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The ordinary masting of the Olago Harbor Board, held this afternoon, wu attended by the chairmen (Mr H, Gourley), Messrs ,N. Y. A. Walee, M. Joel, J. Robin, A. M'Kiwwm, Jr. Thomson, J. T. Maekernw, W. Barclay, W. Wright, D. Tlnkertoa, EL 0. Allen, M.H.R., and W. Dawson.

A letter, was read from the Marine Department with, rtferepoe to a night signalfor vessels requiring a tag, The.department considered that three vertical bright lights, at least six feet, apart, exhibited from any part of the vessel where they could best be seen, would* be suitable, bat depjred the opinion of the Board before making the re qjßired regulation. Referred to Works Committee to act. John Moloney wrote reminding the Board of the agreement to give him a revaluation at the expiry of hk lease a|>otago Heads.— Referred to Reserves Committee. Messrs Dalgety and Company wrote with reference to the.missing octave of whisky, ex ship Auckland, and stating that they would have liked if the Board bad informed them of their reason for declining liability. It would now be necessary for the question of liability ,to be decided in the law court*. —Received. ( A communication was read from the Bajlway department with reference to the damage done to the George street pier at Port Chalmers. The amount of theeoat.of repairs was. £2O, and the department woild be giad if the Board would arrange for a settlement either by the Union Company or themselves.—Referred to Works Committee to reply. . Messrs M'Gayin and Co. wrote with reference to the storage of bottles which had been stored by the Board owing to » mistake in the shipping note. They asked that the storage cost be made as light as possible.— Referred to the Finance Cotomittoe to act. j K. Btnar£ Ramsay wrote aakini that * number of empty barrels be wu expecting might be allowed to come in at la per ton rate.—TheV Aoting-Qeoretary pointed out that the is rate was only for returned empties that had paid the export duty, the rate on others being 4s.—The letter was referred to the Finance Committee. , APPOINTMXNT OF TUQ MASJER. Thirteen applications were received for the position of tug-master. —Mr Robin moved and Mr Pink&ton seconded—"That Captain Andrew Moir be appointed to the position." ( aptain M'Kinnon proposed as an amendment " That Captain Watson be appointed." The o'vjtct was, he said, that the tug-master should be trained to take the position of pilot. Captain Watson was a young man,' whilst Captain Moir was too old to do the pilot work. After discussion, on the motion of Mr Barclay, seconded by Mr Wright, Captain Watson's testimonials were read.

Captain M'Kinnon's Amendment failed to find a seconder, and the motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried without dissent. WORKS COMMITTEE'S BKFOBT. The Works Committee's report recommended the Board to continue the use of the old life-belts, and that the harbor-master be instructed to insist on life-belts being used in bad weather. The Committee; acting on the recommendation of the harbor-master,; had agreed that the present lighting contracts be continued for another period. la moving the adoption of the report the Chairman spoke as follows : This being the first meeting of the, Board after enteric? upon another rear's labors, and following the usual practice, I would ask your attention for a little to a few of the results of the Board's policy and practice as experienced to the close of 1896. Financial.— This time last year I had the pleasure of announcing that 1885 had closed with a credit balance of £3,574 instead of a debit one as in 1891 of £2,5K I am again glad to announce now that 1896 has dosed with a credit balance of £5,915, an increase of £3,311 over last year's credit balance. This is all the more gratifying when we consider the heavy expenditure daring the year. As after the accounts are audited by the Government auditors they wilt have to come before the.Boaftl for final passing, when they can be gone into to the minutest detail, I confine myself at present to simply referring to one or two items. The accounts for 1896 show an increase on dues, rents, and towage of £8,967, pilotage and port charges showing a small falling-off. Dredge 222's earnings again dome in with a useful £2,000. On the expenditure side, works show payments over £9,000, in which is included payments fof sand pump, discharging pipes, cutters and new boilers for Vulcan—in oner, it may be said all liabilities have been brought to account, exclusive of current interest on our loans, to meet which the Board is £1,600 in a better position than twelve months ago. I will only under this head further add that as soon as the audit is completed copies of the accounts will be furnished members, and should any detailed information be required a note to the secretary will be attended to. Warkt— Some damages to the mole staging by storms during the year were attended to and repaired. It is very evident that shortly a considerable expenditure will have to be made to secure the light on the mole from damage. Although deemed at present a small item, it is worthy of noises that the marram pass sup. plied through Mr Alex. BaJrd, of St Kilda, Victoria, is making splendid progress in covering tod binding the shifutu sand at the Heads, and that the residents are taklnga deeper interest in its pro* taction. Dredge 288, on her return from the/Bluff, after undergoing a thorough uverhaul, was laid up for a time. *JThe revenues of the Board, however, continuing to show gnat elasticity, she was again put into commission to assist in expediting the gttting of the Victoria channel to a depth of 14ft. which, by latest soundings, has been accomplished within three or four inches. I would just note that the expensive part of her dredging lies in the distance that she' has to travel to get rid of the spoi l . In the present case a distance of seventeen miles has to be travelled to the nearest practical dumping ground, which must have a depth of water over 20ft, and the same distance to again return to the dredging ground. Thus at least eight hours is consumed in steaming to, say, four hours' dredging. The Sa7id Pump.— Last year in regard to this I said: "It might be expected that I should say something as to the Board's new departure in the matter of the ' sand putup,' but as that is what at present may be termed its experimental stage I S refer to wait results before expressing any ogroatic opinion, although I feel assured that, as has been proved in other places, it will also ultimately prove a success here." Wei, gentlemen, I have more than pleasure in saying now that results have proved it to be a complete success, an that the cost of dredging by her will be found to be about one-third of former rates. Soundings have been taken by the harbor-master and inspector of works, and when plotted the exact cubical excavation and removal of spoil will be laid before you with the working expenses. Your Works Committee have had under consideration the working of the Vulcan double shifts when starting upon the new cut of 16ft. I might enlarge upon the experiences gained in arriving at the making of the pump this complete success—such as the additiou of cutters and new boilers, etc., but I will confine myself to saying that throughout there has been no waste of money on useless work, and the new boilers would have been recommended at first, but the Board's finances did not justify it at the time the pump was resolved noon. General. —The entrance of the harbor calls for no remark further than that it maintains its depth.

The Western Channel.—The last dredging done in it was in 1891, and it was then left with a depth of 21ft The latest soundings give 22ft depth, with increased width. Our constituents will, I feel assured, be, with ourselves, gratified at this result, and I hope it will tend to dispel the fears and anxieties that were entertained and expressed in regard to cost of maintaining a dredged channel cut through a sandbank. From the Heads to the Port the channel, it may be confidently affirmed, was never safer or easier of navigation by the largest class of steamers than at the present time. I think I have referred sufficiently to the Victoria channel in my remarks on the Vulcan and Dredge 222. Wharves and Sheds.— These have been carefully attended to, and parts decayed renewed from time-to time. It might be, however, well to remind the Board that increased depth of water will mean shortly a demand for increased wharfage and sheds, bo that, like prudent men, the question of ways and means for these should be kept steadily in view. In conclusion, circumstances have compelled my closer attention, especially during the last two or three months, to the details of the Board's works, and I feel that it is only due to Mr Stephens, the Board's inspector of works, to say that the success of the western channel and of the sand pump has been mainly due to his sound sense, intelligence, and high mechanical skill, backed by a spirit of loyalty to the Board's interest*, and, notwithstanding suffering from much bodily pain, his personal indefatigable superintendence of trusts committed to his care. I feel assured that whoever may be in the" position of chairman this time next year will have an equally pleasant duty to perform as I have now fulfilled. Mr Walks seconded the motion, which, after a short discussion, was earned without dissent. t The Finance Committee in their report recommended 'the payment of an additional £67 retiring allowance to Pilot Paton. They were unable to recommend further redaction in the towage charges for the Landseer. The other claims that bad been submitted to the Committee were recommended to be declined. Accounts amount. iug to £125 18a 6d were recommended for Byraent.— Thereport, on the motion of Mr ack*b»as, seconded by Mr Robin, was adopted. '