OTAGO HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 15064, 21 December 1912, Page 10

OTAGO HARBOR BOARD.

Present at the manthly meeting last night:—Air J. 11. Walker (chairmanf, Messrs J. Loudon. J Dickson, E. C. IlazfeU. F. W.‘ Platts, E. H. Alollor, H. C. Campbell, W. Wilkinson, G, 15. Bullock, W- Belcher, and T. fjcollay. —Mr Ritchie's Death.— Before, the set business was taken Air Loudon said that lie had a motion to move with reference to the death ot" Air J. M. Ritchie. All knew Air Ritchie, who was a. very prominent citizen of Dunedin for a great many yearn, and was eloeely identified with the' slapping of the port of Otago. Air Ritchie was also an old member of the Harbor Board.' He would move that the board place oh record' their regret at Mr RitchieV. death, and. express sincere sympathy with Airs Ritchie ‘ and the family, and that a copy of the resolution be forwarded to Mr G; R. Ritchie.—Air Campbell seconder! the motion, which was supported by the chairman and carried unanimously, the mem tiers standing. —Harbor Master's Report.— The Harbor Alaster reported that the minimum low-water depths at the entrance to the harbor were:—North channel 36ft, bend 23ft, Victoria channel (centre) 19th, sides ITJft. The shipping returns for November showed that the arrivals had been 57 vessels, tonnage 92,265 tons; departures 59 vessels, tonnage 96,170 tens.— Received. —Financial.— The bank book showed a net credit balance of 11,209 3s 2d. —Otago Central Tour.—

Air A. Moritzson, writing on behalf of the. Otago Central Railway League, invited the chairman of the board to be one. of the paily to visit the Central next month, and also asked if the board would pay the cost of one motor, not to exceed £so.—Air Jlazlcit moved that the hoard supply a motor car at such cost. This was seconded by Mi Belcher, and carried. —Drainage of Endowments.— A lengthy doemnent was received from the board's solicitors forwarding an opinion as to the drainage of the board's endowments.—Referred to the Works Committee to report. —Ward street.— The Drainage Board asked the Harbor Board to pay £IOO, a third of tho estimated cost of dealing with the flooding of Ward street. The work was understood to ho necessary owing to the blocking of the drains serving the mud tanks by the Harbor Board's reclamation worlds. —Referred to the 'Works Committee for report. —-Works Committee.— 'The Works Committee forwarded the engineer’s report for adoption, and recommended for payment accounts amounting to £5,729 15s 7d—Adopted without discussion. —Dock Committee.— The Dock Committee reported that during the month of November two vessels wore docked in the Otago Dock and lour in the Fort Chalmers dock, while three vessels were slipped. The revenue dock account for November amounted to £474 6s lid, and the expenditure to £595 16s 6d, leaving a debit balance for the month of £419 9s 7d. The report was adopted.

—Finance Committee.— The Finance Committee reputed as under;— With respect to the remit of letter front A. Alovitzson and Co. asking a reduction in the dues on strawberry pottles, the committ-ie recommend that no reduction be made in the meantime, but that the mat.t-r be considered when the duo-: are bring revised; the remits of the quesr/ou cr measurement of limber and of I!r. I ray street widening ate still um’er the considerate n c 4 the committee; the revenue received lor the month of November amounted to £7,915 10s Bd, and the expenditure out of 'revenue to £7,804 2s 7d ; expenditure on works out of loan amounted to £2.265 10s Bd.— I The report was adopted. —A Boat Harbor.— The Secretary (Air J. Blair Alason) presented a memo, as to a boat harbor and boat slips. In connection with the works now in progress between Black Jack Point and Victoria wharf, lie suggested the advisability of providing for n boat harbor and boat slips in the neighborhood of the entrance to the Leith canal. A harbor could be economically formed on the north side of the canal in conjunction with the reclamation works. The proposal was to extend a rubble wall beyond the line of the present authorised reclamation, so as to enclose a water area of 6£ acres, and also provide 2 acres of land adjoining the boat harbor aud eastward of the roadway running parallel to the railway land. The walling enclosing the harbor and forming the piers or breakwaters would aggregate a length of 1,400 ft, with an entrance between the piers 100 ft wide. The foreshore frontage would be 970 ft long, and could be utilised for boat slips. The land to be reclaimed adjacent thereto was shown divided into 20 sections of an average area of 18 poles, which could be available for revenue purposes. The estimated ro.sr of constructing the two piers or breakwaters in connection with the boat harbor was £4.000.—0n the motion of Air Molicr, seconded by Afr, Bullock, this memo, was referred to the Works Committee to report. —Tenders.— The tenders for carting were referred to the chairman of-the Works Committee and the engineer to accept the lowest or most eligible. - ■ —Bonus to Servants.— Air Belcher moved—"That a bonus of £25 be paid ,to each of the clerical staff whose services are required at Hie night meetings of the board, and that the boaid extend to the stall the compliments of the season.’ - —lt was finally resolved to grant a bonus of £25 to Air Renton (the clerk who takes notes of the proceedings), and to convey to the rest of the staff the compliments of the season. —The Chairman’s Ccmplimrntf. Tho Chairman thanked membois f or the courtesy extended to him during rhe year, and wished all tho members a merry Christmas. ' ‘ Air Loudon, Air Atoller. and Air Belcher responded, and The board rose at'9.ls.