HARBOR AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 19127, 19 December 1925, Page 11

HARBOR AFFAIRS

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD The monthly meeting of the Otago Harbor Board, held last evening, was attended by Messrs J. Loudon (chairman), T. Anderson, A. Cable, H. C. Campbell, J. M, Dickson, SDP., Gow, J. E. MacManus, H. E. M oiler, K. Ramsay, J. A. Roberts, and i- H. Russell. LEITH AREA. A letter from the town clerk stated that the Works Committee of tlm City Council was prepared to deal with the removal of the detritus over the area in the Leith for which the council was responsible.—Noted. EMPLOYEES’ PICNIC. It was decided to make a grant of sgs towards the annual picnic of the board's employees, to be held on January 16, and to grant a holiday on condition that the employees attended the picnic. DRAINAGE.

The Medical Officer of Health wrote drawing attention to the drainage nuisance in Bauchop i street.-—I he Chairman said the question of draining the hoard’s land would, he hoped, bo settled by arbitration in January or in February.-—lt was decided to receive the letter and to inform the writer that every effort would be made to remedy the matter.—The Chairman: “I am hopeful everything will bo done before next winter. Wo have gone a long way during the past week.” - . „ PARKING PLACE. An application was received from the Taxi-owners’ Association for a parking place on the north-eastern portion ol the Highway contiguous to the Exhibition.—ln the course of discussion members expressed the opinion that traffic should run down Union street and return via the Highway.—lt was decided that the Exhibition directors be notified that unless they had .any sufficient reasons against it, the hoard proposed to grant a parking plaee to the taxi proprietors in portion ol the land opposite the Exhibition. —It was also decided to forward a copy of the letter to the Taxi-owners’ Association. The Chairman said the land in question had been granted to the Exhibition directors, and they proposed to beautify it. EXPANSION LEAGUE.

The Otago Expansion League asked for a repetition of the grant towards its funds. —A Member; “What was the amount of the grant?’—l no Chairman: “£100.”—It was decided to hold over the matter till next year, as there was some doubt as to whether the board was competent to make a grant. Legislation had been passed allowing local authorities to make grants to the Expansion League, hut an interpretation of the Act stated that the board was not a local authority, although it was intended that it should he classed as such. YACHTING GRID.

The Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Club wrote in connection with the erection of a new grid.—The Chairman stated that the board’s engineer had been instructed to carry out the work, and this had been done. The club had promised to pay £25 towards the cost of the grid, and this would cover the outlay.—The letter was received. MAIN HIGHWAYS BOARD. The Portohello Road Board wrote asking that the hoard should associate with it in a- conference with the Mam Highways Board, to he held in Dunedin in'January.—lt was decided that the chairman ami Mr Cable act sstho hoard’s representatives. COM PASSIONATE ALLOW ANCE. 1t was agreed to pay a compassionate allowance of £2OO to S. Jarvis, an old servant of the hoard, who lost Ins eye in its employ—£loo down and £1 per week for two years. He was also appointed to a position of storeman at £t 5s per week. HARBOR BOARDS’ CONFERENCE. It was recommended that ihe chairman and Messrs Gow, Mollor. and Cable bo the delegates to the Harbor Boards’ Conference, opening in Dunedin on March 6. TENDERS. The following tenders were aecepted --Supplies of drivers, horses, and vehicles—Malcolm Stevenson; horses, carls, and drivers—Malcolm Stevenson; cement—Milburn Lime and Cement Co.; coal at Port Chalmers— John Mill and Co. ; kerosene—British Imperial Oil Co.; timber—Haddock and Co. TRANSHIPMENT MUDDLE. At the last meeting ol the board it was decided to write the Auditorgeneral re Messrs Turnbull, Martin, and Co.’s request that 1,052 crates of cheese forwarded per s.s. Kahika from Bind' for transhipment to s.s. Otaki at Dunedin bo charged at transhipment rates. It was asked whether the board could legally make the rebate. A letter was received from the AuditorGeneral stating that the hoard could not do so. Mr Roberts said that there would probably be a court case over the board’s by-law. It was a pity that matters had not been heller arranged. Mr Ramsay considered that the account should not have been sent out until the chairman had investigated the matter.

Mr Gow moved tlmt tho secretary prepare a new by-law to cover the ease .of goods arriving in port ior transhipment to overseas ships. Mr Dickson said that most of tho cheese shipments had been going to Wellington. Tho Chairman promised that lie would see tho Auditor-General when in Wellington. The motion was carried. FINANCIAL. Tim following accounts were passed for pavnmnt'General, £2fi,d7l, Os fid ; dock, ' £1,2811 7s 6d. The net credit balance was shown to bo £B,!X!S 16s Bd. .—Received. GENERAL. The Engineer submitted n report on tho cost of a portable, electric lifting and stacking machine and cost of wiring one of tho sheds.--llepori. received. Tho Chairman reported that .CdO had been taken off the election account, which left tho total expenses £.IOO, Received. The engineer was instructed to make inquiries re the purchase of a ship’s wireless apparatus. A communication war- read from the Otago General Laborers’ Union regarding payment' for holidays and date of coming into operation of recent agreement. -Left to secretary of General Laborers’ Union and the engineer to confer. Tho next' meeting of the hoard was fixed for January 29.