OTAGO HARBOUR

Evening Star, Issue 21523, 22 September 1933, Page 2

OTAGO HARBOUR

BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held last night; present—Messrs H. C. Campbell (chairman), \V. Bcgg, K. Duncan, J. B. Waters, I). F. U, Sharpe, A. Campbell, T. Scollay, J. Louden. 11. S. Thompson, and K. E. Tyson. Messrs F. Jones, M.P., and J. W. Mnnro, M.P.j were granted leave of absence during the parliamentary session. FINANCIAL POSITION. A not credit balance of £4,233 17s 7d was reported. VISITING WARSHIPS. Captain W. S. F. MacLeod, of fi.M.A.S. Australia, wrote thanking the board for many facilities offered during the recent visit. ■ • The Standing Committee reported having received and noted communications from the commodore commanding the New Zealand station and Captain Cosmo Graham relative to the proposed visits of H.M.S. Dunedin from October 13 to 19, and H.M.S. Diomede from October 31 to November 7. BUILDING SUBSIDY. The Labour Department advised, reported the Standing Committee, that tho board’s application for a subsidy under scheme No. 10 for repairs to tho dock workshop building had been granted. The board accepted the tender (£l5B 14s) of Messrs Thorn and Co. for the repairs, the tender being the lower of the two received. A CENTRAL AIRPORT. The Standing Committee recommended, with respect to the communication from New Zealand Airways Ltd. and Otago Aero Club regarding the use of the south endowment area as a landing ground, that a special committee consisting of the chairman, Messrs Begg, Louden, Thompson, and Waters be set up to consider the whole matter and report to the board. The recommendation was adopted. LOANS AND CONVERSION. The board adopted the report of the Standing Committee that it approved and noted correspondence with the Treasury in regard to the board’s application to raise a further instalment of £60,000 of the £350,000 loan, and advising that authority had been granted for the raising of the loan on the instalment repayment system for thirty years at 4J per cent. Correspondence m regard to the application for the conversion of certain loans, was referred to the Finance Committee. YACHTSMEN’S THANKS. The Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association conveyed appreciation and thanks to the board and staff for assistance rendered to yachting, etc. This was noted. RENEWAL OF LEASE. The Standing Committee reported having received and noted a communication from Messrs W. B. Quennell and Sons requesting that ' the matter of renewal of their lease of section 82, Block 74, which expires on December 1 next, ho postponed for a period of twelve months, and recommended for approval the secretary’s reply that, tho board had no option but to decline the request. The recommendation was adopted. PERSONAL ACCIDENT POLICIES. It was decided that the existing arrangements as to personal accident policies should be continued for another year. ROWING CLUB’S SHED. Concerning the Otago Rowing Club’s now boatshed, the board adopted the recommendation of the Standing Committee to approve of the plan submitted by the club in terms of the conditions of their tenancy. SALE OF OIL FUEL TANK. ' The Nevis Diesel Electric Dredging Company’s offer for the smaller of tho two oil fuel tanks at Victoria wharf was accepted, on the recommendation of the Standing Committee. DUES ON SHIPS AND GOODS. The Standing Committee recommended, in tho matter of the communication from the Associated Motorists Petrol Company Ltd. asking remission of charge on petrol worked overtime by tanker Irini, that the company be advised that the board regretted that, as the charge was in accordance with its by-laws, no remission could be made, but that the matter of dues and charges would bo considered in connection with the annual estimates with a view of possible reduction. Mr Tyson expressed the hope that the Dues Committee would also consider the charges on bale goods. The board’s charge based on three bales to the ton was inequitable, so far as wool was concerned. The Railway Department and every other harbour board accepted five bales to the ton. Without doubt tho Is a,ton overtime charge was very unfair. The shipping companies realised that the charge was imposed during the war, when revenue was required by the board; but every fair-minded member of the board would have to admit that tho charge was unfair, for the board offered no service in return. Even admitting that the board wanted the funds from the overtime charge surely it could agree to allowing five bales to the ton, like every other port. Mr Thompson endorsed Mr Tyson's remarks. When compared with the rates for other ports the charge of three bales to the ton was out of all reason. He asked that the Dues Committee should also consider the charges on oats. Otago charged ton bags to the ton. while other ports allowed fourteen to the ton. All along tho line the Otago Harbour dues were considerably higher than charges at other ports. Mr Waters replied that when the charges were being considered tho Dues Committee would be supplied with a complete schedule of items and comparisons with the charges at other ports. He only hoped that the financial position woujd warrant some reduction being made in tho dues. Mr Begg said the question of the number of bales was a long-standing one. A bale of wool weighed 2cwt, and a charge of three bales to tho ton hit tho shippers very hard. Ho asked for favourable consideration of the request for revision. Mr Sharpe said ho was sure that the obstacles mentioned did not help the port of Otago when competing with other ports. The report was adopted. DOCK PUMP. The Standing Committee recommended for approval the report of the engineer in connection with the result of the test after tho installation of the new impeller of the dock pump, and further recommended that pay ment bo now made to the contractors in accordance with the contract, subject to tho satisfactory settlement of all questions. The report was adopted.

TIMBER FOR PUNT REPAIRS. The purchase of a quantity of jarrah timber for punt repairs, at an approximate cost of £lO4, was approved. SHIPPING RETURNS. The harbour master (Captain J. MaoLean) submitted the following summary of the arrivals and departures for tho month of August:—Arrivals at Dunedin; 37 coastal (25,246 tons), 4 intercolonial (5,072 tons), and 6 overseas (24,648 tons), a total of 47 vessels, representing 54,866 tons. At Port Chalmers: 2 coastal (222 tons), 2 intercolonial (2,545 tons), and 5 overseas (23,339 tons), a total of 9 vessels, representing 26,106 tons. Departures from Dunedin: 36 coastal (23,805 tons), 5 intercolonial (8,221 tons), and 6 overseas (21,557 tons), a total of 47 vessels, representing 53,583 tons. From Port Chalmers; 3 intercolonial (2,620 tons), and 4 overseas (20,097 tons), totalling 7 vessels, with a tonnage of 22,717. The tug Dunedin piloted eleven vessels inward (47,878 tons), and twelve outward (44,878 tons), and made two removals (3,317 tons), in all twenty-five vessels being piloted. The total tonnage handled was 96,082. The accumulated time under steam was 58ih, the coal consumed was 44 tons 15cwt, and the distance steamed was 252 miles. Channel soundings showed:—North Channel: The least water on the line of leads at low water was 36ft. South Channel was showing a least depth of 25ft low water. From the Mole to Port Chalmers there was nothing less than 30ft low water, with a least width of 300 ft. Victoria Channel was maintaining a low water depth of 20ft 6in. Dredging at Kilgours Point was finished on September 5, and the dredge had removed her moorings to the Harrington Point bend in the Lower Harbour to do the necessary dredging at the portion of the channel. A pilotage exemption certificate was issued to C. A. Baker, chief officer of the John. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr M‘G. Wilkie) submitted the following report:— Dredging.—During the month of August the dredge Otakou carried out the following operations:—Fifteen loads at Deborah Bay, 14,800 tons; ten loads at piles 5 and 6, Kilgour point, 14,800 tons. The whole of this material (twentyfive loads, or 37,000 cubic yards) was deposited at the dredge Vulcan.’ During tho month the dredge steamed 107 miles and consumed 54.66 tons of fuel oil. On September 5 moorings were lifted from Deborah Bay bend and laid at Harrington Point bend, where the work of removing the shoal on the red side of the mam navigation channel was commenced. The dredge Vulcan pumped 37,000 cubic yards of material received from the Otakou into the Mussel Bay reclamation area. Repairs were carried out to the main suction pipe of the dredge, the worn liner plates being removed. New plates )vere now being fitted. Docks.—During the month of August the following docking operations were carried out:—One vessel in the Otago dock and two in the Port Chalmers dock. The drainage pumps were in operation for 67i hours. On August 28 a further trial of the new “ Gill ’’ pump took place with tho new runner recently received from the contractors. The dock was emptied from the 24ft 2in mark in 7h 24&min. At this rate of pumping tho dock could have been emptied from the 25ft mark in 7h 35min, smm m excess of the time stipulated in the contract documents. The test, was considered satisfactory. ' Mole Reconstruction.—During the period of five weeks ended September 2, 1933, the following operations were carried out at the quarry:—3,o9o cubic yards of stone were deposited on the mole, and 2,710 cubic yards of debris at the swamp reclamation. On Friday, August 25, the No. 26 tunnel shot was fired, with excellent results, a large quantity of big stone being obtained. On Monday, August 28, the annual overhaul of quarry machinery was commenced. Repairs were effected to Nos. 1 and 2 steam cranes, Nos. 1. and 2 steam shovels, and the locomotive. All boilers were inspected by the Government inspector, and found to be in good condition, with the exception of the locomotive boiler, which was granted only a three months’ certificate. During inspection and overhaul of plant, the opportunity was taken to carry out repairs to the track work, dismantle track work at the old locomotive shed, renew sleepers on the main line, tighten up bolts on the mole structure, and blast down loose blocks from the top of the quarry face. Mussel Bay.—The reclamation of Mussel Bay was progressing steadily. A small pipe was being used to raise the inner area, tho remainder of the spoil being discharged through the 18m pipe towards the outer fence, with the object of building up a firm bottom on which to found the stone wall to be constructed along the outer boundary. A number of 18m spoil pipes were removed to the board’s workshop for repairs. Storage Sheds.—Repairs were ex : ecuted to the doors of R, V, and A sheds, and the skylights m E, F, and U sheds were repaired where necessary. Dock Forge and Fences.—The dock forge building was being dismantled and any suitable iron and timber used for repairing the fences fronting Macandrew road. A number of fence posts and rails were renewed, and some old sheds against tho fence demolished. ■ Lower Harbour Beacons.—Repairs were executed to the beacon houses of Nos. 5, 6, 7, 9.- and 11 black beacons, and Nos. 5 and 9 red beacons. The walings of Nos. 7 black and 12 red were repaired and bolts tightened. > Birch street Wharf.—One pair of new caps was fitted and a quantity of decking removed and replaced with hew timber. _ . . . Slip.—Repairs were being executed to the coal punt and a trestle punt from tho Vulcan’s floating pipe line. The launch Pilot was slipped for annual survey and overhaul. The hull was cleaned and painted, and the engine removed to the workshop for general inspection and minor repairs. The launch was passed by the Government inspectors and went into commission on the 6th inst. Relief. Works.—Relief workers were employed at the Leith estuary and south endowment areas, building walls for reclamation purposes. On the 4th inst. two further groups were started, making a total of 150 men on this work. The south endowment wall was being hand-pitched with stone on the seaward face, the work being commenced on the 4th inst. Harbour Survey.—The periodical survey of Victoria Channel from the islands to Dunedin was completed and plans prepared. Soundings were taken at Harrington Point bend, and at the Vulcan’s pit, Port Chalmers, and plans prepared. The report was adopted.