OTAGO HARBOUR

Evening Star, Issue 21723, 18 May 1934, Page 12

OTAGO HARBOUR

BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING

The Harbour Board held its monthly meeting last night; present—Messrs H. C. Campbel) (chairman), W. Begg, R. Duncan, J. B. Waters. J. W. Munro, M.P., D. F. H. Sharpe, A. Campbell, T. ScollaT, J. Loudon, H. E. ■ Moller, F. Jones, M.P., and R. S. Thompson. • CREDIT BALANCE. A credit balance of £38,127 Is Gd was reported. . PIPE LINE GRANTED. The Otago Dairy Producers’ Cool Storage Co. Ltd. requested permission to install a pipe lino to pump sea water for cooling condensers from under the Victoria wharf, discharging same back into harbour. Permission was granted during the pleasure of the board, a fee of £.l annually to be charged, and the conditions of the oil companies’ pipe lines to be effective. -MOLE QUARRY. In reply to Air Scollay, the Chairman said it was expected that the next blast at the Spit would take place in about a fortnight. GEORGE STREET PIER. At a previous meeting Messrs H. L. Tapley and Co. Ltd. bad written with respect to the flush decking of George street pier. The board adopted the Standing Committee’s recommendation that the flush decking between the first line of rails on George street pier (south side) ‘ be proceeded with to the extent of £3OO, as provided for in the current year’s estimates. Mr Scollay remarked that the decision was welcomed, as a shipping company had decided that it would, not make Port Chalmers a final port of departure again for a passenger ship until the wharf surface was improved. ST. JOHN’S AMBULANCE. On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, the sum of £lO 10s was donated to the St. John Ambulance Association.

TRANSPORT CO-ORDINATION. The Standing Committee recommended that the letter from the Transport Co-ordination Board seeking the co-operation of the board as an operator in'the transport field, and inviting the board to submit any. information if might have which would bo of assistance in investigating any aspect oi the whole transport problem, be left in the hands of the chairman and secretary to submit a draft reply. Mr Campbell said this was a curious matter and. required careful consideration. BROAD BAY BOATING CLUB. Representations of the deputation from the Broad Bay Boating Club with respect to driving certain piles and erecting the superstructure thereon were referred to the chairman and engineer to confer with the officials ol the boating club. REFUND OF CHARGES REFUSED. Messrs H, L. Tapley and Co. Ltd. forwarded a copy of a letter received from the master of the tanker Svolder, complaining against the delay which occurred to his vessel owing to the absence of the tug at the time of sailing, and - requesting a refund of overtime charges. It was decided, on the Standing Cominittee’s recommendation, that the communication be received, and Messrs Tapley and Co. advised that the board regretted that no allowance could be made. CRANE DRIVER APPOINTED. Approval was given the report of the engineer recommending the appointmentqf Mr E. Nnismith to the position of crane driver on three months trial, and, if satisfactory, the appointment to become permanent at the end of that-period. HEADS SIGNAL STAFF. The Harbour Master reported the retirement on superannuation on June 20 next of Mr K. Macdonald, chief signalman at Taiaroa Heads. The board decided that Air Macdonald be granted the sum of £25 in recognition of his long and faithful service and retired on superannuation on the due date. Air A. R. Ness, who is at present assistant signalman, was appointed chief signalman, and Air D. C. Clark was promoted from assistant lightkeeper to assistant signalman on three months’ trial. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. It was decided to hold the statutory meeting for the election of chairman for the' ensuing year on Thursday, May 2-1. COAL SUPPLIES. ,Six tenders for the supply of 1,000 tons of coal were received, and the board accepted the tender of Messrs John Alill and Co., the price being 37s lid a ton. The coal (Westport-Stock-ton, unscreened) is to be delivered on the hulks as requ irccl. SEVEN MONTHS’ REVENUE. Together with the comparative figures for the three previous years, the details of the board’s revenue for the -even months ended April 00 were submitted to members, the total revenue for 1933-31 being shown to be £84,9-11. as against £79,586 for 1932-33, £80.727 for 1931-32, and £91.727 for 1930-01. The figures for 1930-31, ' 1902-30. and 1931-32 do not im-lndo refunds of relief wages’. Tbe Chairman remarked. that members had every reason to be gratified at tho success of the board's operations over the seven months, and -said ho was sure they could look forward to satisfactory revenue during the remaining art of the year. HARBOUR AIASTKR’S REPORT. The monthly report of the harbour master (Captain J. AlaeLcan) contained the following information:— Arrivals at Dunedin.—Coastal—3o vessels, 20,011 tons; intercolonial—7 vessels, 10,742. tons: overseas—7 vessels, 00,405 tons; total—47 vessels, 61,•188 tons. Arrivals at Port Chalmers.—Coastal —1 vessel, 147 tons; intercolonial—l vessel, 166 tons; overseas—4 vessels, 31,952 tons; total—6 vessels, 32,265. tons. Pilotage.—lnwards—l2 vesse Is, 65,474 tons; outwards—lo vessels, 57,932 tons; total—22 vessels, 123,106 tons.

Tug Dunedin.—Total time under steam, G2h loin in; distance steamed, 290 miles ; coal consumed, 70 tons. Channel Soundings.—North channel shows on the line of leads 36ft at low water. South channel shows 25ft at low water. In Harrington Point bend, 33ft low water, with a width of 350 ft. Deborah Bay shows 30ft, with a width of 350 ft, except the patch where the dredge is going to work. Victoria channel is maintaining a low water depth of 20ft Gin. The report was adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The monthly report of the engineer (Mr J. M‘G Wilkie) stated, inter alia:—

The dredge Otakou carried a total of sixteen loads and handled 23,680 cubic feet of development dredging.

The whole of this material was deposited at the dredge Vulcan. During the month the dredge steamed 199 miles and consumed G 0.58 tons of oil fuel. The channel in Deborah Bay was dredged to a minimum width of 350 ft, but, as the sides of the cut were left at a steep angle, some maintenance dredging will be required within the next few weeks us the sand slopes flatten out.

Dredge Vulcan.—During the, month the dredge pumped 23,680 cubic yards of material received from dredge Otakou into the Mussel Bay reclamation area.

Docks.—There were no clocking operations carried out during the month. The drainage pumps were in operation for eight hours, and the electric crane for one and a-half hours in the board’s service.

Works (Various). —Mole reconstruction: During the period of four weeks ended April 28, the following operations were carried out at the quarry:—2,67o cubic yards of stone were deposited on tbo mole, and 2,255 cubic yards of debris on the swamp recamation. The remains of the last shot are now being cleared away and the No. 27 tunnel was commenced on April IG. To date the main drive has been driven 37ft through hafd rock. Repairs were effected to the loco, and shovels. The contractor commenced the removal of -Mr East’s wool shed and outbuildings to their new site. Mussel Bay.—The reclamation of Mussel Bay was continued with dredgings from Victoria Channel in the vicinity of Ravensbourne. This material has proved to be unsuitable for the completion of the reclamation of this area. The light nature of the spoil, mixed with a high percentage of. water, is not only difficult to retain within tbo area, but has seriously cut away the ground which bad been brought up to level. The construction of the retaining wall was continued with stone from the half-tide wall and Port Chalmers quarry, the inside ot the wall being packed with scrub

fascines in an endeavour to contain the material at present being deposited. Eor the period of four weeks ended April 26, the following quantities of stone were deposited on the wall: From half-tide wall, 309 cubic yards; from Port Chalmers quarry, 269 cubic yards; total, 578 cubic yards. The construction of a close timbered fence was commenced along the western boundary of the area, parallel to the railway wall, forming an open channel for flood protection, until such time as the permanent concrete pipe conduit is constructed. To date, a length of 430 ft of fence has been erected.

Half-tide Wall.—During the period of four weeks ended April 26, a length of 280 ft of wall was removed to lowwater mark with the Pricstman grab, the material loaded on punts and deposited on the Mussel Bay retaining wall.

Victoria Channel Beacons.—Red pile No. 29, below Ravensbourne, was twice drawn and redriven to facilitate dredging operations in that locality. Black beacon No. 37, carrying a flashing light, at the entrance to the steamers’ basin, Dunedin, was knocked over by passing shipping and was replaced with a new threo-piled structure. ‘J be “ Aga ” light was salvaged from the old structure undamaged and re-erected on the new beacon.

Broad Bay Wharf.—Five bays of this structure were dismantled and the timber removed to Dunedin.

Otago Rowing Club Shed.—Twenty piles were driven to carry the new ramps at the Otago Rowing Club’s new pavilion at the south endowment wall.

Birch Street Wharf.—Two buffers at the outer end of the railway tracks were refasteued.

Slip.—No. 2 pile-driver punt was slipped 'for cleaning, tarring, and repairs to planking. Repairs were effected to a small punt of the Vulcan floating pipe line. The office landing punt was slipped for repairs, cleaning, and tarring. A small shed was constructed in sections and erected at the Port Chalmers quarry. ' Leith Canal Parapet.—A length of 120 ft of reinforced concrete parapet wall was constructed. Storage Sheds.—The usual maintenance repairs were effected to the various storage sheds. One new pair of timber doors was constructed and erected in T shod. All doors in IT shed were painted and various skylights in T, U, and X sheds repaired. A new window pane was • fitted in the waterside workers’ building. Customs office, X shed, and Customs office N .shed. Belief Works.—Belief workers- were employed erecting walls for reclamation purposes at the south endowment, removing detritus from the Leith Canal and cutting scrub for Mussel Bay. The pitching of the seaward face of the south endowment wall was completed by relief workers in a neat and workmanlike manner. Harbour Survey.— The harbour intrance and Deborah Bay were sound nl and plans prepared. The report was adopted.