OTAGO HARBOUR

Evening Star, Issue 22327, 1 May 1936, Page 13

OTAGO HARBOUR

BOARD'S MONTHLY MEETING The Harbour Board held its monthly meeting last night; present—Messrs J. B. Waters (chairman), AV. Begg, 11. Duncan, 1). Copland, D. F. H. Sharpe, F. Tyson, T. Scollay, it. S. Thomson, A. Smith, J. Preston, and J. H. Dun--IMPROVING REVENUE. The hank certificates showed a net credit balance of £12,943. The Chairman remarked that the commitments to he met immediately totalled £B,OOO. The balances were accepted. The receipts for tho six mouths ended March 31 were reported at £83,733. Comparative receipts for previous years were:—l934-35, £75,055; 1933-34. £72,221; 1931-32, £68,745; 1929-30, £89,292. ANZAC DAY PAY. The Standing Committee reported having considered the question of payment of wages to permanent employees, dredge crews, general labourers, tradesmen, etc., for Anzac Day. and recommended that all employees be paid. The recommendation was adopted. ANZAC STAMPS. With the object of supporting the sale of the Anzac Commemoration Stamps, the Standing Committee recommended that £lO worth of the stamps be purchased. Tho recommendation was adopted. JOHANNESBURG EXHIBITION. Tho Standing Committee, in the matter of a communication from the Department of Industries, etc., with respect to the board forwarding a photographic enlargement of Otago Harbour to the Empire Exhibition to be held at Johannesburg from September 14, 1936, to January 15, 1937, reported that it had arranged for a photographic enlargement as suggested to be iorwarded. CONGESTION AT PORT CHALMERS. The Standing Committee reported that it had approved of the communications to the Minister of Railways and local members of Parliament with respect to the congestion which periodically occurred at Port Chalmers wharves, and suggesting that the position be investigated with a view to improving and modernising the railway facilities at Port Chalmers, and_ had noted the replies from the Minister', Hon. E. Jones, Messrs W. A. Bodkin, ALT?.. P. Neilson, ALP., and A. Campbell. M.P. The Chairman commented that apparently action had already been taken by the department, as preliminary inquiries had been made by railway officials. UNDER-WATER OBSTRUCTIONS. The Standing Committee, after considering the report from the engineer with respect to obstructions under water in the Lower Harboor, which caused damage to the Otago Rowing Association’s eight-oar boat, together with tho communication from the Otago Rowing Association requesting reconsideration of the granting of a donation towards the funds of sending the eight-oar crew to Wanganui, recommended that an ex gratia payment of £5 5s be made to the association, and it 1)0 advised that the board accepted no liability in regard to the damage done to the. boat. Mr Sharpe said he understood that the obstruction had been removed. Tho Chairman : Yes. The piles have been broken off. Mr Copland pointed out that the responsibility was the Defence Department’s, and the board should not do the department’s work. He moved that the department’s attention bo drawn to the damage done to the boat and the expense incurred by the hoard in removing the obstruction, adding that he doubted whether the hoard would be successful in recovering the expense. Tho Chairman said the area was vested in the Defence Department. The recommendation was adopted, and Mr Copland’s motion was carried. AKAROA STREET DRAINAGE. A report on -the construction of a lOin storm water main from Akaroa street to the harbour was submitted by the engineer. Mr Copland: Who carried out the work? The Chairman; The City Council. The hoard pays half cost. Mr Copland said the road between the rails had been left in an extremely rough condition. The report was adopted, the chairman remarking that tho liability of the oil company for the maintenance of the track would be looked into. GEORGE STREET PIER. The Engineer submitted a report on repairs required at the George street pier. Mr Preston said that he thought the patching of tho wharf was only adding extra cost to the total outlay when the reconstruction of the wharf was undertaken. The Chairman agreed that any temporary repairs to the wharf would have to be demolished when the major work was undertaken. That was made clear in the engineer’s report. Mr J. H. Duncan said he thought that decking should be placed between the rails on the north side of the wharf in addition to the planking on the south side. Mr Copland said he thought they should go on with the major work at the George street, pier as well as with the work at the Bowen pier. The Chariman said that as soon ns the secretary could give them particulars regarding their financial outlook they could consider the question of the major wark at the George street wharf. The engineer would have enough to ‘do in the meantime in connection with tho work at tho Bowen pier and the Birch street wharf, so that there wore other matters besides finance to be considered. They would also have to go into the question of berthage while these wharves were being dealt with. , . The engineer’s report -was adopted, and it was decided to instruct him to go into the question of the cost of carrying out temporary planking repairs to the north side of the wharf. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. It was decided to hold the statutory meeting for the election of chairman at the conclusion of the monthly Standing Committee meeting, to be held on May 21. UNEMPLOYMENT. Replying to the communication from tho South’ Dunedin Unemployed Workers’ Association, and the representations made by the president of the association to the committee, requesting that in the event of the board placing men in full-time employment, members of the association be given preference, the Standing Committee recommended that the association he advised that when engaging relief workers for subsidised works, favourable consideration will bo given (o its members. I Hie rcconicndation was adopted. i

SHIPPING RETURNS. The summary of arrivals at Dunedin and Port Chalmers during Alarch is:— Coastal 'M vessels (2-1,119 tons) ; intercolonial, 6 vessels (12.944 tons) ; overseas 11 vessels (50,530 tons); a total of 51 vessels (92,593 tons). Of the total arrivals, 10 vessels berthed at Port Chalmers. The tug Dunedin was under steam 51 hours and steamed 239 miles. engineering works. The Engineer's report for March stated: Dredging.—The Olakou dredged 18 loads, or 20,640 cubic yards. Of this material, 17 loads, or 25,160 cubic yards, were deposited at the dredge \ Mean, and one load, or 1,480 cubic yards, at sea The dredge steamed 211 miles and consumed 72.12 tons of fuel ml the Vulcan pumped 25,160 cubic yards or material received from the Otakou into the south endowment reclamation area. Docks.—There were no docking operations carried out during the month. The drainage pumps were in operation for 248 hours, and the electric crane for 16 hours, 15 of which were in the board’s service. Ravensbourne Wharf.—The construction of the 80ft extension of this wharf has been practically completed. During the month the five spring fender piles were driven, fender beams fitted, decking and kerbing laid and fastened, and the deck treated with a coat of tar and sand. The mooring bollards were shaped and rings and pins' fitted. A few small details are now being finished oil 1 , wind barricades re-erected, ironwork tarred, and holt work tightened up. Dock Floor.—The repair work to the alters, entrance gateway, and sill of the small clock at Port Chalmers was continued during the month and a considerable improvement effected, the leakage being greatly reduced. A further nine and a-balf tons of cement were used.

Half-tide Wall.—The removal of a section of the half-tide wall to lowwater mark opposite the Ravensbourne wharf was continued during the month. The stone removed is being used to form a wing wall commencing opposite pile No. 28, and curving toward the Peninsula, approved by the Marine Department. A portion of the stone is being removed by means of trucks during low-water periods and deposited on the new alignment. During high water, the stone is being removed by means ot the Priestman grab, loaded on punts and deposited on the new alignment. Four hundred and eighty feet of wing wall was constructed.

Burkes and Shag Bays.—A half-tide wall was constructed across tho entrance waterway through the railway embankment at Shag Bay to impound a portion of the tidal water during low-water periods. The wall across the entrance to Burkes Bay was strengthened, the material for both works being obtained from the portion of the half-tide wall being removed opposite Ravensbourne. The report was adopted.