OTAGO HARBOUR

Evening Star, Issue 22559, 29 January 1937, Page 1

OTAGO HARBOUR

BOARD’S MONTHLY MEETING > i The first meeting for 1937 was held by the Otago Harbour Board last night; present—Messrs J. B. Waters (chair- ■ man), W. Begg, D. F. H. Sharpe, D. Copland, A. Campbell, M.P., T. Scoli lay, A. Smith, R. Harrison, J. Preston, • J. W. Munro, M.P., R. S. Thompson, F, E. Tyson, and J. H. Duncan. FINANCIAL. A credit hank balance of £10,157 17s ; 9d was reported. i LEITH CANAL BRIDGE. Regarding the communication from the General Manager of Railways with ' respect to the department contributing to the cost of the extension of the railway bridge over the Leith Canal, the ' board approved the outward correspondence to the Minister of Railways asking him to inspect the locality on his forthcoming visit to Dunedin. It was further decided that the deputation to the Minister should consist of the chairman, Messrs Munro, Campbell, Copland, and Harrison, and any other town members who cared to be present. LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCES. The Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association' wrote, with respect to the provision of life-saving appliances on suburban wharves and the future maintenance thereof, accepting the offer with appreciation. The board decided that the correspondence be approved and noted, and that the matter of safeguarding these appliances be left in the hands of the engineer and harbour master. A report by the engineer stated:— During the holidays those suburban wharves where regattas were held were equipped with buoys and life lines. Negotiations were entered into with the various boating clubs in an endeavour to prevent the loss of the buoys from the various wharves. So far these arrangements have not been completed, but unless the various clubs accept responsibility for the care of the buoys it is useless for the board to try and maintain this lifesaving equipment on these wharves. A buoy with a life-line attached was placed on Johnstone’s jetty on December 24, and on January 11 it was reported to have been stolen. The board receives only about £lO in revenue from the whole of these wharves* and they are maintained solely for the use of the boating fraternity and the public generally, but in the event of a drowning accident the board might, be ■wirerelyf^i^ess^ pliances were available. If tH#...present arrangements to maintain buoys on the Wharves fail, the board should consider the’avoidance of any liability for accident by the removal of the wharves themselves. PORT CHALMERS DOCK. The Port Chalmers Waterside Workers’ Union wTote asking the board to give favourable consideration to the question of raising the small dock at Port Chalmers by one more block, and also asking that a small electric hot water heater be installed in their building. The Standing Committee recommended that an electric heater be installed at an approximate cost of £lO, and that the union be advised that as the raising of the blocks would adversely affect the capacity of the dock except for the smaller class of vessel, the board regretted that it was unable to comply with this request, but that in order to meet the wishes of the union thq board was prepared te place caps (about 4in high) on the present blocks when circumstances permitted. The recommendation was adopted. ANNUAL SUPPLIES. The tender of the Shell (Company for the supply of kerosene for 1937 was accepted. SCRAP METALS. The following tenders were accepted:— Brass: Mr J. Kenny, at £1 18s 6d per cwt. Cast iron: A. and T. Burt Ltd., at £2 15s per ton. I Cast steel: Mr H. Tait, at 15s per ton. SHIPS’ CHARGES. The Union Steam Ship Company Ltd. wrote with respect to the question of the half-yearly port charges under bylaw No. 28. ' It was decided that a refund be made, and that as from the expiry of the half-year current on August 1, 1936, the board adopt the Lyttelton method of calculating the half-yearly period. The Chairman said refunds would require to be made also to H. L. Tapley and Co. and Keith Ramsay and Co. REGATTA FUND. It was decided to grant £3 3s towards ] the funds of the Otago Annual Regatta Committee. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. In accordance with notice given, Mr Begg moved—“ That in view of the i petition signed by approximately 80 per , cent, of the employees affected, indicating their desire that the works should

I be closed down between Christmas and New Year, the resolution passed at the meeting of the Standing Committee on December 17, 1936, and confirmed by the board on the same date, relating to the working of the dredges and works between the holidays, be and is hereby rescinded.”

_‘ ‘ That the authority unanimously given at the urgent meeting of members of the board on December 21, 1936, for the closing down of the works and dredges between Christmas and New Year, in accordance with the board’s usual practice, be approved and confirmed. ’ ,■

“ That the general question of granting holidays at Christmas and New Year to those employees of the board other than the permanent staff, be considered at the end of the present financial year when the annual estimates are under consideration.” Mr Preston seconded the motions. Mr Munro said the first yart of the motion rescinded a resolution of the board already acted upon. He pointed out that the board might lie proceeded against legally for withholding wages by the men who had nob signed the requisition. The Chairman; I think it would be a very far-stretched ease. If the men turned up for work they might have had some action—but they did not turn up, Mr Tyson said he could not see anything in Mr Munro’s suggestion. The board had the power to close down its works when it liked. ; Mr Preston said he was opposed to the board gaing to the expense of obtaining legal advice. It would he time enough when the men claimed the money. The motion was carried. SHIPPING RETURNS. The harbour master (Captain J. MacLean) reported that during December 32 vessels aggregating 66,271 tons had arrived at the port of Dunedin, while 30 vessels (60,226 tons) had departed. Seven vessels of a total of 19,112 tons had arrived at Port Chalmers, and six vessels (16,126 tons) had departed. Twenty vessels aggregating 103,315 tons had received pilotage, while the tug Dunedin had steamed 311 miles in 51 hours 25 minutes, and had consumed 47 tons 4cwt of coal. CHANNEL SOUNDINGS. In the north channel the least water on the line of leads at low water was 35ft. From the Mole end to Port Chalmers the least water was 30ft at Iqw water. Victoria Channel was maintaining a low-water depth of 20ft 6in. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr J. M‘G. Wilkie) submitted the following report for December : The dredge Otakou dredged "at piles 29-30 in the Victoria Channel and off the Kitchener street wharf, and lifted 39,928 cubic yards. - ?Thh' steamed 39 mile's and consumed 57.55 tons of fuel oil. The dredge was closed down for the Christmas-New Year holidays from December 25 to January 3 (inclusive). The dredge Vulcan pumped 39,920 cubic ,yards of material received from the dredge Otakou into the south endowment reclamation area. Docks.—Four vessels were docked. The drainage pumps were in operation for 694 hours and the electric crane for 12 hours. Leith Canal.—The driving of the sheet piles to form the new north wall below Anzac Avenue was continued, and a commencement made to cut down the tops of the piles in preparation for moulding on the reinforced concrete parapet. The parapet on the south wall was completed from Anzac Avenue to the cantilever bridge and 144 ft below the bridge towards the canal outlet. A commencement was made to draw the timber piles formin" the anchorage of the original sheet pile wall to the northern side. These, if in good condition, will be used to anchor the new sheet pile wall. Bowen Pier Widening.—Owing to the non-arrival of the necessary railway crossings, work . had to be suspended for a week at the beginning of i January, but on delivery, of the crossing work was recommenced on January 11. The Railway Department is now completing the laying of the rails, and the board’s men are following up with the laying of the decking. On January 6, during the suspension of the work, the tracks were connected up in a temporary manner by the department to enable the Benreoch to load wool at this berth. Due to the efforts of the Railway Department, tho arrangements proved satisfactory, and the loading of the vessel was not delayed.

Eastern Channel Jetties.—Minor repairs were effected to the following suburban jetties:—Portobello, Ross Point, Broad Bay, Company Bay Macandrew Bay, Johnstone’s, and also St. Leonards.

Birch street Wharf—Temporary repairs were effected to the decking and also to the fender beams at the outer end of this wharf. A further large shipment of piles and timber arrived for the reconstruction of this wharf, and the piles are being carted to the yard in Birch street and the timber stacked behind the Victoria wharf. It is anticipated that reconstruction can bo commenced early in February. The report was adopted.