GREY HARBOUR BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 May 1930, Page 3

GREY HARBOUR BOARD

LAST EVENING’S MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Greymouth Harbour Board was held last evening; present: Messrs. P. J. McLean ( chairman), D. Tennent, J. Ryall, J. W. Greenslade, G. E. Perkins, and W. Clayton. The Treasury remitted £llO4 2/8 wharfage and £1632 6/- royalties. The secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Union wrote drawing attention to the inadequate sanitary facilities at the Watersiders’ Hsll. The Chairman said he had requested the secretary to instruct the acting foreman to give an estimate for! the work, but the matter had evidently

been overlooked. There had been a fair amount of carelessness on the part of the watersiders, which the secretary of the Union had admitted, and a suggestion had been made to avoid it in future. The. matter Ws , referred to the Chairman and secretary for attention. An offer to settle the Board’s account against the Wellington-West Coast Shipping Co. in a few months, when his business is put in order, was received from Captain McArthur. It

was decided, on the motion of the Chairman, that the writer be informed that the matter was in the hands of the Board’s solicitor. Mr. McLean said the Board did not want to be unduly harsh, but the matter must be attended to. The Board did not want to lose its legal status. It had run a big risk, and should be recompensed. S. Compton’s application for an increase in wages was referred to the Finance Committee. The Chairman stated that it had been decided to consider several similar applications. A report would be presented to the next meeting.

Mr. A. Gilbert’s application, that he bo placed on the permanent staff, was referred to the Finance Committee. The application of J. Mack for the position of caretaker of the wharf shelter shod was held over. The application of G. Furness for leave of absence was referred to the Engineer to make suitable arrangements. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote stating that the royalty charged J. Rooney is the same as that charged on both State Forest Reservations and Crown Lands, and is fixed by a conference of the two Departments concerned. A comparison of the figures showed that the Department’s total was £lO 12/4, while the payment suggested by Rooney was £4 15/.The Chairman said he did not think the Board could make separate arrangements with Rooney, as against other men; it would be a bad precedent. Rooney knew the rates when ho applied for the land. Mr. Greenslade: I think we will have to stick to the rates laid down, by the Government.

The Chairman’s resolution, that the Board regretted it could not see its way to meet Rooney in the matter, was agreed to. Advice that sjiew boiler tubes for the tug are being procured in London, was received from J. Chambers and Sons, Wellington. Mr. Greenslade asked how the contract was getting on for the hydraulic installation at the Board’s powerhouse. The Engineer replied that it was progressing favourably. Mr. Tennent requested that a report

be prepared for the next meeting, showing the tenders' received for the lagoon dredge, pontoons, and machinery, and what deposit is still held. J. Meagher applied for a timbersplitting right over 20 acres at McLean’s Creek, Brunner district. Mr. Ryall moved that the applicai tion be granted upon similar condi- | tions to others, royalties to be paid to I the Lands Department. The resolu- | tion was approved.

SECTIONS LEASED. Thomas Kerr was granted a lease o£ section 1, Heatlidale, on. the usual conditions. Archibald Howie is to be informed that section 38, Taylorville, is not available, being already taken up. Messrs. Guinness and Kitchingham forwarded memorandum for execution by the Board, H. M. Walters, section 142, reserve 1427, Blaketown. —Approved.

The application of Annie Hill for section 393, Dobson, was approved. The offer of James Glen, to pay the cost of surveying his section at the rate, of £1 per week, was referred to the secretary. Messrs. Guinness and Kitchingham wrote enclosing; correspondence with (ho State Advances Cilice in connection with Dobson leases, advising that the Superintendent refuses to consent to fixing the rental by Arbitration instead of submitting lease to auction, it was pointed out that the proposed now leases would alienate the ground in perpetuity. Under Section 5, Public Bodies Lease Act, the Board has power to limit right of renewals, and it was recommended that .tills be done. After an informal discussion, the Chairman moved that one right of renewal be granted, making a total of 42 years, with valuation by- arbitration at the end of the first term of 21 years. This was approved.

HONEY GRADING. A return from S. Compton showed that 424 cases of honey had passed through the store, in addition to 264 in the Railways Department goods shed. The Secretary said that no grading at all was done at Greymouth this year. This was dispensed with, for some reason, and all the honey was shipped to Auckland. Th© Chairman said he thought the Board should take some action in the matter. They went to the expense of erecting a. grading store, and were doing their best in the interests of the district, and then the Department said that, the honey should be graded at Auckland. He moved that the Department bo written to, and their attention drawn to the fact that the Board had .a. grading store. The Board had provided grading facilities, and West Coast beekeepers should bo asked to assist, lie did not know who was .responsible for sending the honey to Auckland, but when the Board had conveniences for the industry they should be availed of. Mr Tennent: Tlow do the beekeepers look upon this transfer to Auckland?

Mr Greenslade said that, the Board could not. go on, if it. was lot down in that, fashion. It would bo much better for West Coast beekeepers to have the grading done locally, under their own eyes.

The Chairman said it had been customary to send a honey grader to Greymouth, until this year. Mr Tennent: I think for the education of our own local producers, this should be done. The Chairman’s resolution was approved.

SCHOOL OF MINES.

That assistance be given towards the replacement of the present rented rooms by a permanent building, was the request made by the secretary of the Runanga School of Mines. Mr. Ryall said that Runanga should be treated the same as Reefton, and

given £2O. The Chairman suggested £lO. Mr. Tennent proposed that the secretary should make enquiries as to what was being done by the school, and report to the next meeting. Mr. Clayton explained that the director of the Reeft'on School of Mines visited Runanga and other places on the West Coast. The Roofton people wcro finding the director and were responsible for him. The Chairman: Personally, I think it is a matter for the Government to find a building for them. It was decided to defer consideration until the next meeting, enquiries to bo made meanwhile. Mr. Greenslade expressed the opinion that there should bo a School of Mines at Greymouth, as. it was the centre of the West Coast.

HARBOURMASTER’S REPORT

The Harbourmaster (Captain F. AV. Cox) reported as follows for April: — During April the bar has remained at a very unsatisfactory depth, which was S feet L.W.S.T. on line of red beacons, but well over to the north breakwater there was from 1 foot 6 inches to 2 feet better water, although

it was not always practical or prudent to use that course without the aid of

the tug. The depths of high water for April were: Springs, April 14, bar 19 feet, river 22 feet 10 inches; springs, April 29, bar 18 feet 6 inches, river 22 feet 6 inches; neaps, April 7: Bar, 15 feet, river 21 feet 10 inches; neaps, April 21, bar 16 feet, river 20 feet. Month’s mean average; Bar 17 feet 6 inches, river 21 feet 6 inches. Rainfall recorded was 4.49 inches, which fell on nine days. Shipping returns for April were: Inward, 24 steamers, 13,559 tons; outward, 21 steamers, 11,464 tons. The Stewart apparatus was given a trial on April 1, but early in the performance one of the pipes broke. On successive days until April 12, we tried to give it a conclusive test, but did not succeed; after which date it was removed from the tug. Tug: Her certificate has expired, and it will be necessary to slip her on the first opportunity on account of the sides, etc.

FINANCE COMMITTEE The report of the Finance Committee was as follows: — Receipts: The following accounts have been received since date of last meeting:—Wharfages £950/14/8, Special rate on coal £5O/8/-, shipping duos £332/17/2, haulage on gravel £ll/0/4, rents £34/2/6, interest £157/10/-, sales old material £3l/ 14/9; total £1568/7/5. The Balances on the various accounts are as follow: —General account, Cr. £15,617/3/-, Insurance fund accounts. Cr. £17,503/0/5, special rate on coal account Cr. £453/3/5. The Harbour Fund Account has a Cr. balance of £2,620/3/5 and fixed deposits £30,500. Accounts amounting to £1321/8/11 were passed for payment. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The Engineer (Mr T. A. Johnston) reported as follows on the work carried out during April: — Cobden Quarry:—Work was carried out satisfactorily during the month and a good average output maintained. The output to the north breakwater was as follows:I—lst 1 —1st class stone 1541 tons; 2nd-class stone, 181 tons. In addition to this, 658 tons of spoil was deposited at the north breakwater dump. Stone supplied to Railway Department in addition to above: 530 tons of secondclass stone was supplied to the Railway Department for extending the apron of the masonry wall from Tainui Street towards the Cobden Bridge. The total quarry output was therefore 2552 'tons of stone and 658 tons of spoil.

Plant—Stewart Scheme:— From April 1 to April 11 all hands -were employed in connection with the trials. From the 12th to the 15th the plant and apparatus was dismantled and stored. General maintenance has been carried out on the tug and on the quarry plant. Maintenance Works: —A small explosive magazine has been built adjacent to the Cobden Quarry to meet the requirements of the Act. The belting on the port side of the dredge has been renewed. Two 7-ton cranes have been painted and repaired, while renovations at the honey store have also been carried out. Gorse has been cut and burnt on the area adjacent to the signal cottages. General wharf repairs have been effected. Trial of Stewart Apparatus: — Owing to the rough bar conditions experienced it was decided that further tests with the stiff pipes leading to the nozzles should be discontinued. Mr Stewart aftei’ meeting the members of the Board stated that he would

immediately arrange to procure and instal flexible hydraulic hoses to ob-

viate the trouble due to the nozzles hitting the bar. The plant has been removed pro tern in order to release the tug for shipping purposes. The report was adopted. The Engineer also submitted a special report on the Blaketown bridge, as follows: This bridge, which is approximately 207 feet long, has no traffic planking, and as a result

of this the transverse decking planks have become badly traffic worn. In many places they cannot be more than IS to 2 inches thick. It is advisable that redecking be carried out immediately, and the estimated cost is as follows: —-Rimu decking £174 4/11, tarring and sanding £l3 16/-, inalthoid £lB, spikes £l4 12/-, wire £2, contingencies £22 6/-, total £245. It is recommended that the Board should give its approval of the work being carried out immediately. The Chairman said it was the main traffic bridge to Blaketown. He moved that the work be carried out as recommended. Mr Greenslade said that the bridge was badly worn. The resolution was seconded by Mr Ryall, and carried.