GREY HARBOUR BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 February 1936, Page 4

GREY HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING. The Greymouih Harbour Board held its monthly meeting last evening. Present: Messrs P. J. McLean (.Chairman), J. Ryall, W. Clayton, D. Teunent and G. Perry. The Treasury Department wrote, remitting wharfages and special rate on coal £663/14/8; wharfage and sneciul rate ou State coal 637/1/-> rents and royalties £47/10/-; £6/1/9. The Minister of Unemployment notilied that the Unemployment Board’ was prepared to provide a subsidy ot 35/- a, man each week, towards the wages of registered and eligible married men employed through the Government Employment Bureau, provided standard rates of wages are paid for a working week of not less than 40 hours. The Unemployment Board would accept no portion of the insurance risk.—The engineer was instructed to repoit on the possibilities of using the scheme. The General Manager of Railways wrote, declining the Board s request that the overhead charge included in the cost of repairs to wliaif equipment bo reduced—lt was decided to receive the letter in the meantime, the Board to consider subsequent action, as occasion adose. Messrs T. N. Gibbs and Co., Christchurch, on behalf of the Tyneside Collieries, Ltd., proposed, to apply for reduction of rent or alternatively the postponement of rent payment, say, lor three years, and asking the Board’s consent to such an order being made by the Warden. The chairman said that while m Christchurch recently, he was approached on the matter. The company had sunk,£sooo in a mine. He explained the financial position of the company and its obligations to the Board. Although three years was, perhaps, a longer term than the Board would be (prepared to grant, it was only right that the company should be given an opportunity to re,cover some of its capital. In the meantime, it was relieving the Board of the responsibility for rates to the Brunner Borough Council. His motion for the suspension of payment of rent for 12 months was approved. t t The Marine Department advised that the appointment of Captain H. Moar as pilot at Greymouth was now approved, and returned his sight test certificate.

The Greymouth United Aero Club wrote, advising its intention to hold a gala on Victoria Park on Saturday, March 7, and asked' the Board to nominate a team for the Local Bodies’ trotting sulky race. —Referred to the Executive' Committee.

Mr G. P. Buchanan forwarded a return of mining timber cut from the timber area.

Mr Harry McLaughlan applied for timber-cutting 1 rights over 25 acres adjoining the Briandale Collieries’ bins, Coast Road.—Referred to the, secretary and engineer for report. ■ Guinness and Kitchingham forwarded applications for prospecting licenses by Patrick Laffy over 100 acres each, Stillwater Creek, for consent. — Granted.

Hannan and Seddon, on behalf of the estate of Edmund Stratford, applied for a new lease of sections 16/35 and 754/7 (old lease expired 30/6/30) and part, block 711, Dobson Suburban (old lease expired 31/12/29). — Granted. Mr James Brown asked that the lease of section 141 of Reserve 1427, Blaketown, be issued in the name of his son, Mr T. I. Brown, who wrote, applying for the lease. —Granted. Guinness and Kitchingham forwarded lease of sections 178 and 179, Packer’s Quay, in name of Leslie Walker Stanton, for completion by the Board.—Granted. Guinness and Kitchingham forwarded transfer of section 129, Reserve 1426, Alfred Smith to Louis Henry Head, for consent.—Granted. ' Francis Ed.' Lawson made application for the lease of section 14, Dobsou.—Granted. HARBOURMASTER’S REPORT. The Harbourmaster (Captain F. W. Cox) reported that during January the bar maintained a fair average depth, and generally the weather was favourable for shipping movements. The month’s mean average depth on the bar was 22ft Sin, and in the river 21ft' 9in. The rainfall for January was 5.61 inches, and fell on 16 days. Inward shipping was 20 steamers, of 10,676 ton, and outward', 19 steamers, of 8,341 tons aggregate.

The Engineer, Mr D. C. Milne, reported that work at the Cobden quarry was resumed on January 6. The removal of the stone toe on the western face was continued in preparation for further blasting on the upper benches. A quantity of usable second and thirdclass stone was obtained. The toe was of inferior quality stone, with numerous clearly-defined dip joints, and the effect of blasting was to produce a high percentage of spoil. The output for the month was:—Second-class stone, 400 tons; third-class, 448 tons; spoil, 1763 tons—26ll tons to the north breakwater and 275 tons to the spoil dump. Moderate seas prevailed during the month, and no movement was observed in the stonework of the head of the South extension, which was reconstructed during December. At the north breakwater extension a quantity of second and third-class stone, together with spoil, was deposited between the outer mounds to form the core of the breakwater. This had enabled a quantity of spoil to be utilised on the construction of the breakwater, and not only resulted in a reduction in the cost of the work, but by filling the interstices between the large stones, produced a structure of greater density, and one which was better able to withstand the effect of heavy south-westerly seas, which were more destructive in theii- action on the north breakwater than on the south. Both outer piles of the staging had been damaged by the ehaling action of stones, and pile 47 N had broken and would require to be replaced before further deposition of stone could, be carried out on the end bay. So far, none of the staging piles had shown signs of teredo attack, although they had been immersed in sea water for over 20 months. AU piles on the south breakwater staging were damaged by the teredo in four months, while as a result of teredo activity, replacement of piles became necessary after eight months. The -.ailway line to the north breakwater was weeded and gorse was cleared from the sides of the formation. Mai.ptcna.nce work was carried out on !!■ ; quarry sidings. Repairs wore carried out to the woodwork of the signal station, rocket house and No. 4 shed. 'I lie signal station and rocket house were painted. Repairs were carried out to the dredge in connection with tlie bi-annual overhaul. Maintenance

repairs were effected to the ii v ®’ and seven-ton steam cranes, steam shovel and loco “Ahaura. ADMIRALTY ECHO SOUNDER. The question of installing an echosounding equipment on the tug Westland for bar soundings had been under consideration for the past three years, reported the engineer. In June, 1932, the Board was offered a machine manufactured by Henry Hughes and Son, Ltd., England, and although this apparatus was capable of sounding in very shallow water it did not, m my view, provide the degree of accuracy which is necessary to meet conditions at Greymouth. From time to time, advice was received from the manufacturers of various improvements which had been made to the inuuhinCt but it was not until the end of last year that it had reached that stage in its evolution when its installation could be safely considered by the Board. The apparatus now offered could be operated on two ranges from o—4o feet or from o—lo fathoms. The lower range has a chart scale of 1-Sin. to one foot, and' therefore was capable of recording accurately the depths of water on the bar and entrance channel. The higher range would enable the machine to be used for off-shore soundings. The apparatus therefore would meet till the Board’s requirements in relation to marine surveys. The equipment included a recorder, transmitting and receiving oscillators, and a 36-volt battery, complete with a charge dynamo driven by a petrol engine. The oscillators are attached to the inside of the hull, one on either side of the keel and about three feet apart. It will not be necessary to place the tug on the slip, and' the entire installation can be carired out without putting the vessel out of commission The Board is fully aware, continued Mr Milne, that accurate and reliable data relative to the bar and entrance channel is a mattei' of first importance in the operation of the port and within the limits set;by the equipment at its disposal, the Board has endeavoured to provide the necessary information. Although the existing system of bar-sounding in which two leadsmen are employed and soundings are accurately located by means of shore beacons and sextant fixes, represents a definite improvement on the method which was previously in operation it still possesses two defects inherent in this system of sounding. Firstly, the distance between successive soundings which may result in local shoaling not being recorded on the lead lines. In order to maintain steerage way on the tug, a speed of approximately (four knots must be steamed, and even with two expert leadsmen, it is not possible to obtain soundings closer than 50 feet apart, which represents an average rate of tour soundings a leadsman a minute. Secondly, the personal equation. However expert a leadsman may be, there is always the possibility of error in reading the lead line, particularly when working in swell. With the proposed apparatus, both these defects will disappear. The action of the machine is purely mechanical and the human element is, therefore, completely eliminated. So long as the apparatus is kept in working order, it will continue to function accurately. Soundings are taken at the rate of approximately 350 per minute; and a chart of the sea; bottom is automatically recorded as the vessel passes over it. By the installation of this modern echo-sounding equipment, the Board will place itself in an unassailable position with regard to the accuracy of bar surveys, and it will make available for shipmasters the information which is so essential in the s.afe navigation of the harbour entrance. I recommend acceptance of the tender, by Henry Hmghes and Son, Ltd., for the supply and delivery of the equipment, at a total cost, in sterling, of £395, subject to exchange, primage duty, and sales tax, and exclusive of the cost of installation. These charges Mr Milne estimated as follow:—Exchange, primage and sales tax £127, installation and alterations to tug £.75.

The chairman said that the apparatus had the approval of the Admiralty, but it might be advisable to receive the sanction of the Marine Department. It was possible that exchange, primage and sales tax would be saved if the sounder could be secured through the Department. That was a matter that could be gone into. It was decided, on the chairman’s motion, seconded by Mr Ryall, to refer the subject to the Department. \ FINANCE COMMITTEE.

The Finance Committee reported that the following accounts had been received since date of last meeting: — Shipping dues £309/2/2, royalties £55/11/6, rents £223/6/8, hire and sale of plant £B/16/9, wharfages £1092/19/5, special rate on coal £207 16/1; total £1897/12/7. The Harbour Fund Account had a balance to credit, including £3OOO on fixed deposit, of £4741/15/8. Accounts amounting to £1307/4/6 were passed for payment.