GREY HARBOUR BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 March 1939, Page 10

GREY HARBOUR BOARD

monthly meeting. Th Grey Harbour Board held its monthly meeting last evening. Mr J. Ryall (chairman) presiding- over an attendance o£ the following members: Messrs P. J. McLean, J. Smeaton, W. Clayton, J. Mulcare, J. B. Kent. A. H. McKane. G. A. Perry, and J. A. Murdoch. The Engineer (Mr D. C. Milne), the Harbourmaster (Captain H. Moar) and the Secretary (Mr AV. B. Gilbert) were also presentThe Treasury remitted wharfages £653/16/2; wharfages on State coal £478/3/6,; rent stacking site, P.W.D.,

£4; compressed air, P.W.D.,, £l4/16/sale of quarry stone, Railways Department, £2lB/1/1. The High Commissioner for New Zealand advised that tenders for the Board’s new combined twin-screw grab hopper,, dredger and tug have been advertised, and forwarded a list of firms supplied with a copy of the specifications. The Stationmaster, Greymouth, advised that the District. Engineer and the District Traffic Manager, Christchurch, will visit Greymouth shortly, and will discuss the question of a timber-loading berth at the. west end of theAVharf with the manager of the Union Steamship Company, and Harpour Board representatives.—The matter of the conference was referred to the. Chairman. The New Zealand Harbour Boards’ Industrial Union of Employers forwarded proposals for a. new Dominion award for Harbour Board employees.

The McLean Park Tennis Club wrote applying for ti donation to assist the club to improve the courts.—

The application was referred to the Finance Committee. The Arthur’s Pass National Park Board wrote applying for a grant to assist in the development of the Park—The application was referred to the Finance Committee.

The Greymouth Trotting Club applied for permission to take up to 500 loads of spoil per year from the mudflat lying to the south of the River Bank road.—Granted.

L. Blance forwarded a sketch plan of an area applied for at the last meeting for timber milling at Sulky Gully, at the back of Taylorville.—The Secretary was instructed to inquire into the appication, and to report to the next meeting. W. T. Foster-Lynam wrote surrendering the lease of section 6, peg, Coast road. —Accepted. J. Wildermoth applied for a lease of the section on the left-hand side of the section held by J. Harwood in Arney Street, Greymouth.—The application was referred to the Engineer and the Secretary, with power to actHenry Dobbin applied for a 21years lease of section 152. Dobson.— Granted.

The following transfers were approved:—Section 80. Dobson iW. H. Carse to Jas. Dunn): section xi, Dobson (Public Trustee to William Carse); section 7. Dobson iP. Meredith to Mrs A. G. McAnulty); section 7. Dobson (A. G. JI. McAnulty to Albert Edward Pickering); lot 82. D.P., 415. Res. 1485, Blaketown (Ernest Barton to Mrs Annie Bridget Fitzgerald).

t> v * HIU / • The following Blaketown leases, fci completion, were approved: Prom Messrs Guinness and Kitchingham Section 127. Res. 1127. Edmund Hillman: sections 174 and 175. Packer’; Quay. John George Clarke. Mr T. E. Coutos fortyardt<i plan o subdivision of section 7, Res. 14x5 Blaketown.—Approved.

HARBOURMASTER'S REPORT. The Harbourmaster’s report, which ivas as follows, was read, and adopted:—During February strong-south-west wind accompanied with heavy south-west sea, and with the absence of any freshes the bar shoaled to 12 feet at L.W.S.T. The depths were: —iS p i;i n g s—F eb r u a/uy 4, bar 30ft 6in, river 21ft Bin February 19, bar 23ft 4in, river 20ft. 4in. Neaps— February 11, bar 23ft 6in, river 18ft 6in; February 26. bar 20ft Sin, river 18ft Sin, Month’s mean average—Bar 24ft 7in, rivdr 19ft 7in. Rainfall for the month was 3.45 inches and fell on 16 days, the maximum fall for 24 hours was 58 points. Shipping returns for the month were:—lnward, 22 vessels (13,084 tons); outward, 22 vessels (15,290 tons). Dredging was carried out during the month when weather was suitable and 39 loads of shingle (19,500 tons) were taken to sea. The river and berthage are now in good order, and the dredge is due for survey, when the slip is available. The 1 tug is also due fur survey, and will be slipped the first opportunity when tides suit

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer presented the following report on work carried out during February, 1939: — The Cobden quarry was in operation throughout the month. Minor blasts were fired on February 9, 22, and and produced a considerable quantity of good quality stone. The removal of spoil from the working face was continued, and the whole of the out-

put of spoil was Utilised on the aerodrome extension, and in the training works at. Coal Creek. The output for the month was as follows:— First-class stone 374 tons; second-class stone 161 tons; third-class stone, 165 tons; total <O3 tons to north breakwater: spoil, 2008 tons to Coal Creek; spoil 1052 tons to Aerodrome. Total output 3763 tons. North Breakwater: Continuous heavy seas prevailed throughout the month, and the deposition of stone could be carried out only intermittently, at. low water, or when sea conditions temporarily moderated. During the severe storms experienced in the early part of the month, a considerable quantity of spoil and third-class stone was swept, away from the head of the breakwater, and stones up to 30 tons in weight were moved out. of position. Minor damage was done to | the superstructure of the staging and] pile No. 46N. was broken. Repairs will | require to be carried out on the stag-j | ing, before the deposition of the hear

ier class of .stone can be continued. Wharf Repairs: Minor repairs were carried out to the tendering and the iron chafing plates were renewed on seven of the mooring bollards. Repairs were also effected to the tendering at the lagoon dock, and the iron chafing plates were replaced where

necessary. Repairs were carried out to Stores No. I'and 2 and also to the workshop. The exterior walls anti roofs of these buildings have been cleaned and painted. Plant: Minor repairs and adjustments were carried out Io the port engine and boiler of the dredge, and on the mooring wim.'h-| es. A new main steam pipe lilted wilin’ Hauge joinls was erected on (lie steam j shoved, to replace the existing steam' pipe, the union couplings on which had developed leaks. An old multi-

tubular boiler off one of the piling winches is being extensively overhauled. and re-tubed in the Board’s workshop. On completion of the repairs. Hie boiler will be installed in one of the 5-ions steam cranes tn replace lhe existing boiler which Ims been com

dornned. 'l'hi’ report was approved. The Chairman of the finance Oom

mittee, Mr. Clayton presented the following report, which was adopted: — Receipts: The following accounts have been received since date of last meetI ing—Shipping dues £397 11/4; royalties £331 18/1; rents £165 11/6; hire and sale plant 12/-; sale spoil and stone Cobden Quarry £277 6/7; compressed air-Cobden quarry £l4 .16/-; wharfages £ll3l 19/8; total £2319 15/2. The Harbour Fund account, has a credit balance of £2,198 3/10. Your Committee recommends that accounts, as per list, amounting to £2,048 15/6 be passed for payment.

PROVISION OF HAWSERS. In accord with notice duly given, Mr. Kent moved the following motion: “That the resolution passed by the Board on August. 10, 1938, relating to the purchase of wire mooring hawsers be, and is hereby rescinded, and that five mooring hawsers in 300 ft lengths be purchased, for use in case of necessity on the wharves." The notice of motion was given soon after the resolution concerned was passed, but had been held up pending a full meeting of the Board.

Speaking to the motion, Mr. Kent said, there was no need to enlarge on it. The procedure' to which the motion proposed to give effect tvas recommended by responsible officers of the Board. The- necessity for the purchase of the hawsers was brought, home, to him when he saw that the usual spare gear for emergency purposes was in a state of deterioration, and was practically useless. He realised, when he saw it. why the officers had recommended new gear. He thought fhe Board would be culpable if ii. did not take notice of its olii- (' ers ’ rec on imendat i o n s.

j The motion was seconded by Mr. McLean. Mr. McKane asked if it was the purpose, of the motion to place the gear ready for the use of any company or master of a vessel wiGiout ' charge. The .secretary said that the by-laws fixed a charge for the use. of such gear. Mr. Kent said his motion had nothing to do with the by-laws. He did not intend that ir. should be incorporated in the bylaws. Mr. Murdoch said that the Board’s solicitor's legal opinion was that the provision of such hawsers as were proposed, made the Board liable in the case of any accident when they were in use.

Ml'. Keill co II ten ueu mat ins mulion. if given effect to. would not increase the liability of the Board. I Mr. Murdoch: You arc producing the gear, and if a. defect in it causes an accident, your .solicitor says you are liable. Mr. McKane said ho did not think ths Board would be any more liable than if a stanchion broke. ■‘Or a lifebuoy were defective," added Mr. Kent. The chairman said the onus was on the ships to provide mooring' gear. Mr. Smeaton said the resolution was in accord with the recommendations of the Engineer and the Harbom master. and he would support it.

i he Hoard, ay on hi provide uie mv.ii add io iho safety of Hie port, hut would accept no responsibility tor it. it would lie on hand if required in an emergency. Mr. Keill said that members of the legal fraternity differed as to whether the Hoard would bo liable or not. The chairman said that, the Boards ri-liciior ami the solicitor to the Ilar'•t.nr Boards' Association agreed that

till > Hhl I ft Vi IHlltl IH- LlUim. I / II I ’ ■ ' ' the ■.'vili. The sort <-11110 mini iliai the Harbour Boards’ Association solicitor hail

recommended that the Board provide the gear, and that, it should be incorporated in the by-laws. He also provided a draft agreement to be entered into between the Board and the masters who chose to use the gear. Mr. Clayton said he was not going to support the resolution, lie was not. going to take the responsibility of bringing liability on the Board. The vessels which used the port should provide sufficient gear for mooring purposes. Mr. Kent considered that the Board should do all in its power to make the port as safe as possible, and they would be adding io its safety by providing such hawsers. was lost by five votes to four. Messrs On a vote being taken, the motion Kent, McLean, Smeatou and McKane supporting the resolution.