GISBORNEHARBORBOARD

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 120, 31 May 1901, Page 3

GISBORNEHARBORBOARD

The monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday afternoon, there being present :—Messrs Townley (chairman), Hepburn, Macfarlane, Clark, AVhinray, and Captain Tucker. On the correspondence being read, a letter from the Finance Committee to the Manager of the Gisborne Freezing AYorks was read, notifying that there would be an increase of ten per cent, in,the rent. Mr Clark raised the point as to whether or not the committee was entitled to send such a letter without first reporting to the Board.

Captain Tucker said that that point had been raised at the committee meeting, and the minute showed that the committee had been authorised to take action in the matter. The Chairman said they had better read tho letter from Mr Shelton, which was as follows : “ I have your favor of this date, stating that the Finance Committee have resolved that the Board is entitled to an increase of ten per cent for the ensuing three years in connection with the lease which the Company holds from your Board. That being so, I disagree with your proposal, and I request that the rental for tho ensuing three years be referred to arbitration as provided for in the lease.”

Mr Clark said that Mr Shelton simply refused to agreed to an increase of rent ; the first action was with the Board. The Chairman said that that was so ; the Board raised the question, and Mr Shelton’s letter was tho reply. Mr A. Dewing, manager of Messrs Nelson Bros. Freezing AVorks, wrote as

follows : “ The logs of timber in the river eoniinue to be very troublesome to us, and

in spite of your note to owners, fresh trees continue to get into tho river, and old ones hanging on to the banks with their branches in the water still remain

there, many of them all ready to get adrift with tho first high tides. AVhen wo were lightering meat to the Indrarnayo last week, the propeller of tho Tuna struck a log in the river and was smashed up, bending the shaft at the same time, which will cost us several pounds to put right. I would ask that you would allow your harbormaster to go up the river and report to you on this matter, as I suppose this river is under your control. And when you look at the amount of money we pay to your Board every year, I think you will admit that something should be dono for us. There is one other request I have to make, which is that you will allow the dredge to come up to the works to take our silt at tho mouth of the creek. At the time the stone crossing got washed out on Mr Barker’s (country) road, the silt which came down the creek formed a spit of sand in the river at the mouth of the creek, and this, although there is not much of it, causes us much delay in getting our first barge away to the meat steamers. This is only a mattor of a fow days’ work, and we would do all the towing required with the Tuna ; also we shall bo pleased to put her at the disposal of the Harbormaster if you will send him up tho river to inspect.”

It was agreed to allow the use of the dredge for a few days.

The annual balance-sheet was presented and its adoption moved by the Chairman, who said that there was now £104,000 in the hands of the Public Trustee, accumulated sinking fund on the balance of the loan. Taking from that tho .£15,000 for works, there would be £OO,OOO in the hands of the Public Trustee for the purpose of loan redemption.

It was resolved that the balance-sheet be adoptod and printed. The Harbormaster reported as follows :

“ By instructions received from the Secretary of the Board, I proceeded up the Taruheru river in the s.s. Tuna, kindly placed at my disposal by Mr Dewing. A careful examination was made from tho wharf up to the freezing works, and Captain Binney, of tho Tuna, pointed out to me where he removed the two large loads of snags from, also the dangerous trees that threaten the navigation of the river which if, when they are cut down, aro allowed to fall into the river and remain. The necessity of giving notice to the owners of these properties whore these trees are leaning from the bank into the river cannot be too stringent, as an industry that contributes a large amount of revenue to this port should, in my opinion, be given every facility, and no obstruction should be thrown in the way. I must bring before your Board the fact that the snags brought down tho river by tho launch Tuna and removed by Captain Binney from places pointed out by him to me, aro not from sections in that locality. There are a considerable number of them white pine, and some of the largest of them have most likely come from further up the river, and in my opinion have been embedded in tho river since Messrs Hurrey and King rafted their timber to be cut at their mill at the present site of Mr Shelton's business place at Read’s quay. It is not long since some of these large logs disappeared from the bank of the river at the place mentioned. There Continued on fourth page.