HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 295, 20 December 1901, Page 1

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday afternoon, there being present: Messrs Townley (Chairman), Hepburn, Siovwright, Clark, and Captain Tucker. Notification was received from tho Marine Board of approval of tho plans for wharf extension. Mr J. Trounson wrote, in reference to the delay in the shipment of timber, and explaining why the delays had occurred. The Chairman said that the time of the contract was not yet up. A letter of explanation was received from Mr Trounson, jun. The New Zealand Portland Cement Company wrote, in regard to the decision that English cement ,was to be used for the training wall. It was urged, and reasons therefor given, that colonial cement should be used. The Chairman said that the application was too late. The Engineer had carefully considered the matter, and had preferred the use of coment that had long been proved. Tho tenders were now in, and they could not go back on them. The Secretary said that it had been mentioned to contractors that alternative tenders could be sent for each class of cement. The Harbormaster reported that the soundings were good except at the line of new wharf. The Chairman said that the report was satisfactory as showing that the groyne was doing its work. As to the inconvenience at the wharf it had been considered best to leave that work until it could be done with the new appliances; but notwithstanding, tho new line of wharf had proved of great convenience. He hoped with the Harbormaster that when the new dredge arrived increased facilities would soon be given. The Engineer (Mr King) reported that dredging in the Taruheru river had been steadily carried on, and a fair amount of useful work done. About fifteen chains of the part silted up by the material from the Hapara creek had been rendered available for traffic. A little more dredging would complete this part of the work, and then it was proposed to improve the part above the footbridge close to the freezing works. The cost of the work to date is £ll7 8s Bd. Blasting rook in the channel near the lower beacon has been steadily prosecuted during tho month, and there in now a considerable amount of loosened rock ready for removal by dredging. I propose to continue this work until the now dredger arrives. The concrete anchors and buoys are now ready for use. I inspected the new dredger on the 13vh. The boilers, engines, pumps (except the force pump), the winches, hand and steam, 10-ton crane, and nearly all the steam pipes and other details are fixed, and nearly ready for use. The force-pump was reported to be forty days out from New York, and was expected to be at the works in ten days. Messrs Anderson expect to have steam up and the machinery tried in about a week. The fitting up of the bridge, skylights, cabin, and other woodwork was to be immediately proceeded with, but was not commenced when I left on the 14th. The towers for

the leading lights are about completed. | The new light was placed on the front tower on the 27th ult., and it has been in use ever since. It is much better than the old light, and when the back light is procured and fixed the whole should be satisfactory. The back light, being a bright light, will be seen at a much greater distance than the front one, and should render the picking up of the front one easy. Timber contract: 142,000 ft of the timber for the extension of the training wall was delivered some time ago. Further instalments should soon be to hand. I understand that another scow load is ready for shipment, but some difficulty has been experienced in procuring a suitable vessel. Two tenders were received for groyne extension, as follows :—James Sellar. Napier, 1:12,245 Ids ; John McLean and Son, Auckland, £17.502 ss. Deposits of £SOO were enclosed with the tenders. On the suggestion of the Chairman it was resolved that the tenders be handed over to the engineer, and that he be asked to report as to whether he considered the lowest tender was a fair amount. The lowest amount seemed to him to be very large. It was agreed to adjourn the meeting until Tuesday at 2 p.m. There are the men, hundreds of them, thrown out on their beam ends. There are the Ministers preaching economy and drawing larger salaries than ever. There are the important pubic works brought practically to a standstill. And there, dead and dishonored by Liberal demagogues, lies the humane principle established when last the biting bitterness of retrenchment was experienced in this colony, —Wanganui Chronicle.