HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1521, 1 August 1905, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of. the Harbor Board was held yesterday afternoon, when there ' wore present: , Messrs Townley (chairman), Hepburn, Lysnar,. Whinray, Clark, Bievwriglft, Harding, Matthewson, and Captain Tucker. THE RATE. The resolution passed at a specialmseting of the Board, that the rate for the year 1805 be the same as last year, viz., 12-16 of Id in the £ for the borough, 12-32 of Id in the £ for the county, and 5-32 of Id in the £ for the county of Waiapu, was confirmed. SHIPPING FACILITIES. The Canterbury Steam Shipping Company wrote complaining of the system ,of dealing with cargo obtaining at the Glbborne wharf.

The Chairman stated that the re3ommendations made by the committee set up to deal with tbo question of dealing with .cargo at the wharf met the case. The s.s. Storm had been here since, and everything had worked satisfactorily. s APPOINTMENTS TO BOARD. The Marine Department notified that Messrs J. Clark, G. Matthegrson, and W. Sievwright had been reappointed members of the Board by the Governor. ROAD METAL The Secretary stated the by-law regarding the-bringing in of road metal from Napier for publio purposes for 6d a ton was now in force. VALUATION ROLLS.

The Valuer-General wrote stating thrt the new rolls would be forwarded on July 7tb.

The Secretary stated that the rolls bad been received, with the exception of the borough rolla. The new rolls included the severed portions of Haiti and Whataupoko in the county, and a new roll would have to bo prepared for the portions now included in'the borough.

It was decided to refer the matter back to the Department, pbinting out that the rating aroo could not be altered.-

HARBOR BOARDS’ ASSOCIATION. Correspondence was received from the Harbor Boards’ Association, giving information to be considered at tho annual meeting, to be held at Wellington on August 10th. A copy of a Bill for a superannuation fund for harbor employees was also scot. The Hon. James Carroll and Mr W. D. Lysnar wore appointed os the Gisborne delegates. Mr Clark, who contended that the Gisborne Board had no interest in the Association, suggested that their delegates be instructed to oppose, everything at the conference.

Captain Tucker, who represented the Board at the last conference, pointed out that Harbor Boards had not the control of legislation affecting them that they should have. He thought the annua! feo of £3 3s was worth investing. There were several important ma'ters that the Board might well consider. A RIGHT OF-WAY. Messrs Kennedy and Evans wrote applying for right-of-way through the Board’s section to rheir property on Nesbitt road. It was decided to lease tho right-of way at an annual rental of £l. REPORTS. Captain Cumming, harbormaster, reported: “On the 9th inst. tbo lighter Tawera, with the lighter Titi in tow, when entering the river at low water with a heavy southerly sea on, got into difficulty by getting the tow rope from the Titi round her propeller. The heavy fresh running out then set her over to the end of the groyne. After getting clear of the grpyqe she drifted op to the Waikaoae

boaob, and remained thoro until tho 13th uti, whon she was floated off. Tuahino lighthouse : About 6.80 p.m. on tbo 26th nst., tbo managor r.t Oltitu factory rang mo up to say ti at tho lighthouao was on firtv lat once sent Mr Hardy, the caretaker,' and my «on out to soo if it win possible to rave anythiog,. but on tboir rr. turn about midnight they reported tbo lighthouso was totally destroyed. Tbo next day, Mr Witty, Mr Allan, and I wont out to the site, and from tbo appeeiranoe of things wo all fool certain that tho lamp did not cause tbo fire, and that tho liro mus havo started below tho lamp and round tin building. The lamp was in tbo oentro 01 the building, and was tbo la3t thing to be I destroyed. It did not fall uutil tbo onds of din by 4in supports got burnt through, Tbo flames and beat must havo passed up nhovo end round tbo lamp. Please soo sketch of lighthouse, also putts of lamp, had recoivod sovoral very good roporti about tho light after tbo alterations, it | having boon soon by.Oaptaius Nioholas and Skiunor from tho Gable End Foreland, and by othor shipmasters ovor twolvo miles away. It was working well and giving,no trouble, and bad beon working for eight days after tbo alterations. Groat orodit is . duo to Mr Allan, who took rnuoh j interest in the lamp, and did bis best to make it a scoooss. Yo'torday evening Mr Bond, representative for tho Union S.S. Co., requosted mo to go out with the Waihi and see tbs state of the iowor part of the ohannoi. Itcortainiy I was yery rough, caused by the frosh in tho j river meeting tho southerly swell. The Waihi not being tbo best of boats to steer | she did sheer about a lot. I expect that this sort of thing will happen uutil tho groyne is finished and tho ohannoi deeponod, which I feel certain will be done. Tho ohannoi will then bo in tho oontro between tho two piers. Soundings takon in the ohaoDe! on tho 25th ingt.aro as follows, with tho tide gaugo at zero : Second to third bollard from end of broakwater 7ft, Snark’s landing Sft,big crane 7ft 6ft, Wsi kanao Bft, off stockyard Sft, halfway along wharf Bfi. , Arrivals and departures since last mooting : Steamers, arrivals 38 departures 33 ; sailing ships, arrivals/10, departures 10.”

I Mr D. McLeod, Overseer, reported that I the John Townley during the month I ended July 29ih hod taken 43 loads of spoil bo soa. Three days the soa was too I heavy to admit of her going'outside. The blasting punt had been working 21 days out of 30. The river gravel authorised at last meeting for level formation abreast of I wharf had not beon put on, but instead a Wftfceitablo bad been out into tbe woodon I

box eulvort crossing the rood at that point, which ho thought would, answer tho purpoao until somo Kuiti metal wan ovuilablo. Tawora was taken up on tho slip on Juno 16-. h and launched on tho 29th ; tho Waihi taken up on July Gth, lauuchod on 7th; tho Nautilus put on on tho 7tb, launched on tho J2th; tho Tawora sgain taken up on the 14th and launched on tho ISch. Steady progress was being msdo with the westoru training wall. Ton main piles had boon driven this month, also tbreo main piles to replace those broken by the Tawero, and tho damage dona to the gantry had been put right, Tho end pier of piles was now being driven. The first section of concrete was in hand, and would bo finishod in two or throe days. Up to tho present 290 yards of concrete had been used. Captain Solvander, master of tho John Townley, reported that since last meeting tho drodge had been constantly employed, with the exooption of throe days’ bad weather. The spoil taken out was 1500 cubic yards sand from along tho breakwater, 2500 y-ards mud and sand 'from various places near the town wharf, and 200 yards rock—in all, 4200 cubic yards. COMMITTEE’S BEPOBT. Tho committee appointed to go into tbo mattor of harbor sheds and wharves—the Chairman and Messrs Harding, Lysnar, Whin ray. and Captain Tucker.—-met on July 11th, and recommended that the Board appoint a steady and intelligent’ man to aot under tho direction of the scoratary as heed storema", to have charge of the wharves and stores, His duties should be «b goods were landed from vosscls to check tho cargo from manifests supplied him, and so dispose of the various marks as would give quicker despatch and better facilities to consignees in getting them when applied for; suoh storoman to bnve_ oversight of all goods not delivered within the time limit, and to report to the secretary thereon, to open and close stores daily, also to look after any goods landed (not including timber), and not removed beforo 5 p.m., and to have them put in the sheds. Tho head storeman should also report to tho secretary eny goods landed on the wharf which did not appear on tho manifests and to see that wharfage was paid on all excess luggage lauded. An assistant storeman should also bs appointed. This would not involvo the Board in any responsibility with regard to cargo damaged, ehort-landed, or shortdelivered, but would give groat help in disposing of imporls and would prevent tbe stores becoming congested as they frequently did. Tho sheds would bo under tho Board’s control absolutely without taking any risk and at a small cost compared with the expense of taking delivery from the ships' sling 3 and cm” ploying labor to put them into sheds and delivering tho same. Tho wages to be paid to be Jt’3 10s and X2 10s per xveok respectively. Bogardmg Tuabino light, tho committee instructed tho harbormaster to got Mr Allon to fix tho reflector lamp and also another burner, if ho oonsidored it necessary, and that he should request tho caretaker to visit tho lighthouse more frequently. In moving the adoption of the Committee’s report Mr Lysnar stated that the salary paid to two eompsteut officers,X3oo a year, would bo refunded through tho extra wharfage saved, and the Board would also bo able to make a chagra for storage. ‘

Mr Harding seconded. Ho stated the step was one in tbo right direction. Tho necessity for improved facility in dealing with cargo had bc-on apparent for some time. ' ■

Tho report was adoptod, and it was decided to in vile tenders for tho positions ol storeman and assistant; to bo in by noxi mooting.

In discussing tho destruction of the Tuabic'e lighthouao Mr Lysnar referred to tho heavy dues paid by the Board for ligbiing, which for tho last year amounted to £630 7e Bd. Ho thought tho Government 3hould reinstate tho light- The Board could offer the site. VIt was decided to ask the Government to reinstate the lighthouse, and place a permanent man in charge. On the motion of Mr Lysnnr, it was agreed - to obtain .the assistance of the Borough and County Councils, the Farmers’ Union, the Chamber of Commerce, the Liberal Association, and the Harbor Boards’ Association in impressing on tbc Department the requirement of a light at this point. It was also decided to offer a reword of £25 to anyone giving information ns to the origin of tho fire at tho lighthouse. Tho Chairman gave notice of motion that the present by-law enforcing a penalty of Ss per ton per day on goods remaining in tho cargo sheds after 24 hours be repealed, and one substituted making the penalty 3s por tun for a woek, or iraction of a week, on goods remaining in tho ehedß after 24 hours.