GISBORNE HARBOR BOARD

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2199, 1 October 1907, Page 2

GISBORNE HARBOR BOARD

Tlio monthly meeting ol Hlo Gisborne Harbor Board was held yesterday afternoon. In the absence of the Chairman, Mr. J. Townley, through indisposition, Mr. W. Sievwright was voted to the chair. There were also present:—Messrs, F. Harris, W. D. Lysnar, J. Clark, G. Matthewson and J. Wliinruy. REPRESENTATION.

Tho Marino Department acknowledged tho Board’s resolution ro representation. This urged that tho Gisborne Harbor Board should be included in tho Harbor Board’s Bill upon tho basis of the landward part of tho rating district having five elected representatives, and the Borough part a similar number, with two mom30rs appointed by the Governor. In reply it was stated’ that the roquest would roceivo tho Minister’s careful consideration. A similar reply was rocoivod from Sr Joseph Ward.

SINKING FUND. The Public Trustee, Wellington, forwarded statement of sinking fund account to June 30th last. “It will be obsorved,” ho wrote, “that thoro is a balance of £4803 uninvested, but tho office will endeavour to invest the same. I shall bo glad, however, if your Board will assist in this matter, and forward some suitablo loan applications or recommend some other securities, provided, of course, therequirements of the Act are complied with.”

The statement showed an unexpended balance of loan from December 31, 1906, to Juno 30, 1907, tho credit on income amount to ho £7BO 16s in interest, from which 5 per cent, commission was deducted (£39 10s). leaving £741 15s 2d to credit. The capital account was shown to bo £26,332 10s to credit, unexpended balance of loan. There were six mortgages totalling £26,332. In the reserve fund account from December 31, 1906. to Juno 30, 1907. the income shows to bo £451 0s 3d interest, the deduction of £22 11s commission leaving tho balanco to sinking fund £428 9s 3d. Tho capital account was shown to be £25,000 in seven mortgages. The statement of sinking fund for the same period showed tho interest to be £1506 15s 2d, less £75 6s 9d commission. The capital account showed a credit of £BBO3 14s 9d, of which £4OOO was invested oil. mortgage, the balance uninvested being £4803 14s 9d. The position of tho sinking fund on June 30, 1907, was: There was a balance of £64,696 12s 3d, of which £4803 14s 9d is in cash, and the remainder in six mortgages, two of £IOOO, one each of £23,779 17s 6d, £26,713, £3400, and £4OOO. The amount duo by the Board on June

30 was £1215 15s 7<l; the credit being: By reserve fund £428 9s 3d, loan account £741 15s 2d, balance £45 11s 2d.

It was stated that an attempt previously to get local investment had failed. Mr. Harris considered there were openings for letting the money out in Gisborne. The secretary was instructed to ascertain if the money is still available, and if so to bring it under the notice of the local agent and have its advertisements inserted in tho papers. SHIPAVRECK SOCIETY.

The Shipwreck Relief Society of Now Zealand, whose headqua liters are in Dunedin, thanked tho Board for the donation of £5 ss, and forwarded a copy of : last balance sheet. The secretary remarked that had tho balanco sheet come to hand earlier, the Board might have made a donation of £lO 10s as suggested, for it was shown on the statement that £25 had been voted to this district. QUESTION OF RIVER FRONTAGES. Mr. Inn Simson, wrote: Having purchased tho property know as tile Point, junction of "Waimata and Turanganui rivers, and having erected a breastwork on my boundary I find that I require a lot of stuff to fill up. As you are about to use your sand dredge, I have taken tho liberty of asking your Board to allow the dredge to put say 2000 yards over my breastwork. By doing so you will be helping to cloar tho river and beautifying the town, and it would assist mo out of a difficulty. Any remuneration you may think should bo fixed,l will bo satisfied to pay.” Mr. Lysnar moved that tho request- be complied with, Mr. Simson to reimburse the Board for the total outlay. Mr. "Whinray asked the secretary if he was certain tho breastwork was on Mr Simson’s boundary. The secretary: I don’t know. Mr. "Whinray: We refused an application from Mr. Devery. Mr. Lysnar: It was a different application altogether. Mr. Whinray wanted an addition to the motion, that permission be granted subject to the work not an-’ roacliing on the Board’s foreshore.

To grant one would ‘simply open the way for further applications. The foreshore should be uniform all along. Mr. Lysnar :We don’t want the" expense of a survey. Tho Chairman :It would put us in a proper position. Mr. Lysnar: It would not affect our title if work were done by private people on our boundaries. Mr. "Whinray said the Board in the past had refused to allow work to be done beyond tho boundaries. The Board must enfore.-.'this.

The Chairman supported Mr. Whinray’s amendment.. It was a standing resolution against encroachment; and tho proviso was necessary. Mr. Clark said he would like a report by the foreman to show that the proposed breastwork was strong enough, and did not encroach on the river.

In reply to a question, tho overseer said he had found out that Devory’s proposal would bo an encroachment. On tho casting vote of t-lio Chairman, who explained that the question would bo left open by it, tho stipulations as to the breastwork being sufficietnly strong and not encroaching on the Board’s foreshore, wore agreed to. Tlio motion, ns amended, agreeing with the request on these conditions, Mr. Simson to pav the cost, was carried.

Mr. Mattherson made a suggestion that encroachments be allowed if a rental wore charged, and with proper safeguards as to the Board resuming possession when required. It would encourage owners to improvo tho foreshore.

Mr. Whinray characterised this as a preposterous suggestion. The Board was thoro to conserve the interests of the general body of ratepayers, not to allow rights to certain individuals to the detriment of tho waterway, winch must bo kept intact. Mr. Harris saw little objection to this proposition. The Board could ■'Jways resume possession on three or six months’. notice.

Mr. Clark raised the point that it ”'as a big question, which required further consideration. They could “of, deal with it that day. Settling that particular application did not -ettlo tho whole principle to ho followed

Discussion then -ended. DAMAGE TO A BARQUE. Captain S. R. Savory, of the barque Hazel Craig, wrote on September 24th, to tho secretary:—“Your dredge to-day ran into the above vessel (Hazel Craig) and did some damage. Will you lciudly coma on board and arrange for repairing the same.” Tho secretary, in reply, wrote that tho Board declined any responsibility in connection with the accident, or liability for repairs. He had communicated with the secretary of the Na-pier Harbor Board, who advised that tlio Harbor Board was not responsible in such cases.

In reply to a question as to tho cause of tho mishap, it was stated that tho dredge touched a bank, was slewed round by a stong ebb tide, and struck tho other vessel. Tho bill for repairs was for £5 10s. Air. Lysnar pointed out that tho general question of liability was raised, and it would be as well to. get a report by the finance committee— Agreed to.

TARUHERU CHANNEL. Messrs. Nelson Bros, wrote: “Before the dredgo is roinovod Irom tlio upper waters oi' tho Tarulicru, wo must again ask your Board to remove the few exceptionally high places in tlio bed of the river, more especially between tho brewery and the footbridge. As wo have before pointed out, these shoals aro a serious impediment to the navigation of the river at anything except high tide. We might mention that several of tho shoals aro hard ridges of sand and shells, which if removed by tho patent cutter excavator on the.dredgo would be unlikely to form again in tlio channel, even if no retaining walls wore used to hold the spoil.”

Tlio overseer (Mr. McLeod) reportoil on the depths, adding:—“Tlio worst of tho three shoals is the one at tho brewery, where tho Mohouga stream empties out, and tho one Neison Bros. aXk to have deepened. I estimate tho amount of spoil to he removed at this place, to give a channel 25ft in width, with an average depth of 4ft at low water, at 15-10 yards. If the punt can deal with it without getting choired, it ought not to take more than ten days. To prevent the spoil pumped up from tho channel, slipipng off the mud bank into tho channel again, it will bo necessary in tho absence of a timber breastwork to build a clay mound about Ift Gin high round tho channel edge of tho mudbank. I may say that owing to the contractor for the new bridge being now engaged put-tin"- tho lifting span of tho bridge together he will not be ablo to let us through with tho dredgo for another fortnight.” On the motion of the finance committee it was decided to put the dredging in hand, after the punt had been overhauled on the slip. A DEFECTIVE BOILER.

The engineer of the dredge. Mr. IV. Mackio, reported that on August 28 the starboard boiler gave out at the back end. The piece put in some time ago had wasted away very much and was right through in one place. Aftor getting the pipe olf l:o found the new piece would have to bo extended. Mr. McGregor, manager for J. J Niven and Co. being in Gisborne, tho new work was done under his advice. During repairs the dredge was worked with one boiled. A report from Mr. M. Sharp, Government Inspector of machinery, was appended. He stated that it was evident that a new bottom would have to be put in soon. It must be very unsatisfactory to the Board, ho remarked, for boilers six years old to need such repairs. He had enga_gements some time ahead and hearing that boilermaker Sweeny had gone to do the work trusted a good temporary job would be made. The Board passed the account for repairs. DREDGING.

Mr. D. A. McLeod, Overseer of Works, reported for the month ending September 28: ‘‘The dredge John Townloy has this month taken 61 loads of spoil to sea, principally silt, and the small dredgo this month lias lifted 741 yards of rock mixed with clay, silt and gravel, 530 yards of silt, and 41 yards of rock, in all 1687 yards, which has been trucked and deposited on the eastern side of the viaduct. Nos. 1 and 3 blasting punts are at work in various parts of tho river channel. Gravel and stone removed from Kaiti beach this month other than that put on road at freezing works, 79 loads as per tickets.

The dredgenmster, Captain Sol vander, reported t-liat the dredge had been constantly employed with the exception of one day’s had weather, and one day through repairs being made to the boilers. The amount of spoil taken was: 200 yards sand from along th Q breakwater, 4700 yards of mud from various places near the town wharf, in all 4900 cubic yards. HARBOR-MASTER’S REPORT.

Captain Cumming’s report mentioned :—“Wo had a bad fresh in the river on the 15th inst., which brought down a lot of silt, that settled in the channel, caused by a strong southerly wind and sea backing the fresh water in the river.. On the 16th inst. the s.s. Squall took .the ground about 8 feet off tbo wharf at high water, causing slight delay in the discharging of her cargo. It is necessary for the dredge to work along the wharves as much as possible clear to shipping: along the Kaiti wharf should be deepened before the next meat steamer arrives.” INCREASE OF PAY ASKED.

Ten employees of the Board wrote asking that their pay be increased from Is to Is lid per hour. They pointed out that the cost of living was very high, and that through bad weather they lost a good deal of time, which reduced their wages to a fraction over £2 5s per week. On the basis of a 48 hour week (they at present, in good weather, worked 54 hours) their pay would bo under £2 per week. It was also mentioned that the majority of Harbor Boards in New Zealand mad© no deductions, as was done at Gisborne, for statutory holidays.—Tho petition was signed by W. Gault, E. Morris, G. Murtagh, C. Winter, A. Henderson, James Black, Ernest McDowell, R. Parker, James Blance, and J. W. Bell. Tho secretary said that about 14 men would be affected.

The overseer, in reply to Mr. Clark, said he had no difficulty in getting men. There was no doubt the cost of living was now dearer. The men worked 9 hours a day at Is per hour. Mr. Whinray moved that the matter be deferred for a report. It waß nn incongruity that the A len worked 9 hours as against 8 in other employ, and this must bo considered in fixing wages. Mr. Clark: In the country it is the general rule to work 9 hours. Mr. Harris supported Mr. Whinray’s motion. Mr. Lysnar said that the general wage for this class of labor was Is an hour. The Board’s employees got in 9 hours, and ho was against raising the rate of pay. Mr. Harris said more should bo paid for men working in water. The Chairman said he would like more information as to their conditions of labor.

Mr. Lysnar said that any change would have a far-reaching effect. To some extent it would set the rate of pay for the town, and the large amount of labor that the proposed breakwater would employ would be affected.

Mr. Clark: If there aro plenty of men available willing to work for the present rate, an inereaso is not warranted.

Mr. Whinray reiterated his desire for a report by the overseer. Mr. Matthewson said this would only 'keep the matter in suspense. Mr. Lysnar: We don’t want to put the responsibility on the ovorseer. Let the Board so.ttlo the matter now I movo an amendment'that the letter lie on the table, and no action he taken. —The amendment was carried. HARBORMASTER'S LAUNCH.

The question of appointing a master for the Harbor-Master’s launch was discussed. The Harbor-Master stated in his report :—“Captain Martin, who holds a certificate for oil engines, lias applied for the position, and should he a very suitablo man. At ho would be able to assist mo about the wharf it would not ho necessary to employ any outsido labor to attend to the shipping,” • Mr. Matthewson said Captain Martin was t-oo good a man for the position, as the salary must be modern :

It was not worth £IBO a year. On the motion of Mr. Lysnar the Harbor-Master was authorised to engage a mail at £3 per week, and to have tile power of dismissal ill his hands. . .

GENERAL. A recommendation by the finance committee, that the weighbridge keeper bo allowed Is per hour overtime was adopted. Mr Mackay, dredge engineer, was granted a month’s leave of absence, subject to the dredge-master’s approval.

Messrs. Mackrell and Colley applied for a refund of -£6 for gravel and 6s for wharf storage on timber. The charge in regard to metal only came

into force after they had entered into n ceiraih contract with Messrs. v\ 11l l aius and Sherratt. Respecting the limber in was impossible to clear it from the wharf in the time allowed. — After brief discussion, the Finance Committee’s recommend ition that tlio request ho refused, was upheld. Mr. Chas. Gowland, of Palmerston road, handed tho Board a sketch of the new deep water harbor at Dover. Acknowledged with thanks.