LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1622, 2 May 1879, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Thttbsday, Mat 1. The fortnightly meeting of the Harbor Board was held at 2 p.m., in the new offices, Hereford street. Present—Hon. E. Richardson (chairman), H. P. Murray-Aynsley, H. Sawtell, 0. W. Turner, R. Allan, R. J. S. Harman, the Hon. John Hall, and the Mayor of Lyttelton. LBAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence on account of illness was granted to Mr D. Craig for three months. chaibman's statement. The Chairman said :—The following sums have been paid in to the Board's account since our last meeting : —Wharfage, £530 ; towages, £lOl lis 4d; pilotage exemptions £4 4s; pilotage and port charges for April, 1874, £874 5s Id. Total, £lslO Os sd. A large number of accounts for payment will be laid before you to-day. The engineer's report on the progress made under the harbor works contracts will bo read. As he concludes hia report by stating that the graving dock plans will bo completed in a few days, I shall be glad to have an expression of opinion from the Board as to the manner in which they wish tenders for it to be called. I am of opinion that tenders should bo invited in Melbourne, Adelaide, and Sydney, as well as in New Zealand, and that three months' time should be given for sending in the tenders. The dredging return for the month of April is on the table ; it shows that 145 barge loads have been removed, amounting to 26,100 cubic yards or 36,250 tons. The dredge last

week completed the work on the west side ot fc le new |. uy, where the Stad Haarlem now lies, having dredged it to a depth of 23ft. at. low water. It was necessary, in order to have the berth ready in time, and as Iho tides hnri to be taken a Ivantage of, to work very long hours, and I have pleasure in testifying to the willing manner in which the stuff of the dredge and barges worked in order to meet the special necessities of thi Cane, And as I understand that it would be agreeable to the dredge staff to have a holiday trip in our steam tug on some Saturday, I would recom mend that it should be arranged for. Mr Turpin having reported that Mr Anderson's price for the winch and boiler for scoop dredging was fair and reasonable, his tender has been accepted, and the construction of it is now in hand. As Dr. Hector on a recent visit to Lyttelton expressed an opinion that the dredged material would make cement, and desired that some or it might be forwarded to him at Wellington in order that he might put it to tho te?t, I caused him to bo furnished with a | box of it, and he ha" been plsked to fnvor the Board with the result of hie experiments upon it. A report from the harbor master will be read, reporting the number of vessels entered inwards during the paet month; also, upon the number of vessels now lying in the stream waiting for berths. The return asked tor by the Board at the last meeting is not yet to hand, but the railway authorities have been employed in preparing it. The ret urn showing the work performed by our steamtug during the past month io on tne table, and the result it shows bears testimony to the energy displayed by the Harbor-master and Captain Clark in carrying out this branch of the Harbor Board's service. The Lyttelton Harbor Board debentures, of the £300,000 loan, were placed in the hands of the National Bank of New Zealand on the 19th ult., for transmission, by thetri, to I ' London, by the mail which left here on the 26th April, and unless some unforeseen contingency occurs, the bonds should reach London on the 10th of next June, and judging by the latest advices from home of the continued demand for colonial securities, and taking into consideration the undeniably good security afforded by this Board in the matter of these debentures, I think the Board may anticipate a most favorable sale of their bonds on the London market. The statutory declarations, prepared by tho Board's solicitor, were duly made by our secretary and treasurer, and accompanied the bonds. Copies of tho declarations are on the table. The letter, forwarding the bonds to the bank, and their reply will be read. A reply from the Hon. Minister for Public Works to my letter of the 9th lilt, re scarcity of trucks will be read. The Hon. Colonial Secretary also writes acknowledging tho receipt of the Board's resolution urging upon the Q-OTcrnment the necessity which exists for the appointment of a resident magistrate at Lyttelton. It is much to be regretted that the Government do not take Borne action in this matter. A letter has been received from the steward of railway reserves stating that the Hon. Minister for Public Works has approved of the acceptance of the Board's offer to rent a site for their offices on Norwich Quay for twenty-one years. As a question has since arisen between the Customs and the Railway Department in connection with this matter, the preparation of the lease has consequently been delayed. I may state that I recently saw the Commissioners of Railways in reference to this site, and he stated he would do everything to expedite the completion of the arrangement. The harbor master reports that it is necessary to erect two more lamps on the breastwork, to the westward of the fixed cranes ; also that all the lamps should be painted. I will ask the Board's authority to have this done. I will ask the Board to consider the desirableness of having a model of the harbor of Lyttelton, showing the existing and prospective harbor improvements, prepared for the use of the Board and in time for the Sydney Exhibition. I have received since our last meeting a copy of the annual report of the Marine Department for the year 1878 It is on the table. The secretary has applied for ten days' leave of absence. A slight mishap occurred to the hopper barge Heathcote, by which her bridge was damaged to the extent of about £5. From the report on the table it will be seen that it was purely accidental. engineer's repobt. The engineer's report was read as follows : I have to report that bettor progress has been made this month with No. 3 Intermediate Jetty of which eighteen piers have been driven and capped. 'I he breastwork, between this and the Tunnel Jetty, is waiting for the earth filling, which was to be done by the Government, hut which has not yet been commenced. The Lighter Jetty has been completely removed without further accident than the broken pile mentioned in the last report. The extension of the Intermediate Jetty is completed, with the exception of the planking, which is not yet fixed. The extension of the Screw Pile Jetty has one pile driven. On the Gladstone Wharf extension the outer half is completed, with the exception of a few of the walings, the inner half has been delayed for want of long piles, and six bearing and eighteen fender pile i remain to be driven, nine long new capsills have been substituted for shorter ones, thus avoiding the necessity for scarfing any of the capsills. Mr Lowe, Resident Engineer of the Railway Department, is preparing plans for traversers to be fixed on the jetties, which will be submitted for your approval. The plan for graving dock will be completed in a few days. I have, &c, C. N. Bell, Engineer. The Chairman said as regarded the graving dock he thought they should advertise for tenders outside of New Zealand. If the Board agreed with him it would be as well to give him power to get copies of plans made for transmission to the head offices of Harbor Boards in the various cities of New Zealand and Australia. Mr Harman moved—" That the chairman be authorised to take the necessary steps to obtain photo-lithograph copies of the plans of the graving dock." Mr Turner seconded the motion, which was agreed to. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £5133 2s 9d were passed for payment. THE DEBKNTUBES. The correspondence with reference to the debentures for £200,000, forwarded to the National Bank, London, was read by the secretary; also a supplementary one, drawing attention to the fact that the Stad Haarlem had come into the jetty without any difficulty whatever. The Chairman said he would like the Board, if they approved of the course taken by him in connection with these debentures, to pass a resolution to that effect. Mr Harman moved—" That the Board express its approval and confirmation of the action taken by the chairman with respect to the debentures forwarded to the Colonial Bank in London." Mr Allan seconded the motion, which was agreed to. SCAECITY OF TBTTOKS. The following letter was read from the Minister for Public Works : Railway Department, Wellington, 19th April, 1879. Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 9th inst., and in reply have to say that I have no desire to enter into a war of words, and therefore deem it unnecessary to continue a correspondence which can have no practical result. I have, &c, J. MACANDBIW. Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board.

BESIDENT MAOI9TEATE EOB LYTTELTON. A letter was read from the Government acknowledging the receipt of the resolution of the Board with reference to the appointment of a Resident Magistrate at Lyttelton. The Chairman said that they had had a distinct promise from the Government that the appointment of a Resident Magistrate for Lyttelton should be made at once. He was at a loss to know why it had not bee a done. Mr Aynsley said that Hon. Mr Shoehan had also Btated that he had funds which could be used, and i hat the appointment would be made. The Chairman said the Canterbury members left the Government with a distinct understanding that a Resident Magistrate would be at once appointed. The lotter accompanying the resolution was very strongly

worded in order to brin-' 'he neeM-ity <>f the >. aso under the notice of the Government. The Mayor of Lyttelton having spoken very strongly as to the necessity of the appointment of a Resident Magistrate for Lyttell on. Mr Harman moved—" That, considering the inconvp)iier.eo and loss to which the public is subjected by tho non-appointment of a Resident Magistrate for the Port of Lyttellon, the Government be again asked whether it is their intention to take any step? in the above matter at a very early date." Mr Sawtell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. HABBOBMASTEB'b EEI'ORT. The report of the Harbormaster for the month was read as follows : April 30, 1879. Fir, —T have tho honor to forward for your information a return of the number of vessels and their register tonnage that entered the Port of Lyttelton (hiring the month of April. 187!), also a return of the vessels now in the stream waiting for tho berths, dates of their arrival in port, tonnage, and cargooa : Tons. Forty-f ur steamers ..i » 20,895 Nine English and foreign vessels ... 7,544 Fifteen intercolonial ve sela < 5,974 Fifty-two coasting vessola 1,53-1 35,947 Waiting in stream for ship berths : Ship. Cargoes. Date. Tonnage. Woodvillo coal ... April 18 ... 362 Alma,., coal ... April 21 ... 163 Adelphoi ... ... coal ... April 21 ... 349 Coromandel general Aprd ?5 ... 849 Lady Emma timber April 26"... 2t)2 G. B. S general April 26' ... 572 Isaac Hall gei eral April 28 ... 604 Australian Sovereign coal ... April 30 ... 353 Total tonnage 3484 T have, &c , D, MoLellAn', Harbor Master, Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board. LYTTELTON OFFICE SITE. A letter was read from the Steward of Reserves, stating that tho Minister for Public Works had approved of the offer of the Board for a sito on Norwich Quay for their offices. The site was situate next to the Cup torn' House. Mr Allau tno'^ed —"That the Board approve of the action taken by the office accommodation committee in the matter of the site for offices in Lyttelton, and that so soon as the draft lease is agreed to, Mr Strouts be instructed to prepare plans of the building in stone or brick with cemont Facings." Mr Aynsley seconded the motion, which was agreed to. ADDITIONAL LAMPS. Mr Turner moved—-" That two new lamps be erected; and that tenddrs be invited for repainting those already erected." Mr Sawtell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. MODEL OF HABBOB WOB#3. The Chairman said that, with reference to the forwarding of a model of the harbor works, he proposed that a model should be prepared by Mr Neville, who had expressed his willingness to do so. It would be of very great service to the Board in carrying out their works, and they might lend it to the Sydney Exhibition Commissioners. It was resolved—" That a model of the harbor works at Lyttelton be prepared, at a cost not exceeding £50." LEAVE OF ABSENCE TO SEOBETABY. It was resolved that ten days' leave of absence be granted to the secretary at such time during the current month as the Chairman should decide. ADJOTTBNMENT.

The Board adjourned, to meet again in Lyttelton that day fortnight, at 2 p.m.