Harbor Board.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 7, 25 June 1887, Page 2

Harbor Board.

Tnz above Board met last night. Present— Messrs Graham (Chairman), Dickson, Matthewson, Towr ’ey, Sievewrigbt, Sunderland and Gannon. CZSENI Pi IST. Messrs Johnston <fe Co., Wellington, wrote stating that the first shipment of cement, under their contract, was being shipped, and asking when the balance would be required. lue Engineer was instructed to reply, Messrs MoEwen & Co. wrote stating that the balance of the plant was being shipped, and forwarding statement of accounts, leaving a debit balance to them of £1,837 9s Bd.— Received. Bo.'td’s Rrsebvu. Messrs O'Byan and F. Dufaur wrote covering their report, together with plans of the Tauwhareparae Block, the Board’s reserve. After the report was read a unanimous vote of thanks was passed to Messrs O’Byan and Duiaur for their very lull and complete report. On the suggestion of Mr Matthewson, Mr Chambers' name was coupled to the vote as having been of great assistance to Messrs O’Byan and Dufaur. The report was left to the Chairman and Secretary to get prices for printing so that it could be d’stributed. Engineer’s Befori. The Engineer s report only dealt with the progress of works, and was adopted. Harbor Master’s Report. The Harbor Master made his usual report for the month, and added that the freshes had shoaled the bar one foot six in-res ; the Kahu was bar bound for three days; the bank of the Waikanae was working out; there was plenty of water at the wharf, except close alongside the lower berth. The report was adopted, Accident Insurance. Mr Gannon brought up the report of the Committee appointed to inquire into the above matter. The report said that the Committee had investigated the terms offered by the New Zealand Accident Insurance Company, and would recommend that the same be agreed to, Mr Gannon said that personally he thought that all the employees should be made to insure against accidents, excepting those who were already members of Friendly Societies.

A somewhat lengthy discussion took place on the matter, it being eventually decided to confirm the report, the insurance, however, to be optional, not compulsory, and the matter to be left in the hands of the Engineer to airange with the men. Motions. A motion by Major Porter relative to the cessation of all further works on the breakwater was allowed to stand ever until next meeting, the mover being unavoidably absent ; also one relative to the amount of money expended on the harbor works. A Deep Sea Bbeabwatbs. Mr Dickson moved the motion standing in his name relative to the appointment of two Consulting Engineers to confer with the Harbor Engineer as to the advisability of changing the site of the breakwater so as to allow for the accommodation of the oceangoing steamers of the present day. Mr Dickson referred at length to previous motions referring to the same questions. He said it was a very serious matter, and one which was of vital importance to the whole district. He contended that the present scheme would result in a failure, The statements of all nautical men and professional gentlemen acquainted with the plan were agreed that it would ba impossible to work a vessel into the harbor in a South-east gale. The district was really throwing the money away. It was all very well for a populous district, like Auckland, to waste money on useless works, but it meant ruin to a small community like this. Why even that very evening a report showed that the bar hail silted up 18 inches, they bad been told b v the Engineer that the river entrance would be improved, but the contrary was the case. Before long the Western Spit would be bulging into the river, and it would be impossible for vessels to get in at all, Were the breakwater constructed further to the Eastward, the small shipping would then be properly accommodated, Let them then spend the money on a harbor which would be of utility, They would not have a harbor to come into or go out of if the present scheme was gone on with, and he trusted the members would go with Dim in rescinding the former resolution, and get outside advice.

Mr Matthewson seconded, and was proceeding to speak when Mr Sievwright rose to a point of order. He said the former motion had been given effect to and, therefore, could not be rescinded. Tbs Chairman ruled the motion in order. Mr Matthewson continued, He said that all knew his ideas. They would never have a harbor on the present lines. Mr Townley’s sympathies were with the resolution, but he considered it had been brought forward too late, The proper time to discuss the question had gone by. At the proper time the mover and the seconder had objected to any discussion. He had urged that the plans should have been considered when they were first brought up, but no one supported him. He tried to get private subscriptions to get outside advice, but no one supported him. He considered that the mover and seconder had done more to fix the present site than anyone else. The speaker went on to use arguments in f vor of the present scheme being now o' tried on, as he had used on previous occasions.

Mr Chambers drew a comparison between the action of Mr Townley in trying to get outside advice privately as against the actions of some members who had set up “ a man of straw" to bring an action agaiust the Board. Mr Matthewson contended that Mr Townley did not know where the harbor was to be, He (Mr Matthewson) did not know where the site was really to be until the buoys were fixed. The Chairman remarked that when he was in Wellington he was told, quite unasked for by him, that the Board would be quite safe in leaving the work in Mr Thomson’s hands. Mr Dickson denied that he had ever agreed to the present plans. The motion was then put and declared lost Messrs Dickson and Matthewson being the only members voting for it. Payments. The following accounts were passed for payment Wharfinger, £6 ; Weighbridge keeper, £1; Captain Andrews, £l6 13 4d ; Secretary, £8 6s 8d ; Pilot Department, £7 Us: O’Ryan and Dufaur, £6O; W. 0. Sheet, £1 7s 6d; Borough Council rent; £7 10s; petty cash, £5 ;W. Adair, £2 I2s ; Hubble, 10s; C. Hanson, £2B ; Langford, 10s ;H. Partington, 12s ;D. McLeod, £3 ; S. Doleman, 12s ; Government Inspector of machinery, £7 ; P- McLaughlin. £l4 4s ; W. King, £lO 17s 3d; H. E. Johnston, £l4 IBs 5d ; Wingate, Bums & Co., £3O 9a 2d; Boylan & Croll, £42 9s; wages, £22Q 9s,