OPUNAKE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 July 1924, Page 3

OPUNAKE.

THE HARBOUR BOARD. At the monthly meeting of the Harbour Board on Fiiday those present were: Messrs. T. P. Hughson (chairman), H. Young. T. H. FI. Sinclair, A. H. Moore. U. A. Trotter and I*. Ferguson. It was decided to give the Puolic Trustee notice of withdrawal of loan money deposited at the rate of £10.60 per month, this being the estimated amount required to carry on the harbour works. The total amount on deposit with the Public Trustee is £’27,000. The interest accrued on this to March 31 last amounted to £1099 14s od. Permission was granted O. G. Northcott to i-emove boulder stone from near old jetty site for Town Board work at the usual royalty of 6d per yard. An’ application by Mr. J. DeCastro for compensation for loss of grazing of board’s reserve at harbour works, suggesting that lie be given the last year of his lease free of charge was referred to the works committee to report to next- meeting. The transfer of a board’s quarter acre from J. Harrigan to Jas. Wilson and another from A. Richards to Richards and McKinley was approved of. Mr. Corkill reported as follows on the work done during the month : Staging.—Steady, though slow progress has been made on the staging construction, eight piles having been driven, making a total of ten jn place to date. Work is now being done on the fourth pier of piles, and caps and stringers have been placed up to the third pier. The loose boulders in the filling and at the upper part of the beach have given considerable dilficulty. but I anticipate that the work will become easier and quicker as the workproceeds. Ironbark timber.—All the beams in the first consignment have been delivered, but the piles are still in storage at New Plymouth pending transport. Freights.—An amount of £72 16s lOtl has been refunded by the Northern Steamship Co. on account of error in charges for freights on winches in December last. Roach—The Opunake Town Board has, as agreed, paid the sum of £44 Is being its half-share of the cost of formation of Hector Place. Rails. The rails of which the purchase was authorised at last meeting have already been disposed of and ere quiries are being made for others. Labour. —The labour employed remains as before. The report was adopted. The engineer was instructed to dispose of old metal taken from old jetty piles to best- advantage. About 2cwt was saved. In connection with cliff excavation at the mole and wharf sites, Mr. Moore asked how much earth would be required to make the., approaches. He held that work on the euttiim- should be suspended until part of the breakwater was put clown to protect the earthwork when tipped down. The engineer stated the excavation work had to go on in order to make room for cranes to work. Mr. Moore also wanted to know if the men employed were paid wet or fine, and whether they worked full time or not, to which the engineer replied that men employed were'paid only for actual time worked. Some of the men bad lost time in June through wet weather The rate of wages paid depended on a man’s ability. The chairman said the board had confidence in the engineer to keep the men properly employed, and he believed the "Jf re Tarrying out their duties faithfully.—Times.