NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5342, 28 March 1879, Page 4

NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Tuesday, March 25,

Thr board met at 11 a.m

Present — The Chairman (John Buchanan, Esq.), Messrs J. H. Vautier, J. A. Smith, M. R. Miller, John Stuart, Kinross, Robjohns, Lieut. -Colonel Lambert, and the Hon. J. N. Wilson.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

CORRESPONDENCE,

Copies of letters written by authority of the board, and the following letters' received, Avere read : — From the Town Clerk of Napier, forwarding resolution of the Municipal Council approving the resolution passed at a recent public meeting respecting the construction of a breakwater.

On tho motion of Mr Vautier, seconded by Mr Stuart, the letter was ordered to be received.

From ihe Harbormaster, stating that Captain Malcolm of the s.s. Lady Bird is qualified to hold a certificate of exemption from pilotage. It was decided that a certificate be issued to Captain Malcolm to enable him to enter and leave the outer anchorage without a pilot. From the Harbormaster, stating that the. lights at the ends of the piers Avere continually being extinguished by the wind, and that consequently there were many complaints by the masters of vessels entering the port at night. After some discxissson, it was resolved to postpone the consideration of the letter until the next meeting of the board. From the engineer, forwarding plans and reports respecting the harbor, bar, etc., for Sir .John Coode. Mr Vautier raised an objection to the prices quote id for timber in Mr Weber's report. The Chairman said the question before the board Avas xrh at should be done with the report and pla ns. The Secretary, si tid they Avould be sent on, the following da y to Sir John, Coode. The Chairman :. That is for the board to decide. Mr Miller said the plans had been prepared expressly for the purpose of their being sent to Sir Joh.n Coode, and it Avould be a pity if any time was lost in furnishing him with the information he Avas waiting for, to enable him to givo his report respecting the harbor. He moved, " That the report be received and forwarded, with the plans, to Sir John Coode by the outgoing mail." Colonel Lambert seconded the motion.

Mr Robjohns moved, as ah. amendment,, that the consideration of; -the plans and report be postponed until ne2 :t meeting, Mr Vautier seconded the amendment. He thought that the report as it now stood Avould only mislead Sir John Coodo,and at any rate it Avas but a matter of courtesy to the members to give them time to consider the report.

Mr Miller said he had no objection to the report receiving further consideration, and Avould withdraw his. motion for a fortnight if Colonel Lambert would consent.

Colonel Lambert thought, it Avould be a great mistake if any delay Avere incurred in forwarding the plans and. report to Sir John Coode. The plans had taken a long while preparing and it really seemed like wasting time to postpone, their consideration just because there Avas supposed to be an error in the price quoted for timber. If the engineer had made a mistake in that respect it Avould not affect the plans nor the report respecting the harbor aud the bar, and the sooner Sir John Coode had tlie information on those points that had been prepared for him the better if would be.

The Chairman asked Avb ether Colonel Lambert objected to th© motion being Avithdrawn.

Colonel Lambert : Yes. The Chairman said that in that case the motion Avould have to go to the vote.

Mr Kinross thought it would be a pity if there Avere any delay. No doubt Sir John Coode Avas waiting for the plans and tho other information in order to prepare his report. If any mistake had been made in the price ruling for timber, the mistake could be corrected by the next out-going mail.

Mr Vautier had no objection to the plans being forwarded to Sir John Coode, but the report would only mislead him.

Mr Kinross said that Sir John Coode had asked for the information that was contained in tho report, and the board had gone to great expense in acquiring it. The report was hi fact as much required by Sir John Coode as the plans. Colonel Lambert said it Avas well knoAvn by overyone throughout the district that Sir John Coode was waiting the information contained in Mr Weber's report to furnish his (Sir John Coode's report. Sir John had, in fact, applied for the information, and it had been promised to him.

Mr Vautier did not know why the plans and the report had not been laid before the board sooner, They had been

r_r ; yyyyyyyyTTZT^ ~~\ in preparation Tor" the last . six months," and they were now brought on at the last moment. He considered that they should be examined carefully. Mr Miller did not think there were any experts among the board who could correct the report. If there was any error the correction could be forwarded by the next mail. ' Mr Rob John's : Does any member think that when we get Sir John Coode's report it will be acted upon 1 Does any member think so 1 Colonel Lambert : Yes ; I do. After some further discussion, the motion of Mr Miller was negatived by the chairman's vote, and the amendment of Mr. Vautier, that the report and plans prepared by the engineer be considered at the next meeting of the board, was carried. The voting Avas as follows : — For Mr Miller's motion —Messrs Miller, Kinross, Wilson, and Colonel Lambert. For the amendment— Messrs Smith, Stuart, Robjohns, Vautier, and the chairman. engineer's report. A long report was read from Mr Weber, giving a review of the work that had been done in connection with the 1 harbor from some years back up to the 1 present time. ' HENDERSON V. HARBOR BOARD. Colonel Lambert reminded the chair- ' man that at the last meeting of the board ' he (the chairman) had privately handed 1 round among the members of the board a letter in connection with the action by , Mr Henderson against the board. He ! understood at the time that the letter was not to be made public, but he found ' afterwards that both that letter and the reply were published in the papers. 1 The Chairman said that Avas certainly ' the fact, but he Avas happy to say that the ! letter in question had not found its way into the newspaper from anyone connected with the Harbor Board. The secretary had not communicated the letter, L nor had he (the chairman). In fact, he had made enquiries, and had ascertained that the Press had obtained the. letter ' from Mr Rees himself. The .reason he (the chairman) had not had the. letter in question read in the . usual way Avas that in Ohristohurch, when the action was on, the question arose as to what was publicity, and it was then stated that if the ' representatives of the Press were present when a document was read that constituted publicity, and there was a good deal made of that. It avrs out of an abundance of caution on his part, lest publicity might r be injurious to the interests of the board that he had circulated the letter in private, [ not from any desire to keep the matter l secret.

Mr Pirani hoped the chairman would tell the board that he had not obtained any information on the subject from the Press.

The Chairman : Oh, certainly I did not,

POLICE STATION AT THE SPIT.

The report of the committee appointed to select a site for a police station at Port Ahuriri was read. It stated that having visited the various localities in company with Inspector Scully, the committee had selected section No. 3 in the Schedule of reserves attached to the lEndowment Act, 1874.

The report was adopted ACCOUNTS.

A number of accounts were passed for payment.

Mr Vautier called attention to the absence of any account for the services of the steamer Manaia in raking the channel. He believed she was employed at the rate of £6 10s per day, and so far as he had ascertained the raking was doing more harm than good, because the boulders turned over from the places where they had been imbedded, and the bottoms of vessels passing over came in contact with the stones, bumping upon them. He had heard several complaints of the kind from masters of vessels. He thought the work ought to be stopped. Mr Wilson considered that at all events the board ought to know what was being expended in that way.

The Chairman said that authority had been given for the expenditure before the present board had come into existence.

Mr Kinross stated that the employment of the steamer to rake the channel was authorised on a resolution passed on the motion of Mr Chambers, but no time was fixed for the duration of the steamer's services.

After some desultory discussion on the subject, the secretary went to Mr Weber and obtained from him the information that the Manaia had been employed for 31 days at £6 10s per day, and that her services would be required for another week, making a total expenditure of £250.

It Avas decided that the steamer's en gagement should terminate at the end oi the present month.

ROADS THROUGH THE OUTER SWAMP.

The report of the engineer was read, giving, in compliance with Mr J. A. Smith's motion, estimates of the cost of a road through block No. 1 and of a road through block No. 2 in the Whare-o-maranui block, No. 1 being £8300 and No. 2 £800. Mr Smith was about to move that No. 2 road be proceeded with, when he was reminded that of motion was required. appointment op engineer. Colonel Lambert moved, pursuant to notice, that the board take into consideration the advisability of appointing an engineer to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr Weber. He said that his object merely was to keep the matter before the board, so that members might be looking about them. The board would only require an engineer occasionally, and he thought that one of the engineers of the counties would give his services for a small salary. He did not think there would be any harm in having the matter discussed.

Mr Vautier quite agreed with Colonel Lambert as to the advisability of bringing the matter before the board, but he did not think that one of the county engineers would answer the purpose. He moved that an advertisement be inserted inviting applications for the office of consulting engineer at a salary of £150 a year.

Colonel Lambert seconded the motion.

Mr Wilson suggested that a committee be appointed to receive the applications and to report upon them to the board. That, he thought, would simplify the work.

Mr Kinross considered that the board should at all events appoint some one to take over whatever property Mr Weber had had in charge. It was necessary to do so at the present meeting, as Mr Weber's term of office would terminate at the end of the month. Mr Wilson moved as an amendment to Mr Vautier's motion, " That a committee be appointed consisting of Messrs Vautier, the chairman, and the mover, to advertise for a consulting engineer, and to report to the board the result." Mr Miller seconded the amendment. After some discussion, the original motion was carried and the amendment negatived. Mr F. E. Saunders was appointed to take over from Mr Weber the Harbor Board's property. THE BREAKWATER. Mr Vautier moved the following resolution, of which he had given notice in the interim since the last meeting of the board :— " That in consideration of the petition presented at the last meeting of tho Harbor Board, embodying certain resolutions passed unanimously at the public meeting held at the Theatre Royal on the 24th February, 1879, it is desirable that a loan of £225,000 be raised for the purpose of consolidating our present £75,000 loan, and leaving the sum of £150,000 available for the construction of the breakwater at Ahuriri Bluff, as per plan No. 1 supped by John McGregor in 1873,

The loan to extend over a period of fifty year's, bearing, interest at the rate of five percent, per, annum. . For 'the first ten years provide no sinking 'fund, the remaining forty years to provide a sinking fund with interest accruing thereon. On release of the : board's securities on the. £75,000 loan, the board to hand over the whole of the securities^ as per statement approved of by the board fon the 2nd February, 1879, amounting to £180,000,. also all wharfage rates, ..rents, or, any other revenue accruing under the i board, together with breakwater j when constructed and all dues collected thereon." Mr Vautier proceeded' to : read, a statement of approximate revenue and expenditure of the board for the year 1879, the former of which he estimated! at £7075 8s Bd, and the latter at £170,0 14s fid, leaving a balance in favor of; the board of £5374 6s 2d. He then went 'on to show that after repaying <the present loan of £75,000 there would remain £150,000 for the breakwater, and in order to demonstrate that that amount would suffice for, the purpose} he made a statement as to the cost of the work at Oamaru as was at first estimated, and the rate which it was found latterly capable of being done at. He also read an interest account and a repayment account. [All the accounts relating to the loan will be found at the foot of this report.] Mr Robjohns seconded the 'motion. Colonel Lambert said the motion had

taken him by surprise. ! The Chairman : It is quite in order,

Colonel Lambert was aware of that, but nevertheless it had taken' him by surprise, and he was not alone ■ ih that feeling notwithstanding that the motion was in. order. He would read to -the board a letter he had received from Mr Ormond on the subject. The letter was dated last Saturday. In it Mr Ormond said, " I have learnt with considerable astonishment that an important notice of motion has been given since last meeting of the Harbor Board, and that the rules of tli3 board permit this, motion to be considered next -i Tuesday. The proposal which I understand is to be made, is that a loan of £200,000 be raised. As this motion involves very large considerations, I conclude the mover will "cohtent him-, self with placing his proposals before the board, and that their consideration will be postponed to a future meeting. In such case there can be no objection, and I think that will be the course pursued. In my view, before the Harbor Board should enter upon the consideration of bo large. a proposal as that to be made by Mr Vautier, ample opportunity should be afforded to the inhabitants of the whole of the Hawke's Bay district to express their opinion upon it j for there can be no doubt that the only means of providing for the payment of- interest on so large a loan would be by a special tax. on. the whole district that would benefit by the works on which the loan is to be expended. In other words, that the charge of the proposed loan would rest chiefly upon the settlers resident in the Counties of Hawke's Bay and Waipawa. I therefore strongly object to any conclusion being come to in the matter' until the whole question has received careful consideration. My object in writing to you is to ask you to urge this view upon the board in the interest of the Waipawa County, which we represent. I regret that I shall be unable to attend next Tuesday's meeting, as not expecting any business of importance could come on (no notice of such having been given at last meeting) I have made engagements which I cannot now alter." Ho (Colonel . Lambert would now ask that the motion should be postponed. He felt bound to ask that, so that the proposals of the mover might gain full publicity. Mr Miller criticised at some length the figures of Mr Vautier. He (Mr Miller) would give in to no man in the interest he felt in the prosperity of Napier, but he stood in that Council as the representative of Wairoa, aud he was bound to be the ' guardian of their interests. It was not, however, because he wrought hard for Wairoa, or because he wrought hard for the Kidnappers Harbor—(a smile here irradiated the countenance of Mr Robjohns)— and he would continue to Avork for the Kidnappers Harbor ; it was not because he wrought hard for these that he felt any the less zeal for what really concerned the interests of Napier. . But as for this proposal of Mr Vautier's, it would make the board the laughing stock of the whole colopy. And really he could not believe that Mr Vautier was serious. Mr Vautier would not, all events, go to his banker with such a scheme in relation to his own business. Mr Vautier would not go about in his own business crying out that this or that would not pay, let us abandon it, get more money and begin another. The fact was that Mr Vautier did not believe in it himself. (Mr Vautier smiled.) Mr Vautier only made the proposal to gratify the public, and to carry out what was done at the Theatre Royal. (Mr Vautier dissented from that assertion.) Mr Miller continued in, this strain for some time, and ultimately concluded with suggesting that the matter be postponed until next meeting of the board. Mr Robjohns was perfectly astonished at Mr Miller. Why did not Mr Miller go into figures, instead of indulging in such a harangue. Colonel Lambert wished. to move the adjournment of the consideration of the question. The Chairman was afraid Colonel Lambert could not do so, as he had already spoken. Mr Wilson said he would move the adjournment of the debate until the next meeting day. Mr Kinross seconded the adjournment.

Mr Robjohns was quite agreeable to an adjournment, so that the matter should in the meantime obtain publicity, not only in the town but in the whole district. Its feasibility would then become manifest, and something would come of it. Mr Stuart said that the question related to the people at large, and not to a few only. The motion for adjourning the debate was then agreed to. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Ormond to move, " That drawings of Mr McGregor's plans for harbor works at Napier Bluff, together with copies of his reports upon the same, be forwarded to the Government, with a request that the said plans and reports be submitted to Sir John Coode, and that eminent engineer's opinion obtained of the proposed works ; and further, that the Government be asked to urge Sir John Coode to report on as early a date as possible what works he recommends for providing a suitable harbor for the port of Napier." Mr Smith to move, "That the plan marked No. 2 of the engineer's report on the Whare-o-Maranui block of a road and bridge to cost £800, be considered and adopted by the board." ' The board then adjourned until Tuesday, April 8.