NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7779, 25 June 1887, Page 3

NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Friday, June 24. The Board met at 2 p.m. Present— Mr i J. D, Ormond (chairman), Hon. J. N. , Wilson, and Messrs J. \V. Neal, T. Tan- ! ner, J. H. Vautfer, M. K. Miller, J. M'Vay, G. H. Swan, R. Harding, and H. ! Williams. j CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was I read and dealt with :— From tlie Railway Department, stating that the sidings at the Spit railway station were completed. — Received. j From Messrs Kinross and Co., asking for a refund of dttos charged when the s.s. Kiwi was compelled to put back into port I through stress of weather. — Money to be I refunded. ' From the Union Steamship Company, asking that the passenger-carrying license | granted to the Boojuni, and not yet expired, might be transferred to the Waihi. — Granted. From Mr T. J.. Steele, Cricklewood, stating that he sent 186 pockets of wool to be shipped by the Northumberland. The wool had to be landed, and wharfage dues were charged, which he desired might be refunded. He also suggested that it was 1 inadvisable for the Board to levy double charges on inter-provincial goods.- -The j Secretary stated that double charges were | never made. The writer must be under some misapprehension. — The application for refund was refused, and the secretary was instructed to inform Mr Steele that i there were no double charges. | Froln the Union Steamship Company, stating that they would hold the Board responsible for damage sustained by the Suva when being brought in by the pilot on June 11th. — The pilot reported that when bringing in the Suva she got foul of the western pier and was slightly damaged. The accident was caused through the bar being shallow, the channel narrow and crooked, and a heavy sea running. A sea struck the vessel as she was being got j in and slewed her on to the western pier. — Received. f I From the Port Ahuriri School Com- : mittee, complaining of the stench from the lageon near the school, as it was affecting the health of the scholars.— The Secretary said that the principal cause of the nuisance was due to a road under the control of flic borough. — Mr Vautier thought that the bad smell came from the largequantities of rotting, sawdust in the lagoon. Mr Swan considered that it was j a mistake to allow the sawdust to be deposited there. — The engineer was of opinion that the stench came from something Mote deleterious than sawdust. — On the motion of Mr Neat the engineer was instructed to report on the matter to the next meeting of the Board. From Mr J. Beatson, applying for a ! license to occupy 10 acres of land at the Western Spit for the purpose of ejecting freezing works. — After considerable discussion it was resolved to grant the request, subject to the assent of of theGoveinor-iu-Council being obtained ; the Board agreeing to recommend assent to be given on condition that an agreement was entered into to erect works of a certain value, the license to be a])proved | by the Board, and to include a provision against sub-letting. It was decided further that the license should be for 14 years, the rent to be £10 per year for the first seven years and £20 a yeav for the second term. From the harbormaster, stating that the anchors and cables of the Northumberland were still in the bay. The agents, Messrs Kinross and Co., had agreed to buoy the cables, and have them lifted by the first ship that arrived. The Halcionc was expected to arrive in about three weeks.— Received. From the same, reporting that the moorings' at the anchorage required to be lifted and overhauled, and placed iv deep water. The letter also stated that there were no springs for use, and that the mortar apparatus could not be depended upon. — The chairman was authorised to have the moorings lifted and overhauled, and to procure springs for four vessels. — Mr Goodall stated that the mortar apparatus had been got into fair working order, and that an order for new rocket apparatus and gear had already been sent to England. From the pilot, reporting 12 feet 6 inches of water on the bar at high water slack, and the channel narrow and crooked ; that the heavy_ freshes in the rivers had caused the partial silting up of the berthage from opposite' Messrs Kinross and Co.'s up to the bridge. — It was decided that the dredge should be set to work at the place indicated as soon as possible. — The engineer stated that berthage was available nearly the whole length of the Iron Pot reclamation, but a little more workingroom wonld have tobedredged out. He hoped to get the Waihi upto the Union Company's offices in a iew days.— Mr Swan said that the Iron Pot worl< i>pneared to bo interniiiabln. T* w •■- mid at its coni:vi) c>'ii...ui tii»i . \u...'.d only take four or C-.v ii:in.l!is, lut it had been going on for eighteen months. The work would have to be urgently pressed forward. — The . letter was received, the engineer being instructed to push on with the work as fast as possible. SIR GEOHGE GREY'S' GIFT. The Chairni&tt read a letter he had received from Sir George Grey, in which the writer expressed his sincere regret to hear of the shipping disasters at this port, and offered to present a lifeboat to the Board for the benefit of the district. The boat, Sir George Grey wrote, was one made by a celebrated maker, White, of Cowes, and would therefore be a good one. It needed lepajuting and a few slight repairs, which &jould be carried out at once if the offer were accepted. The Chairman also read a copy of a letter of thanks he had sent to Sir George Grey for his kindly offer. The dimensions of the boat were 28ft over all, 26ft keel, 9ft beam, and sft. 6in in depth. The engineer recommended the acceptance ot the offer, as the boat would be found very useful. Mr Tanner moved that a reply be sent to Sir George Grey thanking; dim heartily for his kind offer, accepting it with gratitude, and with a cordial vote of thanks for his kindly expression of sympathy in connection with the shipping disasters. Mr Williams : Oh ! Don't make it too gushing ! Mr lanner : I have said what I think is becoming, and if any member likes to move an amendment be can do so. Mr Miller seconded the motion, which was carried on the voices. . ENGINEERS KEI'ORT. The following report from the engineer was read : — Contract No. 13, First Section o£ Brcnkwator.—Owing to the continuance of heavy nous the progress of the works lias been very much retarded. Two monoliths have been added, malt ing 110 feel of finished work. The extent. of foundation blocks laid remains as before, viz., 170 feot. A successful blast was fired, bringing down a large quantity of good useful stone. Contract No. 15, Extension of Beach Protection,—This work has boon satisfactorily completed. Tlio contract time was, however, exceeded by eleven weeks, caused by unforeseen circumstances boyond the control of the contractors. Dredging and Reclamation,— The filling-in bohmd the breastwork in the Iron Pot has been completed, and tenders should now bo called for metalling the surface. The spoil from the dredger isuoing deposited in the intake opposite the Union Company's olllco. For this work tenders were called, and tlio lowest tender was accepted by your approval. Tenders were called for and arc receivable today for rubble breastwork to bo built on cither side of the channel between the two bridges to retain the deposited silt. Landing Shed and Wharfinger's Office. — This work has been satisfactorily completed. Cement Shea Extension.— Tenders for this work have been called, and are receivable today. Manby Mortar.— Successful experiments have been made with this life-saving apparatus. Steel-wire connections were substituted for the green hide formerly used, and found to answor the purposo well. An inch line was ropcatcdly carried v distance of 240 yards, whicli is far beyond the distance nocessary to reach any vessol coming ashore at this port. The report was adopted, and it was decided to call for tenders for metalling behind the Iron lot breastwork. TENDERS. Tlio following tenders were opened -. — Rubble breastwork. — Gleudinning and Griifin, £157 12s 6d ; Hylaml and Smith (accepted), £150, Extension of cement shed. — J. Ilenouf, £79 lOy ; J. Gray (accepted), £78; J. Scon, £111 10* ; K. Chegwidden, £155. VOUCHEKS. Accounts amounting to £2261 Cs 7d were passed for payment, made up of £1559 los 4d loan account, and £701 11s 3d general account.