NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7931, 21 December 1887, Page 3

NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Tuesday, December 20. The Board met at 2 p.m. PresentMessrs G. H. Swan (in the chair), J. W. Neal, H. WUliamß, P. Dolbel, R. C. RobJohns, J. H. Vautier, M. K. Miller, J. G. Kinross, and J. M'Vay. ■ CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was read and dealt with :— From the Marine Department, notifying appointment of Mr J. G. Kinross as inembsr of the Board. — Received. From Mr J. D. Ormond, stating that the Board's bill had passed, and- asking that a Bmall committee be appointed to take action thereon as to the floating of the loan, and that the engineer prepare the working plans for reclamation of the lagoon. — Messrs Neal, Vautier, and Miller were appointed a committee to act with Mr Onnond, the engineer to prepare working plans by next meeting. From the Survey Office, requiring particulars of leases of reserves. — Information to be furnished. From the Marine Department, approving the proposed lights on the western pier.— Received, From residents on the Western Spit and at Petane, objecting to nightsoil being deposited on the Petane beach by the Borough Council. From the Borough' Council, asking permission to form a road on the Petane beach for cavting nightsoil,— Permission was refused, after an animated discussion. From Messrs Neal and Co., forwarding bill of lading of cement ex Eugenic —Received. From Mr J. M'Aneny, applying for a license to occupy a portion of the foreshore for the purpose of erecting salt water baths.— Referred to the engineer for report. < From the N.B. and H.B. Freezing Company, asking permission to sink an artesian well on the Board's property near the Tutaekuri bridge.— Request granted, the engineer to select the place for the sinking. From Messrs Richardson and Co., complaining of the s.s. Wallabi having been allowed to trade as a lighter withoutpaying pilotage fees, and requesting the Boardto take aotion. — The secretary explained that pilotage had not been paid, except in two instances after the question was raised by a previous letter from Messrs Richardson and Co., and there had been an understanding on the part of the Board that the Wallabi would pay pilotage fees until a license to trade as a lighter conld be legallyissued.— Captain

Plumley, master of the Wallabi, wrote o the same subject, claiming that as measurement of the vessel proved her t be legs' than 100 tons she was entitled t be exempt fro v pilotage fees. — Mr M' Va moved that all pilotage fees due up to th time the Wallabi was measured be paic —Mr Miller moved an amendment to th effect that the two pilotage feea alread paid be refunded, but subsequently witl drew it. The original motion was the pnt and negatived, and no further actio was taken. i " From the wharfinger, stating that th Frank Guy had been used as a store shi without permission from the Board. De mand had been made upon Messi Richardson and Co. for wharfage dues o: goods stored in the vessel and subse qnently re - shipped. — Referred to th solicitor, and action to he taken upon hi advice. From the assistant wharfinger, applica tion for increase of salary, and simila letter from the assistant clerk.— £lo pc year addition in each case granted. The pilot wrote reporting a depth o 12ft Bin on the bar. There were tw< banks between the piers, one near tin eastern pier and one half way betweei the piers, with a narrow crooked channe between them, with a depth of 13ft 6in ii it. The bank half way between the pien had now a depth of only 10ft 6in on it a high water slack, and it was almost im possible to clear it when bringing vessel! in. — Engineer to report. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The following report by the engineei was read : — Contract No. 13. — First section of break water. The breakwater hassteadily advanced The bloofc wall was extended 50ft, making b lengthot 130 ft, and the monolith was extended fllft, which makes a length of 274 ft of finished breakwater. Dredging.— The dredfre has been chiefly en> gaged in deepening berths at the west quay, a part of the time in the Iron Pot, when the west quay was crowded with vessels. Iron Pot goods-shed. — 'fenders wero called for this work and are due to-day. Cement. — Tenders should he called for noxtmeeting for 2000 tons Portland coment to follow ud the present contract. Wharf for the North British and Hawke's Bay Freezing Company.— The work as proposed by the Company and shewn on Plan A is absolutely necessary for the carrying on of the proposed works, and cannot in any way interfere with the ordinary traffic or do any other injury. To make it efflcientthe boulder bank as shown in the plan will have to bo cleared away from in front of tho wharf to the point marked Am plan. The removal of this bank will tend to dissipate tho line gravel bank lower down the channel and will greatly improve the passage and be of advantage to the general traffic. Bank opposite West Quay (Plan.B).— This bank, on which the Kate Tatham grounded, ends opposite to Messrs Williams and Kettle's store near the Customs >C shed. There iaa navigable channel of 200 ft between tho wharf and the bank. Thia bank occasionally increases or diminishes and is influenced by the floods. Dredging in it can only havo temporary influence, as the first flood would fill up the deepened portion. The only effectual way of dealing with this bank is to partially fill up some parts of the channel under the Petane bridge, so as to induco a greater flow of water along the south channel and so increase its depth and width. Cutting up Ahuriri Lagoon.— Plan C shows how the lagoon between Battery-road and Spit town may be cut up and approved by the committee who considered tho matter. The blocks tinted bluo are recommended to be reserved for Government railway purposes Instead of what was agreed by the department. Allotments available for immediate leasing are shown in shaded lines and tinted red. Other allotments.— Plansare being prepared for leasing all vacant sfactions on tho Western Spit, and for cutting up tho block of land opposite the Union Company's office at the Spit. It was decided to call for tenders for the supply of cement. In connection with the paragraph in the report dealing with the question ef a wharf for the N.B. and H.B. Freezing Company, it was agreed to grant permission to the _ company to construct a wharf on the site shown in the tracing, subject to the approval of the Marine Department, and on the understanding that wharfage dues would have to be paid, on all goods landed at or sent away from the wharf. TENDERS. The following tenders were 'opened : — Iron Pot Goods Shed.— H. J. Holder, £177 ; J. Renouf, £}59 18s ; J. Hunter, £194 4s; J. M'Aneny, £215 7s 2d; D. Robertson, £164 6s Id ; G. Neill, £147 ; J. Fleming, £147. Some discussion took place on the^uestion as to which of the two equabtenders should be accepted, and finally, on the motion of Messrs Vautier and Kinross, the tender of J. Fleming was accepted. Stores.— Three tenders were received for the supply of stores, from Messrs W. Boyd,- Ruddock and Fryer, and N. Williams and Sons. It was decided that the secretary should go through the schedule and compare the prices, the result to be submitted to Messrs Swau and Neal, who were authorised to accept the tender that proved to be the lowest. Carting.— Tenders for carting were received from Messrs Amner, Gray, Beach, and Smith, and Cranby and .Prebble. The tender of the latter at the following prices, being the lowest, was accepted :— Single horse dray and driver, 12s per day ; pairhorse dray and driver, 15s 6d per day; horse and driver without dray, 10s per day ; general carting as per two paragraphs of specifications, Is and Is 5u per load respectively. ACCOUNTS. Vouchers amounting to £4601 18s 4d, made up of £2457 15s 2d loan account, and £2144 3s 2d general account, were passed for payment. TARIFF CHARGES. Pursuant to notice Mr M. R. Miller moved the following resolution :—" That a select committee, consisting of Messrs Ormond, Vautier, Harding, Neal, M'Vay, Williams, Kinross, and Miller be appointed to revise the whole tariff of charges of this Jtfoard, with a view to establish such a scale of rates as will obviate the necessity of striking a rate on the district affected ; and further, that a portion of the committee's duties shall be the equalising of existing rates, so as to act fairly on all olasses of the community."' The motion was seconded by MiHarding. In support of the motion, Mr Miller referred to the fact that when the Board's credit balance fell to £1500, it was provided by Act that a rate must be struck. The Board were expected to carry out many improvements which were reasonable and necessary, and desired to do so, but this would involve an expenditure of from £3500 to £4000. It was necessary that more revenue should be obtained, and this could be most fairly done by rearranging charges which were now most unequally levied. The balance to the credit ot the general fund was only £5374 Os Id, and this would be reduced by the Ist of January, by the liquidation of present liabilities, to £3230 16s lid. Mr Miller urged that the increase of revenue necessary could be obtained by the equalisation of rates he advocated, and that at all events it would be a wise step to appoint the committee to consider the matter. The motion was put and carried unanimously, and the Bbard adjourned.