NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11125, 18 January 1899, Page 4

NAPIER HARBOR BOARD.

Tuesday, January 17. Present — Hon. J. D. Ormond, M.L.C. shairman),, Messrs G. H. Swan, W. K. fhite, John Bennett, J. H. Coleman, J. r. Williams, T. Crosae, J. H. Vautier, S. arnell, J. V. Brown, and ¥. W. Williams, COKBESrONDENCE. The following correspondence was read nd dealt with :— S. de Beer and Co., shipbrokers, Mellourne, submitting particulars of a firstlass sand dredge, practically new. — 'rice to be asked. Borough Council, accepting Board's Her to deposit the spoil alongside of the ails, Wright-street, at 2s per truck.— Jeceived. Same, intimating that the Council iould not commence removing tho uaterial at Customs House Quay .as repeated, until tho matter had been urther discussed by tho Public Works Committee. — Kaceived. Same, stating that the municipal solicitors having given it as their opinion ;hat the Council's waterworks properties ire not liable for rating purposes, the asked for a refund of rates on the said properties amounting to J234 7s 6d. — Board's solicitor to be consulted. Same, giving the Board notice to fill in town section 538 and 542, Bridge and Waghorne-streets, which were too low, md formed lakes in wet weather. — Engineer to report. Owen W. Jones, master of the ship Brambletye, demanding payment of the sum of .£25, being the sum charged b; the Union Steamship Company for towing the vessel to the ballast ground on December Bth. This happened, he alleged, through the negligence of the pilot not being out to take the vessel to the ballast grounds directly as the wind was fair. — The secretary explained that the sea was too rough afc the time for the harbormaster to go out, and he also had to wait for the health officer, not being allowed to board without that officer, and ,the vessel came in so close that the harbormaster went out in the dredge. Through mistaken signals the master came to anchor in the roadstead, and subsequently had to bo towed to the ballast ground by the Union Company. — Mr Williams said that the pilot was at fault in not having taken the precaution to go out to meet the vessel instead of allowing her to come to an anchorage. The captain had a grievance, for he was charged pilotage whereas he had not benefited by the pilot's services at all. — Harbormaster to be called upon for a report, the health officer also to be asked to inform the Board when he was requested to board this vessel, and what he knows of the affair. E. Wood, enclosing carpenter's account, £8 10s, for work of repairing the damage done to the schooner Marmion by the dredge J.D.O. — The dredge, the secretary expiated, towed the Marmion in, and she ran on a sand bank. In towing her off again the dredge ran into the schooner. — To be paid. haebobmasteb's eefort. . Mr Kraeft reported that since last meeting the arrivals to port were 66 vessels, 45 into the inner and five to the outer harbor, 16 to the wharf. The depth of water on the bar at high water slack was 14ft Oiu, at low water slack 13ft 6in. The depth along the west quay as far as Williams and Kettle's store was good, but from there to the bridge it had shallowed considerably. The entrance to the Iron Pot had also silted up considerably. — Received, engineer's kepoet. / Mr J. T. Carr, the Board's engineer, reported as follows : — 1. Breakwater. — Good progress has been made with the repairs and the protective apron, the last gap hat one, which .has given so much trouble, has been filled in and protected, and a commencement has been made to fill in the liist gap. The amount expended dnring the four weeks ending 12th instant, is as follows :— For wages £238 5 1 For cement 318 18 0 For coal, oils, bogging, &c, &c. ... 34 14 5 Total £591 17~G The work done during same period :— Spoil shifted, 1332 cubic yards at Gd: ... £33 fi 0 Stone obtained, 121 cubic yards nt Is 6d 9 16 Concrete used in hags &c, 120 cubic yards at £1 10s 180 0 0 Blocks made, 21 at £13 10s 283 10 0 Blocks used, 43 at £2 80 0 0 Total £591 17 6 There is great scarcity of shingle for concrete, and we have consequently been unable to make many blocks. 2. Dredge.— The dredge was employed up to tlie 30th nit. in dredging along breastwork, and removed 6345 tons of silt at a cost, for wages and coal only during the time actually employed in dredging, of 2} per ton. On the 30th tilt, the hinges of two of the doors of hopper gave way, and the machinery was at once dismantled and the dredge taken up on to the slip for repairs and annual inspection by the Government Inspector. The work is nearly completed, and it is anticipated that the dredge will be taken off the slip on the 19th inst. S. Western Spit Beach Protection.— Mr Griffin, contractor, is making good progress with the repairs and strengthening of this work, which is now being backed up with stone as it is repaired, A large quantity of stone is now on the ground, and the bulk of materials required to complete the contract, ■ — Beceived. works committee's report, The Works Committee reported as follows : — 1, Annual Contracts.— Tour committee accepted the following tenders for the annual contracts:—(a) Coal, Messrs Barry Bros.; (b) printing, Messrs Leigh and Ball; (c) rope, bagging, oils. Ax., Captain Widerstrom ; (d) ironmongery, Messrs J. J. Niven and Co. 2. Loading and Haulage of Wool from Spit to Breakwater. — Your committee recommends that when wool is loaded by the Board's employes at the Spit for conveyance to steamers at the Glasgow wharf an additional charge of lid per bale beinade, making a total charge of 4Jd per bale for loading, haulage, and tallying, — Adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Finance Committee reported as follows : — Your committee having examined the vouchers and compared them with the schedule of accounts recommends them for payment as follows :— £6l9 10s Id to be charged to general account, £555 6s 2d to be charged to loan account, £5 to be charged to contractors' deposit account j total, £1179 16s 3d. <, — Adopted. THE BREAKWATER. The Chairman said that from a statement prepared by the secretary he gathered that the cost of completing the breakwater to the original end was .£B4OO, and the estimate for maintaining this for three yoars 46500, making a total of .£14,900. If it was possible for them to complete the work to that point it would vastly improve the strength of the breakwater, and he thought they should try and get it done this summer. Mr White protested against any more money being spent until tbey saw what position they were in, and what further repairs were necessary. Mr Bennett said that supposing the breakwater swallowed up the whole of their revenue, and then a disaster came and made a break requiring thousands of pounds to make good, where was the money to come from ? Mr F. W, Williams pointed out that after this .£B4OO was spent in completing the work to its original end they would still have left for contingencies. Mr J. N. Williams asked what assurance they had that the big ocean-going vessels would come to the breakwater when this new contract was completed ? The Secretary said none nt »1J ( apd so far as he knew they would never come in under any circumstances. It might be I ths fault of the insurance agents ; he ccild sot say. By 7 to 4 the chairman's resolution was agreed to, authorising the engineer to proceed with the breakwater to the point indicated in the engineer's report. Ayes — Messrs Brown, Swan, Carnell, Vautier, H. Williams, P. W. Williams, and Coleman. Noes — Messrs J, N. Williams, Bennett, Crosse, and White. MOTION. Mr Carnell moved, " That a return be prepared showing the amount of loan money expended in the construction of the breakwater : the amount transferred from loan account to revenue accounii;

and tbo amount, of money expended on the Western Spit and Goodall's bank." In moving his motion Mr Cornell said that he particularly desired to ' know what Board money was spent on Goodall's bank and the North British freezing works. Mr White said the Board had only protected its own property by the work done at the freezing works, and but for these works the Board would have had to face a large expenditure to protect the -western pior. Tho Board had derived a great deal of revenue from the freezing works, and- he wished to know whether the freezing works had done more good to the Board or Mr Carnell ? The motion was agreed to, and the Board adjourned.