HARBOUR BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11334, 30 July 1897, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour. Board was held at Christchurch yesterday afternoon;; present Messrs Frank Graham (chairman), D. M’Millan, W. Dunlop, E. Pitcaithly, W. Langdown, J. Joyce, J. Hay, E. G- Wright, D. Buddp, and the Mayor? of Lyttelton and Sumner. The chairman’s report dealt with .the business to be brought before the meeting, and stated that the following sums had been paid in to the Board’s account since last "meeting:—Wharfage £969 2s sd, pilotage and port charges £654 2s 6d, towage, storage, rent, &c., £4OO. ss7d; total, £2023 10s 6d. Accounts amounting to £745 Is would have to be passed for payment.. The Bank-book on the table showed a credit of £5342-0s 8d at current account.' This was after payment.of the £IOOO to sinking fund, the latter amount having been placed at fixed deposit with the Board’s bankers in the name of the Sinking Fund Commissioners. He also announced that Mr D. Bud do had been appointed by the Govern-, ment to the ’ seat on the Board rendered vacant by the death of Captain Parsons.' Mr Buddo’s name was' added to the Barbour Improvement and Finance Committee.

The committee, appointed to consider the question of filling the junior clerkship, in the Board’s office, brought up its report and submitted the names of Messrs P. M. Cleary, W. D. 'Walsh, E. A. Morgan and F. W. Hooke.

Mr Wright thought before a ballot was taken, the Board should he made acquainted with the ages of the applicants, and as to whether they were all, qualified typewriters. He suggested that two' or three more names should he added, as it was understood that no one over seventeen years of age would he appointed. He concluded by moving that the names of Messrs W. H. Bush, C. H. Clibborn and W, H. Joyce should be added to those sent up by the Committee.

The Mayor of Lyttelton thought a mistake had been made in not stating in the first instance that type-writing was one, of tho conditions required. Mr M’Millan thought it was quite necessary that the clerk should also he a shorthand writer. If they wanted a competent man, they should pay more than £SO a year. / 1 ! - - The Mayor of Sumner thought it was unfair to add conditions- at this late stage, when so many application s had been sent' in.' "’’ - A division was then; taken. on' the tion of adding the names, suggested by Mr Wright, and resulted in the motion being; carried by six vote's to five. A first ballot was then taken, and resulted in the names of Messrs Bush and Clibborn being left in, and the final ballot resulted in the appointment of C. H. Clibborn. .

The Board confirmed the placing on fixed deposit for six months the sum of £IOOO with the Bank of New Zealand. It was decided to supply the Marine Department with the plans of the harbour asked for, for publication in a book called “ The World’s Ports.” Messrs Boyd and Keir were allowed another month in which to complete their contract for the supply of black birch timber.

Tho Harbour-master reported that the timber at the old Port Levy jetty was worth £lO, and it was decided to offer it to the Port Levy Road Board at that price, on condition that the piles should not be left in a manner dangerous to craft visiting the bay. Correspondence was read as to ships’ ballast being taken, from Quail Island, in which the Department. pf Agriculture announced its intention to charge a royalty of Sd per ton for all ballast taken from there,'and making: the Harbour Board responsible for its collection. Mr Wright thought the regulation was' a piece of official foolishness, ahd was an unwarrantable interference with the' ballastmen, who would lose their business by such a restriction, as, vessels would load elsewhere. He moved —“That the Board strongly dissents'' from the' regulations proposed.” Mr Joyce seconded the motion, and expressed. the opinion that the Minister knew nothing of the correspondence, which he thought was the act of some official who wished to make up his salary. The motion was carried unanimously, From the Marine Department as to fresh signals for vessels requiring the use of the tug. Messrs Stringer and Cress well, acting for the Lyttelton Borough Council, wrote asking the Board to join with the Council in appointing an arbitrator to consider the question of the Lyttelton sewers. The Chairman read an opinion from the Board’s solicitor, advising that the Council had no claim on the Board, and that it would not be wise for the Board to agree to anv arbitration.'

. It was decided to reply in terms of the Aetter.of the Board’s solicitor. The Board then adjourned until Thursday, Sept. 2, at Christchurch,