HARBOUR BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12539, 28 June 1901, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

ORDINARY MEETING.

An ordinary meeting of the Lyttelton. Harbour Board was held at. Lyttelton yesterday afternoon; present—Messrs E. O. Wright (in the chair), J. Ronnie, W. Dunlop, Hay, R. PitcaatMy, G. Laurenson, I. Gibbs, A. Kaye, J. Coxmal and the Mayor of Lyttelton. An apology was made for the absence of the chairman, Mr F. Wayxnouth, and) of Messrs Buddo and; Graham. The Chairman stated that the amount to credit of No. 1 account was £11,683, and' that, to credit of No. 2 account £1282 3s sd, A wan of; £15,000 was on fixed) deposit on No. 1 account, and £6OOO on No. 2 account. A letter was read from the Union Steamship Company, protesting against the dredge being anchored at night in the fairway, near the entrance to the moles, where she worked during the day, and complaining that it constituted an obstruction. The Mararoa was particularly inconvenienced thereby, and on one occasion the captain of that vessel declined to go out without the tug. A report from Captain Clark, the harbourmaster, stated that the dredge ‘ was nob right dm the way of steamers entering or leaving the moles. She was not left at night where she worked during the day, but the captain was instructed to move to the eastward at night. After some discussion, it was decided to send the purport of the Harbourmaster’s report to Mr Lambie, ■agent for the Union Company. It was decided to advertise for applications for the position of third engineer of the dredge : , Manchester, the appointment to be left ■ in the hands of the chairman. Accounts amounting to £2982 were passed for pay- j ment. The Harbour Improvement Com- | mittee’s report was adopted 1 . It reccm- ' mended that the question of lighting near j No. 5 shed! bo left in the hands of the chairman with power to act, and that an advertisement be inserted inviting offers of a suitable site or residence for the harbourmast,or. It was decided to advertise for office accommodation for the Board in Christchurch. A letter was read from the Bluff Harbour Board, suggesting that a clause should be inserted in the Harbours Act giving permission tri harbour boards to remunerate , their chairman, , end asking, that the Lyttelton, Harbour Board ; would support ‘the proposal. The Chairman mov-: e l, “ That the .Board regrets that it is ira- ; able to endorse the views- of the : Bluff Harbour Board as to-a permissive clause.” • Mr Gibbs seconded the motion, which was: I agreed td, .' 'A'letter.' was, read l ,’from the; I Titnaru Harbour Board, asking the. Board; to support an amendment of; the law so as to give power to invest trust'funds inharbour board funds., It was decided to; endorse the recommendation, and to : re-: quest the Parliamentary representatives oh the district to support it. Messrs W.: Simons and Co., Renfrew, wrote , recant-: mending the substitution of wire ropes for chains for the dredge ladder hoisting gear. The cost would be -£270 f.o.b. Glasgow. It was decided to order the wire rope at; the cost mentioned. A letter was read from the Marine Department, Wellington, asking the Board’s opinion on the proposal to place a tablet to the memory of the late Sergeants Rule and Wiggins on the Cave Rock at Sumner. It was decided to reply that the Board had no objection. The General Manager of Railways wrote, agreeing to the extension of the lease of Nos. 2 and 5 sheds for three months from June 30. A letter was received from the Railway Department, stating, in ' reply to a letter- from the Board, - that it was the duty of the Harbour Board and l not of the, Railway Department to provide cranes, 1 etc., for Lyttelton,' arid that cranes might ho considered part of the general equip-; ment of the port, I to be provided by the Board, which enjoys the port revenues. Mr Gibbs mo-red. “That the letter be referred to the Harbour Improvement Committee to report.” tlr Kaye seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Chairman moved—" That the Finance Committee consider the equity of granting some increase of {'alary to the executive officers.” Mr Kaye seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr Laurenson said that lie wished to refer to a I question of privilege- One of the employees j of the Board' had' reported certain matters to Mm, which he had deemed necessary to'bring before the Chairman of the Board, who had investigated the matter, but had called the employee in question aside and j had toM him that if he again gave information to a private member .of tbe Board | he would be suspended. Now, if that was i to bo the position of affairs, he . would rather not sit on the Board. It seemed to

him that employees should certainly be at liberty to give information to members of the Board. Mr Wright said that he thought it would be better to bring the matter up when the chairman was' present. Mr Laurenson said that ho had just mentioned the matter in order to have the principle settled. It would be four months before ho, would again ■be present at a meeting of the Board. Mr Wright said that so far os ho was personally, concerned, he thought so long as employees con-’ fined their information: to the members of tho Board, and did not talk to others, no harm was dona It was decided to hold tho next mooting of tho Board) in Christchurch on Thursday, August 1. The meeting then closed.;.