HARBOUR BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15041, 8 July 1909, Page 5

HARBOUR BOARD.

LYTTELTON

ii;e Lyttclton Harbour Board met yesterday; present—Messrs H. Friedlander (chairman), A. Kayo. J. A. Frostick, W. Dunlop, 11. .Moore, C. Cook, M. 3. Miller, J. L. Scott, J. Stony, J. Wolfe, F. Horrell. J. Richardson, G. Laurenson. M.F.. J. Lambic, T. D. Boag. T. lE. Taylor, M.P. and 0. AN. Russell, M.P.. and Dr H. J. Thacker. chairman reported that since last meeting the following stuns had been paid in to the Board's account:—Pilotago and port charges £2484 Os 4d, wharfage £lßj7 Os, towage, storage, etc., £1066 7t> lid; total £6307 17s 3d, compared with £5308 Os 10(1 for the same period last year. He proposed to submit a statement of the Board's business for tho sis months ended June 30 at next meeting. Accounts amounting to £7607 2s Id, wmcli had been examined by the Finance Committee, would come before the Board to be passed for payment that day. The bank book on the table showed the current account at the Hank of New Zealand to be in credit £11,032 7s lid. .He was pleased to be able to report that the secretary was making satisfactory progress towards recovery, and intended taking a short sea trip so soon as his -strength permitted. The laying of the telephone cable to the Heads had been completed, and communication was restored on Juno 12. The Post and .Telegraph Department had tho repairs to the old cable in hand, and when it was completed a second telephone line to the J-featls from the Board's Lyttolton offices would be provided. The public might communicate direct with the signal station through the exchange after office hours by means of tho second wire. The outline plan and specification for the 300-ton Priest-man dredge having been completed by the engineer and printed tho Minister of Mariuo was requested tx> allow the High Commissioner to arrange for advertising for tenders in England, to receive the tenders, bold the deposits, and forward the tenders to the Board. The. Board's secretary had been instructed to advertise for tenders in the four principal cities of the dominion. He thought it advisable that colonial tenders should close in Christchurch on. September 15 next, simultaneously with the closing of tenders in London, and that they should be held unopened pending the receipt of tho English tenders. The engineer reported that during the month the dredge Manchester had been engaged deepening the water between the ends of No. 6 and No. 7 iettiec. the western mole, the outer channel, working outwards down the south side from opposite Sticking Point. The total drcdgings for tho period under review amounted to 86,400 tons, or about 62,230 cubic yards. Fail- progress was being made with the reconstruction and enlargement of No. -1 jetty, tho outer piles and caps were in place and the piles forming tho rounded corners were now being driven. The contractor had completed alterations to roof of No. 1 shod in a satisfactory manner. Owing to pressure,on thentruck accommodation and. their requiring their quarry cranes for other urgent work, the Railway Department had had to discontinue supplying stone for the Gladstone breakwater and parapet. It was hoped that tho supply of stone would bo resumed in a few days, when the work of widening to make room for a pathway and the parapet would bo resumed. Specifications, plans and other documents for the new Priest man honoer dredge had been forwarded to the High Commissioner, who would receive tenders for the above vessel. Tenders had also been invited in the dominion. British tenders would be forwarded here for consideration when received by the High Commissioner.

The report?was adopted. The Harbour Improvement Committee recommended that as soon as satisfactory arrangements could lie made.for the purpose all dredged spoil should 1)0 used for reclamation purposes; that the reclamation should be carried out. behind the western breakwater, the approximate area taring 56 acres: that the engineer should be asked to report as to extending the proposed 06 acre;-; that, the Board should rescind the following resolution passed November 1. 1008:—"That in now of the reports of Mr Utug Williams and Messrs Coode, Son and Matthew's having.been referred to a Special Committee, the recommendation of the Board's engineer, that dredginge bo carried out to sea in fine weather and deposited in Little Port Cooper in bad weather, bo adopted. 1 ' Til a report was adopted. The Special Committee to .report regarding the pilot charges for the steamer Ripple trading to the Chatham Islands having received and considered the opinion of the SolicitorGeneral recommended that the owners of the Ripple should be informed: — "That in view of the Crown law officer's, opinion on the Harbours Act, 1008, and Amendment Act, 1008, as it now stands, the Board regret that a .'iteamer trading to the Chat bam Islands and also on tho New Zealand coast in charge of a master or mate holding a pilotage exemption certificate, can only be allowed the benefits of pilotage exemption on her visits to Lytteltoii, while actually trading between ports on the coast, of New Zealand." The committee further suggested that the position of tho Chatham Islands, as defined in the Harbours Act Amendment Act. 1008, should bo brought under the notice of tho Government by the parliamentary members of the Board with a view to having tho Amendment Act altered. The report was adopted. It was decided that stops should be taken to recover £l s 0* Sd pilotage charges on the barque Rona.