HARBOUR BOARD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16646, 3 September 1914, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. The Lyttelton Harbour Board met yesterday; present—the Hon R. Moore (chairman) and Messrs H. Friedlander, P. Horrell, T. D. Boag, J. Stony, G. J. Harper, J. J. Dougall, A. Kayo, M. J. Miller, G. Scott, J. R. Webb, C. Allison and J. Little. The chairman reported that since last meeting the following sums had been paid into the harbour fund account:—Wharfage, £3093 0s Id; pilotage and port charges, £IOO7 2s 2d; towage, storaga, etc., £lll4 10s 2d; total, £5214 18s od. Tho cash revenue for the eight months ended August 31, 1914, amounted to £50,597 8s 9d, as compared with £47,384 19s lOd for the corresponding period of last year. There was a sum of £2082 18s 6<J standing to the credit. of the hnrhour fund account, which was just about sufficient to provide for payment of tho unpaid accounts, amounting to £2090 13s 7d, to be passed for payment that day. The special renewal fund amounted to £33,547 10s, of which the sum of £10,347 10s 2d was available to meet immediate requirements. During tho. past month 194 vessels, comprising six oversea and 108 intercolonial and coastal vessels, had entered the port of Lyttelton, with a total net tonnage of 146,057 tona • as against 222 vessels, aggregating 174,107 tons, during the corresponding period of last year. The report was adopted. The engineer's report for the month stated that the dredge Canterbury" had been engaged deepening and widening the entranoe channel and maintaining the depths in <he open parts of the inner harbour. Work at the Gladstone Pier outer wharf reconstruction and enlargement was well forward, the pile driving being now 36 feefc from the original end of the wharf, or 86 feet from tho new outer end. The lower decking to carry tho railway lines was now being laid, and the Railway Department had been asked to proceed with the laying of the railß in order that the upper flush drck might ' follow on. A detailed design had been prepared for a sieel raking pile-driving frame for driving I ho raking piles of the new No. 8 jetty. It was necessary to proceed with this work so that the Board's operations continue, to avoid men being thrown out of employment. This frame was arrhiiged so that it would be available for use as a floating sheerlcgs of ten tons capacity. Tho report was adopted, and it was decided to authorise tho calling of tenders for tho construction of a raking pile driving frame. Tho Harbour Improvement Committee reported on the Lyttelton Borough Council's application for a ten years' lease of the jetty site at Diamond Harbour, recomrilonding that the license should fee granted to tho Lyttelton Borough Council to use and occupy the jetty site, and that the Board should j undertake to erect a jetty on the 6ite

at; a cost not exceeding £350, tho Lyttelton Borough Council to pay £44 per annum as rental. The report was adopted. Tne Finance Committee recommended tho pavment of accounts amounting £4851 14s 7d. Further, that tho sum of £6OOO should be remitted to London by a sixty days at par, to meet the half-year's interest on the Board's £200,000 6 per cent loan, duo on December 31, 1914, and that the works of Lyttelton should be carried on as usual. The report was adopted. . Tho general manager of railways wrote acknowledging the receipt of the Board's letter offering to purchase excavated material from the tunnel, and stating that in the event of tho duplication being undertaken the Department would deliver in trucks at the reclamation such material as was not required for railway purposes at 2s per ton, the probable quantity being 100,000 tons. The letter was received. A letter was received from the secretary of tho Open-air Home for Children Fund soliciting a donation from the Lyttelton Harbour Board in aid of tho fund. Tho matter was referred to the Harbour Improvement Committee. »

It was decided to hold the next meeting of the Board at Lyttelton on October 7 at 11.20 a.m.