WHANGAREI HARBOUR BOARD.

Northern Advocate, 21 July 1917, Page 2

WHANGAREI HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The usual monthly meeting of tho ! Whangarei Harbour Board was held yesterday at the County Council Chambers. There were present: Messrs H. A. Morey (chairman), J. D. MeKenzie, J. R. Mclnnes, D. A. McLean and W. R. Patterson. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. RECLAMATION AT KIOREROA. A letter was received from the District Engineer, Railway Department, in reference to the reclamation at Kioreroa. The letter stated that the Board might construct a drain inside the failway fence as iproposed, on the following conditions:—(l) The Board shall keep the drain clean to the satisfaction of the Inspector of Permanent Way. (2) Should the drain prove a danger or objectionable to the Railway Department, or should the Department require to lay another line of rails on the same side of the line as that on which the drain is constructed, the Board shall at once have a new drain cut on the Board's side of the fence and fill up the drain on railway land, f The Board decided that the conditions laid down by the Department be accepted. ■GOODS SHED SITE. The Northern S.S. Co. applied for a renewal of the lease of the goods shed Bite at Whangarei town wharf for another year on existing terms. This was agreed to. OAKLEIGH WHARF. Mr R. F. Hardy reported having entered on the duties of collector of dues for tile Board, and stated that he found that •considerable reluctance shown by shippers of cattle to pay the fee as entered in the by-laws. Hβ enclosed a letter from the Farmers' Co-operativg bearing on the matter, and awaited instruction's.

•Mr Hardy also drew attention t<s the state of the shipping pens and yards at Oakleigh. Shippers complained of the bad -state of the timbering, .and the broken fences; also that the yards were not in the moet suitable place, and they suggested that new yards be placed on the other stream -just - above' the goods shed. .Tills site would.,be most suitable, as cattle cou>ld be yarded and shipped without the scows having to give place to the steamer, or wait for her to move. He mentioned that the men and train working on the P W.JD. wharf frightened cattle, and so lengthened the, time of loading, and caused greater 'inconvenience. The yard sadly needed -more metal, as at present it was a regular bog. The Board decided to supply the Farmers' .Co-operative with a copy of the 'bylaws, and inform them that the Board Was bound by those by-laws in its Charges. The Board appointed Messrs McInnes ,J. D. McKenzie, and Jas. D. McKenzie as a committee to consider the matter of the shipping *pens and yards, to report to the next meeting. OFFER OP LAUNCH. M r A. G. McKay wrote from Auckland, offering his launch, as inspected by the Board's harbourmaster, for the sum of £400, and offering to take the Board's launch in (part-payment provided valuation was not too high RECLAMATION AT REOTAHI Messrs W. and R. Fletcher, Ltd., wrote stating that the company desired to put up increased storage accommodation to get over the temporary difficulty of the shortage of refrigerated tonnage, and to do so would require to make use of part of the re claimed area as a site for the buildings. They had applied to the Marine Department to grant a 21 years' lease of reclamations such as tlie'y had made, so as to justify their proceeding with this work—a work which would be of the utmost importance to the district during the next year or two They felt sure the 'Board would approve of the extension of their previous license. The reclamation had already been effected, and the expenditure now proposed would provide a very decided improvement to the labour front at Reotahi

On the motion of Mr J. D McKen zie, seconded by Mr McLean, the" Board decided to make a recommendation to the Minister of Marine in accordance with the request of this letter.

HARBOUR ENDOWMENT The Whangarei Borough Council inquired if the Board was still prepared to lease a portion of the harbour endowment adjoining the borough stables to the Council on the same terms, as were offered by the Boarrl some time ago.

To this letter the following reply had been sent by the secretary to the town clerk:_"in reply to your Council s application for a lease of a nor tion of the Harbour Board endow", ments immediately at fche rear of the iS t S tW ° section s in Walton S/nrV 3m dl f ected t0 sa 5 r the Board cannot give .a long lease without callwm MS tenderS ' for same ' wh *h 7J,nJ ne as SOOn as the Bird's solicitor prepares terms of lease which will include that, in the S of the lessee using the same as a shinPing site that all harbour dues must Pai STTF ad^l°^ to rents and rate"' SITE FOR BOAT SHED. The secretary of the Onerahi Regatta ami Boatmg Club wrote, referring to previous correspondence re site for boat shed on the beach between the railway gates and Onerahi jetty. He had been instructed by his club to advise the Board that the site would be taken for a 14-years' lease, and asked the Board to obtain the necessary license. Owing to the high price ot material, etc., they had -decided to deter building until after the war so wonld deem it a favour if the Board <•!»»]<( let them hold the land free of rental for the duration of the war. The Board decided to inform the club that it uad no power in the matter.

HARBOUR MASTER'S REPORT. The harbour master reported that the turning place at Mangapai had been completed, as far as was advisable, at the Oakleigh wharf, alterations had been made to the truck, the back door repaired, and fitted with an inside bolt, and a padlock and. six keys provided for the front one. The cattle yards were in a bad state, owing to the continued rainfall and the inadequate drainage. The damaged jetty at Onerahi had been again repaired. A fender pile had been broken on the Whangarei Heads wharf —the projecting bolts had been removed. A new style of fender was required, as a deal of time was taken up in repairing and replacing the ones now in use. A trip had been made to the Freezing Works with the committee appointed to deal with the erection of new beacons. Mr Patterson had asked him to drive mooring piles at this landing. A considerable quantity of driftwood, presumably cut and left on the banks, came down with every fresh, and was a source of danger to river traffic. Victoria Quay had been gravelled with shingle carted from the stream at Hoey's bridge. This road required a catch-water drain and culvert. The two punts in use by Messrs Mtrady and Slye would probably bo returned this week. Unlicensed boats were 1 in the habit of towing in the harbour, and the owners would not admit plying for hire. With regard to these unlicensed boats, it was proposed by Mr Patterson, seconded by Mr Mclnnes, that the harbour master be empowered to prosecute for any infringement of the by-laws. This was carried. Permission was granted for the harbour master to put in the piles asked for by Mr Patterson, when he had time. The harbour master was also authorised to have the drain constructed. The report as a whole wae adopted. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer's report was presented and read as follows: — "I have to report having made a final inspection of the reclamation work carried out by Messrs Richards and party at Kioreroa. The contractors, although suffering great hardship on account of wretched weather and other circumstances, have completed their contract in a satisfactory and faithful manner. I would draw attention to the need of a surface drain being made alongside the railway embankment, as a considerable quantity of water seeps through the embankment and lies on the reclaimed area. Permission from the Railway Department to have this proposed drain made inside the railway fence has already been obtained, and I have asked tho reclamation contractors to make an offer for the work to your Board today. Beacons. —I herewith submit design of beacons which are to be erected at the Heads to mark the proper anchorage for large vesesls. Retaining Wall. —Tenders are returnable to-day for the construction of a retaining wall below the town wharf. ,.

The Board adopted the engineer's design for the Deacons, hardwood mr stead of kauri to be used for the uprights. The harbour master was instructed to get the beacons on the way as soon as possible. Richard's and party's offer for the construction of drain was accepted.

The chairman reported that no tender had been received for the regaining wall. Th,e engineer was instructed to employ Mr Cameron to erect the w^Jl. The chairman and Mr J. D. McKen-

zie were appointed to attend the conference of Harbour Boards in Wellington. ■