HARBOUR BOARD’S POLICY

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1929, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD’S POLICY

CONTRACT ABANDONED. FUTURE PLANS DISCUSSED. A special meeting of the Harbour Board to discuss important matters Avas held yesterday. The chairman, Mr Jt A. Eiuiaysou, presided over Messrs J. E. Holmes, P, Gardner, E. L. Whimp, D. E. Young and Jas. D. McKenzie, the only absentee being Mr L. A. Johnson.

■ As their plaint in use on the sandstone bar contract at Kioreroa. was too light for the remainder of the work and their financial position would not permit of purchasing heavier machinery, Messrs Mounce and Son asked the board to cancel their contract.

The engineer sad that Mr Mounce had met with much ill-fortune, and it was impossible that he could complete the contract.

The engineer said that Mr Mounce Mounce completed the contract the board would have to pay him .*1776, and with £p97 charged against the.job for suction dredging, but not paid, the board Avas not likely to lose anything as the result of the contract being abandoned.

Mr Gardner pointed out that 850 more yards had been -done than paid for, and the board stood to come out on the right side.

The chairman ruled that .tho passing of a motion that Mr Mounce be voluntarily relieved of the contract would automatically remove any claim’ tho board had on the plant. Members Avishcd to view the matter in a fair light, and it was decided not to press tho matter of ownership of the plant, which Avas reported to be of little use to the board. “It is better for ns to finish tho work with our own machinery than force him- to do it,” said Mr Holmes. The motion voluntarily releasing the contractors’was carried without dissent.

INSPECTION OF MACHINERY, The opinion that the board could deal with the completion more cheaply with modern machinery was expressed by several members, and it was resolved that members inspect machinery in the Kaihu Valley. A newspaper representative will bo invited to accompany the party. CLEARING THE CHANNEL. * ■' Immediately after the Holidays the grab dredge will be employed to do work to the value of £3OO in removing shallows in the river channel between the Town Wharf and Kioreroa. FUNDS DEVIATED. ■' Before discussion opened on two recommendations concerning future policy at Kioreroa, which were taken in committee, Mr Young asked the chairman whether the principal object of the harbour improvement loan of £120,000 had been carried out, or whether the money intended for obtaining a 20ft depth of water to Kioreroa had been ideviated and spent elsewhere, 'Mr Finlayson said that was the position and the board would be lucky to secure a depth of 16 feet with the funds remaining. WORK CONTINUES; ' It was decided to keep the dredge in commission at Kioreroa while negotiations for machinery are in progress.