HARBOR BOARD.

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3968, 30 May 1885, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above board was held in the usual place yesterday forenoon, when there were present : Messrs G. Sumpter (chairman), T. Meek, G. Dalgleish, W. J. Steward, D. Borrie, J. Falconer, H. Connell, D. Sutherland, and the Hon. H. J, Miller,

After tbe confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting the secretary read the minutes of two meetings held by the standing committee, which were bb follows : " Resolved that the balance of the cement be offered to the Napier harbor board at 14s 8d per cask in bond."

'' Resolved that the duty of collecting information and preparing returns of charges against vessels hitherto performed by Mr Shand, and providing vessels with water, be entrusted to Mr Fairley in addition to his present duties as foreman and storekeeper ; and that as the arrangement may interfere with his work on repairs, the secretary be authorised to provide occasional assistance as may be required." With reference to the light on the Cape and Captain Sewell'a report on same, Captain Sewell Btated that he considered the present site on the Cape prtlerable to the site on the end of the breakwater for the light. The Ught could not be improved as a red light, and he would like to Bee it made a flashing or revolving light. He thought the present lantern could be adapted. It was resolved, " That the secretary for ; tbe Marine Departraant be written to ' asking that the light on the Cape be made and maintained as a coastal light (as per resolution)."

It was resolved that the engineer be a«ked to report as to the timber which Captain Fox had to sell, in order that he tnkht remove the same.

The following tenders for laying the screw moorings were received : Messrs Aimers and Crawford, LlO7 15s; and James Shand, LIOO. The latter was accepted, the work to be finished in six weeks from the 27th instant.

The secretary stated that the work in the channel was exceedingly heavy on the pinions of the dredge machinery, and tha chairman, deeming the departure of the Elderslie a good opportunity, had asked Messrs Kincaid and M'Queen, of Dunedin, to indent for the board wheels and pinions for the first and second motions in the engine room, sending home their patterns for the purpose, as also to obtain an additional length of key for the screw machinery gear.

It was resolved that the action of the chairman be approved.

The secretary reported that he had sent 600 casks of cement to the Napier harbor board, reserving 150 casks. He also reported that Messrs M'Callum and Co. were prepared to take the balance of the cement at the same rate paid by the Napier harbor board. The action of the secretary in this matter was approved. Upon the above business, which was transacted at the meeting of the standing committee, being reported, it was adopted by the board. The outward correspondence was then. > read and approved. The dredgemaster's report was read *v follows : I have the honor to furnish you with my report of the working of the dredge for the month ending to-day. During the month fchn dredge has been emnloyed as follows— 115 hours dredging, 53| hourß di«oh»rging, 214 hourj under steam, and has lifted aud deposited at sea 7000 tons of spoil I have experienced considerable difficulty in dredging out the channel owing to the great quantities of rock and boulders found there, and w*a ultimately compelled to ra. move to another site, where it is not difficult to dredge. Reported thtt it war impossible to continue working in the channel unless euppliod with steel wheels, as the number of breakages amongst the wheels are very numerous aud add considerably to the cost of dredging I was Inbtrnctdd to proceed to Dunedin and have the patterns for the wheels required sent home by the a.s. Elderslie to be oast la •teal and brought out on her return trip, and when fitted I do not anticipate any farther trouble with the wheels.

In answer to questions, the secretary stated that the dredge was now widening the berth where the Elderslie had been lying, so that two vessels could lie abreast, A good deal of the channel had been done by the dredge, but they had found a nest of small boulders which had baen rather severe on the dredge. The least depth in the ohannel was 17 feet 9 inche* at low water. At high water there would be nearly 24 feat of water, but Captain Sewell did not care about any vessel coming in at present drawing more than 21 feet 6 inches. He thought that the dredge would do much better when the steel wheels were obtained, as the wheels seem to be the we&s. point about her. The chaitraan, in reply to a question, slated that the aredge was only covered by insurance to the extent of L 2300.

It was ganerally thought desirable to increase the imount she was insured for considerably, but the chairman pointed out that the insurance companies it was offered to would not take it at 5 per cent, which sura the board was willing to pay.

A letter was received from Mr Gray, secretary to the post and telegraph department, stiting that his department would not press for the L9OO overdue interest on the L 33.000 lent to the board until, aay, July next.

Mr T. Fairley, one of the board's employees, wrote as follows : 1 beg to acknowledge receipt of yours of the 7th May, intimating that by a resolution of the standing committee the duty of collecting information and preparing returns of charges against vessels (dither to performed by MrShand), and providing vessels with water, be entrusted to Mr Fairley, In Addition to his present dutiei as foreman storekeeper, &o. In accepting those amalgamated duties, I would be glad If the board would re-conaider^. their decision with reference to my salary,^ which was reduced 14 per cent,, being th« r only exception of all the board's employees except one which was reduced to that extent, a ad, as you are aware, my duties in many instances necessarily entail long hours, and which csnnot be avoided.

Messrs Meek, Borrie, and Miller each expressed the opinion that this question should not be re-open«d, and it was unanimously concurred in by the other members.

Mr Falconer said ha trusted that they were not heaping too many duties upon Mr Fairley. He did not refer to tho question of salary, which he also thought should not be re-opened, but he had been given to understand that Mr Fairley had to come up to town to collect dues, and look after the repairs to Harbor street, etc.

- The secretary stated that the collecting of dues in town was done by Mr Peach, and the collecting at the port was now done by Mr Fairley, that being part of his new duties. The latter would also require to visit town occasionally with reference to stores, and any repairs that were required to the streets.

A lot of correspondence referring to tha spare gear was referrad to the standing committee to deal with.

A treasury note for L 390 13s 6d, refund of wharf dues, was received from tha government.

Accounts amounting to L 977 10s Id were passed for payment.

The secretary mentioned that he had received the valuation roll from th« munioipal council, and they were now prepared [to make op the rate book for

1885 86, but they had no aothorHv in the minutes to prooeed to levy it. He suggested that a short resolution to that effrct should be proposed. Mr Miller Uiortupon proposed th*t tho rate be levied, which was seconded by Mr Dalgleisb, and oarried. The next business taken up was that of fixing the upset prices of the sections on the reclaimed land. This subject received a good deal of consideration at the hands of members, some of whom at first had diverse views bs to their value. Eventually, it was unanimously agreed to fix the upset prioe at LI per foot for sections on the reclaimed land. Tho old figure of L 26 per section per annum was againde- " cided upon for the other unsold sections belonging to the board. The board then resolved itself into com tnittee to consider several communications from their solicitors (Messrs Hislop and Creagh) having reference to Messrs Maofarlane and Watson's olaim on tho mole contract. Upon resumim , nothing of a definite nature was reported to the board. Mr Connell drew attention to the fact that the district south of the Kakanui, although rated for the harbor, was not in anyway represented on tbe board. He pointed out the injustice of this being allowed to go on without steps being taken to remedy it. That it was unfair members rdmitted, and the following motion, proponed by Mr Steward, and Boconded by Mr Sutherland, wns unanimously adopted : " That tho member for Oamaru be asked to lake steps for the nmendment of the Oamatu Harbor Board Acts, with a view to secur ing a representative on the board for the Olepopo district." This being all the business, the meeting terminated in the customary manner.