HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4419, 12 January 1876, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

Tin fortnightly meeting of the HarbouiBoard was held in the Board Office, Port-j street, yesterday afternoon. PreientMr. J. C. Daldy (in the chair), and Messrs.! Buchanan, McKenzie, Niccol, Cosgrave,! Brett, and 0. Hay. | Mdtotes.—The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. j CORRESPOiv»ENCE.—A letter vras read from Mr. Bigelow asking for a reduction in- his rent. On the motion of Air. Cosgrave, the_ letter was referred to the Endowment Com-; mittee, -with power to act. A letter from Messrs. Welsh and McCabe asking for an extension of time for their contract. The letter was referred to the Works Committee. The Graving-dock.—The report of Mr. W. Errington, in reference to the proposed dock at Calliope Point, was read to the meeting. The report concludes with the following remarks :—" 1. That deep; water can be reached 'at a comparatively short distance from the Bluff; 2. That the site is fairly sheltered. 3. That the foundations are apparently good. 4. That ample earth-filling for reclamation is at hand.! 5. That there is little probability of the entrance silting up, or a necessity for ing. 6. That, independent o£ other considerations outside purely professional ones, which it is not my province to enter upon, I consider the site, takingit "altogether, is adapted to the construction of a tirst-class dock. X estimate the cost of a dock of the following -dimensions, viz. :—Length of floor of dock proper, 345 feet; length of lock to outer caisson grave, 376 feet 7 inches ; length on coping, 403 feet 6 inches ; width of entrance at coping, 55 feet;' width between coping inside, SO feet; depth of water on sill, ordH nary springs, 19 feet; depth to invert on floor of dock, 20 feet; and constructed in accordance with the plans submitted to mej including a wrought iron caisson and all apjpliances complete, for the sum of £120,000, • but that modifications could be made in the construction of details without interfering with, the efficiency or stability of the dock that would reduce the cost by about £25,000, or a total, say, of £95,000. and the reclamation of a suitable site for adjuncts at £25,000 to £30,000, according to the area of land reclaimed.—Upon the motion of the Chairman, the report of the committee upon this subject was adopted. The report of the committee was that the report be submitted to the Board, and that no further action be taken thereon.—A letter was read from Mr. E. 0. Moriarty, explaining that the tenders had exceeded the estimate in consequence of the uncertainty o£ procuring stone of the requisite size near Auckland, and also because of the alterations made in the specifications, which he considered unnecessary. Mr. Moriarty also enclosed a tender from Mr. Oberin for the original dock, with certain alterations suggested.—The Chairman moved that Mr. E. O. Moriarty's letter be acknowledged with thanks, and that a copy of the resolutions of the Board be forwarded to him ; also that the thanks of the Board be conveyed to Mr. Oberin, for the trouble he has taken, and that he be informed that fresh tenders will be invited for the dock. The Chairman said that he thought they had bought their experience, and he felt strongly that it would never do to have the chief engineer in one place, and the other engineer in another. The resolution was seconded and carried nem. con.—The following letter was read from Mr. Errington :—" Sir,—ln answer to your question No. 1, as conveyed to me in your letter of instructions, dated December 17, 1575, I have carefully considered the question of dock accommodation for Auckland, and respectfully submit the following for the consideration of the Board. The dimensions of a graving-dock, adapted to the requirements of the port, in my opinion, would be 335 feet in length, and 13 feet of water on the sill at ordinary high water-mark, which would be between sixteen and seventeen feet at ordinary spring tides. A dock of these dimensions would accommodate with ease such vessels as the Star of Germany, the Assaye, Hydaspes, Carrisbrook Castle, Baron Aberdare, and merchant vessels generally of from twelve to fifteen hundred tons, or vessels of the mail steamer class, in case of emergency, by lightening them, and reducing the draught of water to the minimum. Smaller vessels of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred tons could be placed on raised keel blocks, so that pumping would be unnecessary, making ample room for two vessels at once. Gravingdocks having the same depth of water on the sill, and which are generally admitted to be first-class docks, have been constructed at the ports of Greenock, Bristol, Falmouth, Chatham, Sunderland, six at Liverpool and Birkenhead, and two on the River Thames. X may also add that, being assured that the whole o£ the materials required in its construction are locally procurable, and having gone as carcfully into the estimate of its cost as the progress made in the design will permit, I am prepared to say tile cost need not exceed the sum of, say, £65,000.—1 have, &c., W. Erkingtost, Engineer."—The Chairman moved, "That Mr. Errington's report be received, and that he be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a dock 13 feet on the sill and 300 feet long, and that on completion of such plans and specifications tenders be at once called for the construction of the graving-dock."—Mr. McKenzie seconded the motion, which was carried.

Finance.—The statement of accounts was as follows :—Accounts ordered to be paid : General account, £3294 2s 4d; loan account, £1100 • total, £4394 2a 4d. Statement of funds : Total in bank, £647 4s 7d; cash, in hand, £9 15s 9d : total, £657 Os 4d. Accounts to "be paid, £33 18s 4d; balance, £623 2s; accounts already paid, £3260 4s; moneys voted, £900. Loan account : Balance in bank, £SO3O 19s 2d, less account for payment of £1100 ; balance, £6930 19s 2d. Interest on mortgages, £22,650; interest on deposit at bank, £62,500 : total, £55,180. Mechanics' Say.—The chairman moved that the works in connection with the landslip at Mechanics' Bay bo done on the principle recommended by tlie engineer, and that plans and specifications be made and tenders called for the work, the Board not binding themselves to accept the lowest or any tender.—The motion was carried ncm. dis.

The Intake.—Mr. Cosgrave asked what was proposed to be done to prevent the intake becoming a nuisance. He considered that everything that was possible should be done towards improving the sanitary condition of the city.—The Chairman replied that the matter would be attended-to.

Nortii Shobe.—The Chairman stated that the engineer's estimate of the cost of building a wharf'B feet wide and 60- -feet long at the North Shore would be £668, but a saying of £90 in its cost might be effected by-using the old piles taken from the Queenstreet wharf.—Mr. Cosgrave said there was sufficient wharf accommodation at the North Shore already.—Mr. May said they- did not expect the expenditure of so large,' a sum. The matter was then allowed to lapse.