AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9494, 25 April 1894, Page 6

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD.

The regular meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present: — Mr. A. Porter (chairman), Messrs. McCabe, Holland, Wright, Parrell, Julian, Henderson, Devore, Witheford, and Alison. Notice to Mariners.—The Marine Department of the Government of Bengal sent a notice to mariners in regard to. the withdrawal of telegraph cable buoys in Sunda Strait. Received, and ordered to be posted in the Board room in the usual manner. Thanks.—Mr. Frank Hyde, secretary of the Postal Conference held in Auckland on the 19th March, conveyed a rote of thanks to the Board for the use of their offices, for copies of annual reports, and for other courtesies kindly extended to the members of the conference. The letter was received. Motdihi Quarantine Station. — The Stock Inspector, Auckland,, wrote as follow: —"To provide prompt communication between Auckland and Motnihi in the interests of owners whose stock is quarantined there, would your Board arrange that the signalman at North Head should advise me if any signal, such as a disc or flag, was hoisted on the flagstaff on that island. It would not be necessary to keep a look-out for such signal except when stock is m quarantine. I shall be much obliged if, pending some arrangement, your signalman would be asked to report any flag he observed to be hoisted, as there is a valuable bull of Mr. Morrin's now in quarantine. If desirable, some payment might be made for each notification of a signal. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr. Henderson, that the harbourmaster make the necessary arrangements, with the signalman. Embarkation of Sheep. — Mr. Alex' McGregor for the owners of the s.s. Rose Casey, applied for a permanent permit to discharge and embark sheep. It was agreed to grant a permit similar to that granted to Messrs. Bnckland and others.

Repairs of Breastwork.—Messrs. Hogan wrote that they were compelled to repair the breastwork of their allotment in Customstreet West, at a cost of £8 14s 6d, and asked the Board to refund the amount. The chairman pointed out that one of the conditions of the lease was that the lessee should keep the breastwork in repair. On the motion of Mr. Farrell, seconded by Mr. Devore, the request was declined. St. Barnabas Point.—Mr, orris Duval wrote asking at what price the Board would lease to him St. Barnabas Point, including the old fish-sheds, the Board reserving the right to run a roadway to St. George's Bay. Referred to the Finance Committee.

The Circus.— Mr. P. Doran applied for the use of allotments on the reclamation for a month, for the purpose of erecting.a tent for public amusement, and he offered to pay £1 per «week. The chairman said the tent was erected already and the Board had received the first week's rent. Mr. Devor.e considered it should be made a condition that persons obtaining such privileges should not be allowed to sublet, and this was agreed to. Freeman's Bay.—Messrs. Leyland and O'Brien applied for the right to oc ipy allotment No. 8, Freeman's Bay, subject to, say, six or twelve months' notice on either side. Referred to the Legal and Finance Committee, who are also asked to report on the advisability of letting other allotments. Crane Dues.—A memorandum was received from the Union S.S. Company stating that as the Tongariro did not intend to use the big crane they were prepared to use it to ship machinery per Ovalau, provided the charge for 12 lifts is £710s. The chairman said the usual charge would be £14 under the by-laws, and he should certainly not recommend the reduction of 50, per cent, without an expression of opinion from the Board. Mr, Farrell moved, " That the application be acceded to under the special circumstances." Mr. Devore seconded the motion, and it was carried*

Triangle Reserve at Devonport. — Re the letting of this reserve to the Devonport Borough lor recreation purposes at a nominal rental, Messrs. Russell and Campbell, solicitors to the Board, advised that the Board had no power to let endowments for nominal rentals, being pledged as security for a loan under the Harbour Board's Empowering Act, 1882. The Chairman moved that fch« letter bs received. Mr. Devore suggested that the letter be sent to the Finance and Legal Committee to report on, and this was adopted. Works and Tariff Committee. — The report of this committee details of which have already been published, was submitted and the items were discussed seriatum. One recommendation of the report was as follows : That the consideration as to roadway to Calliope Dock be deferred, the foreman of works to report as to the cost of water channel close to the hill and diverting same across roadway, Mr. Alioon aoiiecl the committee for a reason why this matter was deferred, and said that unless a cartway was made to tho dock before the winter the dock would be unapproachable by carts. Mr. Farrell explained that the committee considered the cost would be too great, and the consideration was deferred, so that the foreman of works might report on the cost of a drain along the base of the hill, with culverts to carry off the water. They thought if the road was kept dry in this manner, it would not be necessary to metal it at present, and the matter was simply deferred until the next meeting of the committee. The other items of the report, with the exception of one regarding the electric lightning of the wharves (referred to elsewhere), were adopted without much discussion. Finance and Legal Committee. — The report of this committee was submitted. The accounts, amounting to £440 10s, were passed for payment. An item that the committee had no recommendation to make in respect of licensing wharf porters, was on the motion of Mr. Devore referred back to the committee for further consideration. Regarding information for a year book the committee had recommended that the consideration re information for the year book be deferred until Monday, 23rd instant, at half-past three o'clock. The chairman said that the meeting did not take place. It was agreed that the Board as a whole meet on Friday next at half-past three p.m. to complete the work, the sub-committee to submit a report to the meeting. Recommendations that the secretary take proceedings to recover all rents due, and all shipping wharfage and goods wharfage in arrears if not paid within fourteen days after notice, were adopted without discussion.

Cash Aocodnt from 10th to 23rd April, 1894, inclusive.—The following statement of funds was submitted To balance at Bank of New Zealand, £3815 15s 6d ; cash in hand, £14 13s 9d ; routs, £337; shipping wharfage, £89 9s 2d ; port charges, £76 lis ; harbourmaster's fees, £11 18s 4d ; pilotage, £7 10s ; quarterly shipping wharfage, £2 18s ; crane dues, £2 6s ; weigh fees, £8 15s ; cab tolls, £6 ; dock dues (Auckland), £31 14s 8d ; dock dues (Calliope), £52 4s 9d ; import wharfage, £507 3s lid: export wharfage, £53 14s ; storage, £42 10s ; vehicle license, fjs : total, £5060 7s Id. By sundry payments, £163 2s Id ; advances to A. Graham (included in accounts passed for payment), £20; Balance at Bank of New Zealand, £4832 lis Sd ; cash in hand, £44 13s 7d ; total, £5060 7s Id. Accounts passed for payment, £440 Os lOd; less already paid, £20— £420. Balance in bank and on hand, £4877 5a : accounts for payment a3 above, £420 0s 10d-£4457 4s 2d. Foreman of Works' Reports.—A number of reports were presented by this officer. The Priestman's dredger, No. 2, had been damaged while in use by the contractor, but repairs had been effected at his cost. Re lighting Calliope Dock, he said he had been unable to obtain the requisite information, and at his request the matter was allowed to stand over till next meeting. The question of erecting a urinal shed on the wharf, at an estimated cost of £27, was referred to the Works and Tariff Committee. He also reported on certain repairs to wharves and jetties, the painting of offices and sheds, and painting the kerbs on the wharves. On the latter subject, he said that the tar showed through the paint, and he recommended that white boards be fixed along the kerbs. This was referred to the Works and Tariff Committee. In regard totheFreeman's Bay reclamation and the proposal to construct a channel through it at the joint cost of the contractor and the Board, the foreman reported that he had gone through the plan, and estimate prepared by Mr. T. B. O'Connor, the contractor, and believed the work could be done at the amount of the estimate, £148 6s Bd. Mr. Devore and other members question the utility and stability of such a work as that proposed, but Mr. Witheford opposed a proposition that it should be referred to a committee. It would be unfair to the contractor to keep him waiting, and besides it would rest entirely with the contractor to maintain the channel when it was made to enable him to deposit debris on the inner portion of the reclamation. Finally the plan, specification, and estimate were referred to the Works and Tariff Committee to report. Wharfinger. — The Board's solicitors submitted a form of authority to Mr. Duder, wharfinger, to prosecute in cases of breaches of the by-laws. The seal of the Board was attached to the authority, and it was signed by the chairman. "Birkenhead Embankment. — Tenders were received for the construction of a rubble embankment at Birkenhead. The estimate was £126. There were seven tenders sent in, but one was informal, the deposit cheque not being marked as required. The other tenders were. Greea and Co., £196 10s ; John White, £157 ; R. C. Hooper, £154 W. Hughes, £159 S. White, £130; and G. W. Simpson and Co., £128, She latter was accepted, .