WELLINGTON HARBOR BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 421, 6 March 1880, Page 21

WELLINGTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Wellington Harbor Board was held in the City Council Cham er at 2 o’clock on Tuesday, March 2, when there were present—Captains Rose and Williams, Messrs. Krull, Jack-on, Hutchison, '.ancaster, Pearce, Coffey, and Nathan, In the absence of the chairman, Mr. Pea ce was voted to the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and c mfirmed. The Chair an stated that a committee of the Board had waited upon the ‘-'Overnment since the last meeting, with the view to ascertaining what sh aid be the first steps to be taken in connection with the c- mmencement of their work. A report had been drawn up which contained a’l the information they could at present furnish, which was, however, very little. He thou d ask Mr. Jacks n, who was acting as their secret*ry, to read the rep irt. Mr. Jackson then read the following : Report of Sub-cmmittee of Wellington Harbor Board, appointed at meeting held 20th February, 18b0.

Your committee beg to report that they have had under their consideration the ques tion as to what should be the first steps or work in connection with the harbor that they would recommend the I'oard should undertake. With this view your committee have had an interview with the Government in reference to the new railway wharf and certain portions of the breastwork, and also as to the taking over of the harbor and pilotage services. With regard to the latter, the t-overmnent have consented to carry on the work until the Board is in a position to take it over. In consequence of the absence from town of the Hon. the Mini-te'- for Public Works, your committee have been prevented from discussing or arranging with the Government upon what terms the new wharf and the breastwork would be handed over to the Board, and pending the result of further interviews with Ministers upon this subject, your committee are unable at this meeting to advise the Board definitely as to the steps to be taken in connection therewith. .Yonr committee have also drawn the attention of the Government to the necessity of fixing the endowments promi-ed by the Government to the Board, and this matter will

also form the subject of further inquiry and discussion with the Government. Your committee recommend that the appointment of a secretary should he postponed for the present, there being no work of any magnitude requiring the services of such an officer. Wellington, March 1, 1880. The report was adopted without discussion. Mr. Krull said he had been informed a day or two ago that there had been a dead loss on the harbor during the last two years. The matter was of great importance, and they should make a careful investigation into it. To begin with, he would suggest that they should obtain a statement of both receipts and expenditure lor the two years, which would make a very good basis for them to work upon. They would have to look out that they did not comtiEuce to work with a steady loss, for there would then be no saying what awkward positions they mn>ht not get into. Captain Williams explained that in 1878, Sir George Grey, or rather the Grey Government, had passed au Act un ler which pilotage outwards was not compulsory, and only in part so with inward-bound vessels. The consequence was that only very few outward-bound vessels took a pilot, while but a few more of those that came in required such service®. The result was a very considerable falling off in the revenue. Previoui to that there had beeu a great surplus in pla.ee of the loss which had just beeu mentioned. He rhnught the subject was one which should r-rtn •- the careful consideration of the commute'-. They should al-o ascertain how the light d o - stood, as they ought to form au item in the r -rc-nue. A discussion of a conversational character then took place as to when it woo 1.1 be most convenient to meet again. Captain Williams said he supposed that it was of importance that the committee should have an interview with the Hon the Minister of Public Works before they met ag >iu. He understood th it gentleman was about to pay a lengthened visit to the West Coast, and in that case the committee should lose no time in seeing h'm. Mr. Pearce said he should like to see Mr. Levin, as their chairman, present, and with that view it would be best to ascertain when Mr. Oliver was likely to leave, and adjourn the interview to as late a date as possible, in order to give Mr. Levin an opportunity to be* present. This proposition was unanimously agreed to.

On the motion of Mr. Lancaster Captain Williams’ name was added to the committee. The Chairman announced that the committee were negotiating for suitable offices, and he hoped that by the next time they met they would be able to inform them that they had completed the arrangements. The meeting then closed, it being left to the committee to fix the date for lire next meeting.