HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1265, 28 May 1896, Page 33

HARBOUR BOARD.

At tho monthly meeting of the Harbour Board last week, the Chairman reported that the condition of the bank books was as follows; —Current account, Cr. balance, £1415 10s 8d ; imprest wages account, Cr. balance, £l3O. Hie amount on fixed deposit was £20,200. Tho amount required for payments was as follows ; -I oi accounts and wages, £2232 Is 2d ; for progress on contracts, £OB3 13s 4d ; for salaries for May, £399 19s 5d ; total, £3315 13s lid. The Wharves and Accounts Coinnuttco recommended that complaint t>9 made to the City Council that, owing to their refusal to receive fruiterers’ and other tr&de refuse at tho Destructor, attempts aro constantly made to deposit such decaying material on tho foroshoro of tho harbour; that notice having been given by Mr John Kirkcaldie to terminate tho agreement of March 9th, 1893, relating to tho suction of water from tho harbour by tho Wellington Bacon Curing Company, tho Board cancel tho agreement without requiring tho pipes to bo removed from under tho roadway of Waterloo quay; that in reply to a letter from the Timaru Harbour Board asking the Board to join in a protest against the charge of 2\ per cent, for collection «.of wharf charges by the Railway Department, they bo informed that as the amount collected in Wellington is small, the commission of 2J per cent, is not deemed to bo excessive; that in reply to a letter from tho Premier’s office, tho Board still wish that copies of tho correspondence a 3 to tho graving dock should bo sent to tho Lords of tho Admiralty ; that, in respect to tho request of Messrs Carmichael and Sou for an extension of two months from tho 30th ultimo in which to complete their contract for wool store and office buildings, tho Board reduce the liquidated damages to bo onforced for noncompletion from £l2 to £4 per week, and that such roduced sum bo deducted from tho final payment for tho period from a pril 30th until tho completion of tho work ; that, at the request of the liconseo, Mr Mathias Clatworthy, foreshore license No. 42, for' boat-building shod at Clyde quay, ho cancelled, and a new license for tho balanco of the original term bo issued to Mr Thomas Hodder. Tho recommendations wore agreed to. A deputation consisting of Dr Newman, M.U.K., tho Mayors of Petone (Mr R. C. Kirk), Onslow (Mr W. Durroll), Melrose (Mr J. Collins) and Councillor Austin (Petone) waited upon tho Board and urged that tho suburban districts should bo represented on tho Board. Mr Kirk stated that tho city, which had a population of 37,412, had three members on the Board, and that the Hutt county, which had a population of 5749, had ono member, while tho Melrose, Karori, Onslow', Petono and Lower Hutt boroughs, with a population of 851/, and the Horowhonua county, with 3794, had no representation at all. In tho courso of tho discussion, Mr Kirk said that tho whole of tho districts represented by the deputation were rated by tho Board, but tho secretary (Mr Ferguson) said they were not. Mr Kirk also brought before the Board the necessity for proper wharf accommodation at Petone for steamers up to 500 tons. ’1 ho Board having considered the matter urged by the deputation, it was decided that in view of tho proposals of tho Government with regard to tho Local Government Bill, it was considered desirable to postpone consideration of the request of the local suburban boroughs for representation on the Board, and that the secretary enclose in tho reply a copy of a minute passed by tho Board in 1891. 'Phis minute is against tho extended representation which has been suggested. As to tho wharf accommodation at Petone, it was decided to reply that tho secretary of tho Board had been instructed to consult with tho general manager of tho Gear Meat Company on tho subject, and make a report at a future meeting of the Board.

Two seamen of tho barque Gainsborough named W. Jameson and Board Pederson were sentenced last week by Mr Greenfield to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labour for disobeying tho commands of the chief otlicer. The conference of tho New Zealand Counties Association is to begin here on the 19th June. A copy of tho latest supplementary catalogue of ‘tho lending department, Wellington Public Library, is to hand from Mr T. W. Rowe, M.A., librarian. It was resolved by the Harbour Board last week-That suitable buoys be made to replace the small and old buoys at Points Harwell and Jcrningham ; that a new buoy be laid down iu a position on the west side 01 tho entrance at the edge of the bank Jyincf between Dorset Point and the Steeple Bo k , and that a new fourth buoy be provided at the Dolphin for the adjustment of snips compasses in Evans Bay, tho existing throe buoys

to be relaid with heavier Hioc/ringa where necessary. A deputation from the Wellington . Builders’ Association waited on the Ministor ; for Public Works last week to ask the j Government through him to reinstate in tho , Workmen’s Lien Yet a clause which was struck dr/t b* tho Legislative Council when | the Bill came before it. The excised clause was as follows When, an osvner knowingly allows work to be dorie upon any land or chattel of which ho is the oWnc'r,-such work being done under a contract niac.e by some other person acting as employer, such owner is subject to tho same liabilities as if ho were himself the employer.” The Minister said tho matter was one that should come bofore the Minister for Labour, and ho promised to submit the request of tho deputation to him for favourable consideration. At the monthly meeting of tho ’trustees ot tho Benevolent Homo on Thursday, routine business Wa3 transacted, and the Trustees them made their usual visit of inspection, everything being found in satisfactory order. Four tenders have been received by the Harbour Board for the extension of H shod on the outer toe of the Queen s Wharf, and the lowest is to be accepted if in order. A largo number of applications have been made to the Minister for Public Works by compositors for employment in the Government Printing Office. The Minister has given orders that some few, whoso cases aie necessitous, shall bo taken on, and as there is not room for the accommodation of all, they are to be employed in batches, eacli taking a fortnight’s work and a fortnight’s spell, turn and turn about, an equivalent to half-time. The Harbour Board decided last week that tho City Council be asked to amend tho bylaws relating to licensed porters, so as to provide («) that the amount of luggage that may be taken by a porter shall be limited to the quantity that lie can personally handle ; (5) that a porter shall not engage an express or cab and divide tho payment receivod. In reference to the barque Coromandel, the Chairman of the Harbour Board reported last week that tho Board’s solicitors had been instructed to watch tho proceedings at tho Magisterial enquiry on bohalf of the Board. It was decided that the notices served by the secretary upon sundry persons

in connection with the wreck of tho barque be followed by notices under the seal ot the Board. It was also docidod that tho secretary be authorised to take such steps as he may bo advised by tho solicitors to the -Board in reference to the barque. The steamer Manaia lias changed hands, having been bought by the Mokau Goal Company for that trade, and she will lenvo Wellington .shortly to take up her new running. The local treasurer’s statement of accounts of tho British and Foreign Bible Society shows that a draft for £3O 10s 0 1 was sent Home, and that the local expenses wero 15s 6d. the balanco in hand being £2O. Messrs Dwan Bros. report having sold Mr Markham's interest in the Railway Hotel, Turakina, to a Wellington investor ; also Mr James Cattail's, junr., interest in tho Martqn Hotel, Marlon, to Mrs Margaret McKenzie, lato of Mastcrton. . The Young Men’s Club-room at tho Ivaiwarra Hal! was opened by Sir James Premiergast, Chief Justice, last Friday. The Boys Brigade from the Wellington Institute marched out from Wellington under command of Lieutenant Wallace and Mr A. Maguire, secretary. The hall was crowded. An interesting address was given by the Chief Justice, who remarked that an admirable start had been made with tho Club, and it now remained for the members to make it a success. Master Pelham, of the Boys Institute Band, played a cornet solo, and addresses were given by Dr Newman, M U.R., Rev Mr Chappell and Messrs Gibson and Lynnoborg. A collection was made in aid of the funds of tho Club, and realised The banquet given by the Painters Union in honour of Mr Thomas Brooker, their piesident, took plaeo last week in the Oriental Hotel. Mr T. Hogg (Bakers’ Union) occupied the chair, and Mr R. Haggarty (secretary Painters’ Union) tho vice-chair. Apologies were roeoived from the Premier and the Hon W. Hall-Jones. A number of toasts wore drunk, including i: TheQuoen,” “ Our Guest (with musical honours), l ' The Mayor ana

I City Councillors,” “ Kindred Societies and I Unionism,” ,l Our Visitors,” all ot whitfb , Were responded to. Songs were contributed ! by Messrs Brooker, Greenwood and Henderi son, and recitations by Messrs Myers and I Naughton. Mr Roschello presided at the 1 piano. The dinner, which was an excellent | one, reflected credit on Mrs Ormsboe, the i hostess of the Oriental. 1 Mr Jollicoo, who has acted as counsel tor Mrs Annie Brown, whoso conviction was upI held last week, states that bo intends to carry the case to the Privy Council at bis own ; expense, and is sending all tho necessary papers Homo' by the s.s. Tainui for that pur | A goodly company of seamen and other ' friends assembled at the “ Sailors’ Rest on i Thursday evening, when Mr McGlashan s i orchestra performed some lively and popular 1 music in their usual efficient style, inters- ! porsed with songs by Mrs Lindsay, Messrs G. ! B. Nicholls, Rochelle, Pringlo and Andrew i Nicol. The piano accompanists _ were | Madame Cope, Misses Upham, Hardic and ! Rochelle. The effect of the resolutions passed,by the | Harbour Board in 1891, a copy of which it j has been decided to forward to tho deputation from suburban boroughs in to ! representation on the Board, is as follows,:— ■ “ That in tho opinion of tho Board the num- ; her of its members should not exceed .1-. That the amount of representation and in--1 terdst represented by the Board as at present constituted shall remain intact. (At present ,! 10 members.) That ono of tho additional members ought to b‘o allocated to the Boroughs of Petone, Hutt, Onslow, Melrose , j and to any future borough to bo formed |out ; of the County of Hutt. That the secoiic. additional member ought to be allocated^ to the ,j Horowhonua and Manawatu districts. Later ! ir, the |sanio month (251 h Juno, 1891) the j Board adopted an interim report, which j stated that they deemed it necessary to include in the Manawatu district for representation on tho Board the road districts of ! Manawatu, Manchester and Fitzherbert, m i addition to tho Horowhonua and Manawatu i I Counties. , I The Customs duties collected at_ this port ; j for the past week amounted to £6509 6s 7d, < and the beor duty to £ls !7s (id.

The Mawhera brought over on Saturday from Greymouth 15L0oz of gold, valued at £.914, consigned to the National Bank. The most 'effective tiling in tho world to j shift a band of street musicians or religious ! army is a Wellington northerly buster of j the hair-lifting, 90) knot order wo had on j Saturday. There was a gathering oi reli- ! gionists iit one of tho street corners. They j were in tho middle of ono of their favourite j hymns, the burden of which is "Gill you I Go?” Just then a small thing in ev''ones i came along, and they went, the gentle ' breeze also shifted s ene kettles, fryimr-p ms, I &c., outride an ironmongery store, and lor two ! minutes there was nothing but tin pane, sal* ! vationists, pieces of half sung hymns : whiskers, hats, dogs ami trombones all hustling along tho i The annual treat lor fin children of mom* I bora of the Wellington Working Men’s Club ! m Iq take place on Wednesday, the 27th itisl., when a Christmas treo will be provided and an entertainment given. I On Monday the Boat Station in Jervois quay j was tho scene ol a popular gathering, the | Wellington Naval Artillery social. _ The ' variety troupe gave a programme comprising I songs by Messrs J. Arnold, J. Donaldson, A. j Williamson, T. Hall, C. Broomhall, T. Stead, j j. Ross, Allan Bell, Houchen and W. Hall, I and an amusing farce. During tho evening | an illuminated address was presented by Lieutenant Bell in a neat speech to Lieu-tenant-Commander Campbell, and the shootin? prizes were presented to Gunner* Bulford (A class), Robertson (B class) and Shearer (C class). Dancing closed the entertainment. i An enjoyable social reunion, under the i auspices of Court Sir George Bowen, was held on Monday at the Foresters Hall. Ihe committee—Bros. Baldwin, Griffith, Chote, Ford, J. N. Worth, W. A. Worth, Follas, Erueny, Fergusson, Edwards and Williams were indefatigable, and the “ social” was made ono of the successes of the year. There were ! nearly 209 people present. Mr Platt pro--1 vidod the music, and Mr Skinner was the I caterer.