HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 2928, 18 September 1896, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

At tho monthly meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board yesterday there wore present Mr T. .1. Gale (chairman), Messrs F. Bradoy, J. Jack, I?. H. Fraser, J. Hutcheson, W. Booth. H. Beauchamp and the Mayor (Mr Geo. Fisher). The Chairman reported that there was a credit balance on current account of .£2l-20 12s 4d, imprest wages account £176, amount on fixed deposit £19,000. Payments wore passed amounting to £4401 U&3 9d, made up as follows: —Accounts and wages, £3IBB 2s Id ; salaries for September, .£424 5s Od j on contracts, .£B4O 4s lid. The Chairman reportedl. That the tender of Messrs John McLean and Son for contract No. 86 for the construction of the ferry jetty for the sura of £1770 had boon accepted. 2. That the Governor-in-Council had approved of tho plans for tho extension of tho building of the Thorndon Yacht Club, and that the lease had boon signed by two of the trustees of the Club, Messrs Chapman and Rawson. 3. That the chairman had nominated Messrs P. F. Aherno and W. 11. Usmar as special constables,- and that they bad been duly sworn in. 4. That the two steam winches and boat submitted to auction have been sold at the upset prices, and have netted to tiie Board £152 4s Od; that no bids were received for the other gear submitted. 5. That the Audit Office, having been approached by direction of tho Sinking Fund Investment Committee, have consented to tho sinking funds of the Board being kept in future in two, in place of in five separate accounts, as heretofore. 6. That tho secretary wrote to tho Port Nicholson Yacht Club on the subject of tho proposed regulations of the Marino Department with reference to life-saving appliances on board yachts and boats, but has not yet received any reply. The Wharves and Accounts Committee recommended that at tho next revision of the by-laws tho storage rate on timber be reduced from 2s per ton of 500fb super, to the same rate as is in force for general cargo, i.e., Is per ton per week, and that the words “ hemp, flax, tow,” be deleted from the definition of “ wool '* in the interpretation clause of tho by-laws, and any necessary consequential changes made therein; that the Customs Department bo asked to relieve the landing waiters attending on steamers from tho duty of gauging wines and spirits and of weighing tobacco, and as far as possible from examining goods, either by tho appointment of a special gauger or by providing an assistant to tho landing waiter j that the seal of the Board be affixed to an application to the District Land Registrar to issue a certificate of title for portions of the Pilot Station Reserve. The recommendations wore carried. -

The Casual Labour Committee reported •• That, in view of tho statistics prepared by the secretary as to tho earnings of tho casual labourers and tho information obtained during the course of the enquiry, the committee has no recommendation to make.”

The report was adopted. The Chairman said that Mr Heaton bad expressed himself exceedingly pleased at tho way the men had boon treated, and had he known the circumstances ho would not have moved the resolution asking for the investigation. Tho Board then went into committee, and, on resuming, tho Chairman reported that the resolution passed with reference to furnishing a room in tho new building for tho use of the Engineers’ Association had been rescinded, as tho Association has abandoned its intention of using tho room.