HARBOR BOARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2862, 27 March 1885, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The regular monthly meeting of the Board was held to-day, when there were present Messrs Sumpter (Chairman), Steward, Meek, Meulove, Falconer, Christie, Sutherland, lloid, and Borrie. The minutes of the last meeting wore read and confirmed and the outward correspondence was read and approved. The Standing Committee reported having decided to ask the Borough Council to lay on the water to the wharves ; that they had called for tenders for the supply of ■ coal, and that they had accepted those of the Unioa Steamship Company for Newcastle at 23s and Greymouth nuts at 20a 4d ; and they had accepted the tenders of Messrs Cousins Black for plates for protecting wharf piles at L 39 10s.—The report was adopted. Mr Shand, pilot, wrote as follows : . Gentlemen,—Tha Board's policy of retrenchment making it necessary to dispense with me, after ten years' faithful services, and, in order to obtain other employment I have to ask you for an expression of opinion as to my qualifications, as the peremptory manner of my dismissal might lead others to believe that incompetence or negleut might have been the cause. I would, therefore ask you, gentlemen, to grant me such reference or testimonial as would show to whom it may concern that it is through no fault of mine that I am leaving the Board's employ. Mr Falconer said that the Chairman had already given Mr Shand a letter of recommendation, and he thought that should be sufficient. i The Chairman said his letter was an individual act, and Mr Shand required [ something of a more official nature.

The matter wis referred to the Chair, man and thu Harbormaster, with powor to deal with. The Dredgemaster reported as followi • I have the honor to furnish you with my report of the working of tho dredge for tho month ending to date During the month tho dredge has been employed ns follows :-69J hoiin dredging, 33 h urs discharging, 136 hours under steam, and has lifted and deposited at sea 4600 toni of spoil. Sinoe my laat report the dredge has received a thorough overhaul, and, with the exception of tho top tumbler, is in very good order and doing excellent work. With refer, once to the top tumbler, it ought to hare bee 1 removed when under repairs, as it is cracked, but not having any duplioatoa ready, I was oompolled to put it in uio ngain. I would respectfully call your attention to tho state that the sparo goar has arrived in, Tho groater part of it will require to be sent to the shop and rocoive considerable altora. tions bvfore being of any use, and that the etoel whoels for the dredging gear which were amonest the prinoipil parlß roquirod have not arrived. I would ask authority to havo the noooa. sary alterations made, as I requiro somo of tho parts at once, and m thoy will requiro to be sent to Dunedin or Port Chalmors, it will take somo time to havo thorn ready. It was mentioned by tho Secretary that somo of tho spard gear supplied by tho buildere of tho dredge woro of wrong dimensions. It was decided to call for tonders for altering tho gear, tho matter boing referred to tho Standing Committee. On the motion of Mr Steward, it was resolved Messrs Mook and Christie bo a Oommittoo of consultation as suggested by tho Board's solicitors, to advise with them re Maofar- ' farlane aand Watson's claim. The Mayor mentioned that tho pipes ' for the water supply to the wharves had been ordered, that tenders has boon oallod ' for, and would be opened to-morrow, and ' the work would be pushed on as quickly as possible. The Chairman stated that ho had boon informed that the Dunedin Board made a revenue of LI4OO by supplying ships with water, and that they had only a 2-inch pipo. Captain Sewoll. the Harbormaster, was I empowered to arrange for a plaoo to keep 1 the Oamaru Rifles' racing whaloboat. A telegram was read from the Soore- - tary of the Otago Harbor Board asking f for information as to tho terms of the - Oamaru Board's agreement with their

Engiuoer. The Secretary statod that ha had givon the information naked for. Messrs Ouff and Grahnm wrote asking to be suppliod with a plan of the harbor and with information aa to the greatest draft of a vessel whioh can load alongside the wharf with safety. • The letter was referred to the Harbormaster to supply the information. The Secretary statod that a building upon one of the blocks had been thrown upon the Board's hands by Mr Kerr. For that building a carpenter had been paying 7s 6d a week rent, and he had now an offer from another person to take it at tho same rontal. The matter was loft to tho Standing Committee, with power to deal with. The Harbormaster wrote asking that certain hawsera, &e., might be ordered. . The Secretary mentioned that a yoar a tender of Mr Grave had boon acoopted for the Bupply of a largo hawser, but it had not yet been supplied, and that there was no information as to it having boon shipped, though there had been sufficient time for tho contract to be oompleted. It was decided to aßk Mr Grave to cablo to his agents asking if tho order was being completed. It was resolved to prooure tho matorlal asked for by the Harbormaster. Captain Sewell, (Harbormaster, wroto strongly urging that sorew moorings should be put down, as tho present ings had only been laid for vessels of 400 tons, and larger classes of vessels were endangered by tho [absence of other (and bettor moorings. It was stated that tho Board had procured one sorew mooring, and that arrangements had beon made with tho Tirrna.ru Board for the loan of tho apparatus for putting this down. It was resolved, on tho motion of Mr Steward, seconded by Mr Borrio, " That Captain Sewell bo thanked for his lottor re additional sorew moorings, and that ho be informed that so soon as it is soon whether the one first to bo laid has been satisfactorily moored tho Board will endeavor to provide additional moorings If found necessary." It was decided that the Standing Committee call for tenders for laying the screw mooring. The following letter was road from the Dredgomaster : Sir—, In reply to your memo of the 28th

inet., re tho dispensing with the n'glitwatchman on the dredge, and for me to make arrangements with tho men to keep watch during the night, which I have failed to do, as each of them absolutely rofuso to do. '

I trust you will bring this matter bofora the Board to be reconsidered, as tho dredge had a very narrow escape on Sunday morning last, all the weather chains having parted, and tho vessel having swung down on tho Sumpter Wharf but without any serious damage. Had it not been that tho night-watchman was on tho alort with Btonm up and tho hands callod, tharo would undoubtedly have beo'i an accident, I herewith forward one of tho onnnooting l : nks in tho mooring chains to show tho manner in which they carry away, and M each of the chains contain from 4 to 0 of tho links, they require constant watohing at all times, On the motion of Mr Faloonor it was resolved, after a little discussion, that tho present night watchman be retained on the dredge, until such time that other employment could be obtainod for him, and that an effort bo made to procure him an engagement on the railways. Captain Sowell wroto covering a copy of the letter ho had written to Captain Pallant, the lighthouso-keeper, notifying him that he was required to aot as light keeper at tho breukwator, and a copy of the instructions ho had given to him. Captain Pallant wroto as follows to the Harbormaster on tho subject : Sir, —I have to acknowledge the roooipt of your favor of the 2Sth February. As yon are aware, my duties on tho Caps as signalman rcquiro my attention from daylight till dark, to signal the approach of vcsiell bound to this port and answer signals of calling and passing vcsaols, and inform you of tho Hiine ; also to attend tho Capo lights, which frequently blow out during tqually weather, and require my attontion during the night. I hopo tho Boaid will re-consider their deois'on, as I think tho extra duties to be imposed on mo will bo much more than one man can faithfully fulfil. The Board surely do not expeot mo to not as night watchman from 6 p.m. to 0 a.m. as per your note, and as signalman from daylight till dark as per my present instructions. lam willing to do tho utmost in my power to give you and the Board satisfaction, and I trust you will explain to thorn tho nature of my duties, so as to show them how impoisible it is will be for me to oarry out tho new rules as required by them, as you are aware in moderately bad weather it is a» much as two men- can do to place tho light* on the breakwater and mole.

Mr Christie said that he thought it **• useless to think of reducing tho stafli which would impair tho efficiency of thi staff. He was prepared to move that the whole of the staff be retained, and that » reduction of 10 per cent, on tho salaries of tho whole of the staff be made. Mr Steward agreed with this. The Chairman said ho would certainly be pleased if tho Board could see their way to retain Mr Shand as pilot. Ho h»d known from personal observation that >' was impossible for the harbormaster to ao' also as pilot, and mentioned the case of the Hauroto lately. He also pointed out

t ,„„to the present the total tonnage of !, which had entered inwards this T *i! 10 5110 tons, against a tola! of £.52 tors for the »m. period of las-

ye Some discussion took place, during * Mr Meek took exception to the Board • -v n ; 'ot to go down to Pun g& Vbrinj up vessds. That was •. *rt nf the Board's duties. »%£VXTd fhought that Mr M,ek ,'noked the fact that the port wouiu he element of security afforded r/h services of a pilot being always Liable were taken away. He quite !" id as to the necessity for economy h fr considered that that economy should L effected in the manner indicated by Ctristie instead of the method adopted by ft M? m«* said that he had Sl ' S^ f thP noint referred to by Mr Steward. he urged was that all the Board had to do was to bring and safely berth vessels which arrived here. Mr Christie said that his desire was that t ho port should retain the good namo it gaining, and this could only be done wetainioz the services of their present efficient staff- He held that the reduction rould bo made in another direction withon? affecting the efficiency of the staff Mr Meek said there was great complaint amongst shipmasters about the charges of Jk" Christie denied that there was any CT oand for complaint on that score, and held that there was little difference between the charges here and at other ports, including Port Chalmers. _ Mr Sntherland, though in favor of economy, did not think the proper course had been taken, and he was prepared to move that tbe previous resolution be reminded. He would do this with the object of having the whole subject reopened and re-considered. After a little discussion, The Cbairmaa thought that, although there was nothing in the by-laws upon the ooint itwouldbebetterfor notice of motion to be'given, so that every member might be notified of the intention to re-consider the subject. The present resolution had been arrived at after very careful consideration, and it would be improper to hastily rescind it. _ Some little further discussion took place. Ultimately 3lr Christie proposed, " That a special meeting of the Beard be held fourteen days hence to consider the following resolution :—' That the resolution of Januaiy 30 re reductions in the wages and salaries of the employe's be rescinded, and that a redaction of 10 per cent, in such wages or ialjries take effect instead;' also, that the services of employe's whose services have been dispensed with be retained for one month, pending consideration of the resolution." He said that he did not think that any member of the Board's itaff was overpaid, but the necessities of the Board required reductions. The motion was seconded by Mr FalMr Meeks name was added to the Standing Committee. Mr Falconer brought under the notice of the Board the question as to the possibility of lighting the wharves by gas. He laid they had heard that the present system was defective, and that the lamps ■ were often blown ont. The Chairman said he was glad the matter had been mentioned, for several masters of vesseb had complained to him : that the lights at the pore were bad. _ Mr Meet endorsed what the Chairman , had said as to masters of vessels complaining of the lights. The Bond adjourned for lunch.

On the Board resuming, It was resolved that the Standing Committee be empowered to arrange with the Begatta Committee as to the regatta, with instructions that no intoxicating liquors wen to be allowed to be sold on the Board's property, and that the ground jhonld be left in proper order. Accounts to the amount of L 738 la 4d were passed for payment. The Chairman reported the result of the interview of the deputation with the Ministry in Wellington, but said that the matters in question had Dot yet been brought to an issue, and he had to ask that further time should be given to the Committee to make their report. After hearing the statement, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Committee. The Chairman moved, " That the Harbormaster report fully as to the lights of

port and harbor, with such suggestions aB he may think best, with tha view of • making them more effective, particularly as to the one on CapeWanbrow." The motion wa3 seconded by Mr Meek, and carried. Mr Sutherland asked in what position Mr Shrimski stood. He had not been present at any meeting for some time, and it was stated that lie did not intend to attend any future meeting. If Mr Shrimski did not intend to again take his seat, it was of no use keeping the seat vacant, and they should take steps to have the seat filled. Several members said that Mr Shrimski had told them that he did not intend sitting again, and he had said that he intended forfeiting his seat. In reply to questions the Secretary said that it was provided by the Act that any member who failed to attend four meetings forfeited hi' 3 seat. The Board had hitherto read this to mean from ordinal y meetings, and the present was the fourth ordinary meeting from which Mr Shrimski had absented himself, so that the Board might take action at the next meeting.