Oamaru Harbor Board.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 9748, 27 January 1908, Page 4

Oamaru Harbor Board.

The ordinary monthly meeting was hekl tliis morning." Present": 'Messrs Brownlee (Chairman). Alonsoii, Marshall, J. C Nichols, Milligan, Wylie, Williams. \V. Gaidiner, jun., Lane', Mackay, Borrie, and Rose. The minutes of last ordinary and special statutory meeting held on January 20th were read and confirmed. The Standing Committee reported re. commending that certain extras included in the specifications for lighting Holmes Wharf beyond what was contracted for by the Council be authorised. —Adopted. After the outward correspondence had been read, ilr Gardiner asked why it was necessary to ask for another opinion as to repuiting the dredge Progress, when two opinions had-already been obtained. "Are we,' he said, "to go on asking opinions'/' The Chairman: You are wasting time, Mr Gardiner. Mr Wvlie: You might put • it another wav, Mr ilardiner. If Mr Walker's report disagrees with the other two, are we to get someone else to report . Mr Gaidiner said he did. not wish to suggest that wrong had been done. lie only wanted to know the reason that had actuated the Standing Committee. The Chairman said that Mr Gardiner was quite right to ask for reasons. Tlie Standing Committee had thought it necessary to get Mr Walker's opinion. Mr Wvlie: "Thcie is one thing 1 must sav. If this Board asks for expert advice and pavs for it. 1 do not think one mans report "should lie handed over to another man."

Mr Gardiner: "That is my opinion, too." The matter thru dropped. The lieeeiver wrote to the effect that accounts for the hall-vear to October 31st had been passed by the Uegistrar of the .Supreme Court.- Heceivcd. lie the removal of feme in ltchen street, Mr T. M. t'liiiiiinghaine. Town Clerk, wrote as follows:—"I have by direction fotwarded to the Railway Departmental cope of vour letter ot lath December, d:.-.-claiming'anv liability in reference to tins matter," and" asking them in view of the a rave danger of aieiiletit tliere in view oi The unprotected state of I lie place that they would minimise the danger by erecting a suitable leuee." I nder late .Januaiy Ifaih, Mr Ciiniiinehamc again wiote: "The Chief Knginccr of Railways writes .is toilows:—'As the leucc wiii reitinve.i be the special request oi the G.iiiiaru Harbor Hoard, it will only be restore,! at their request and at thc-Tr expense. 111!:; is a matter for Vour Council to arrange with tiie Harbor Hoard.' I am desired lo again call your attention to the gieal danger of mcldcm occurring then- owing to the verv unprotected stale of the place, and to "leave the responsibility with v„u."-.\lr Milligan said lie thought that "under the Municipal Corporations Act the Council could compel the Railwav Depaitment to fence the property. According to the plan, i: might necessitate the dosing of llumber street. Mr Lane moved 1 ii;it the matter be relerred back to the Council.-I'arricl. Mr T. M. Cnnniiighamc, Town Clerk, wrote with leferenee to the lighting of the Holmes Wharf:—"l have to thank you fu» vour leuer of Ibll. .lanuarv in which von' request mv Council to proceed Willi the lighting of Holmes Wharf with coal ->-us. also tor the specifications of the work which von desire cani-d ..in. As pointed out tu you verbally. v oil have included in the speculations se vela I extras unountiug to Jjio 15s Oil. which wiil raise the cost to £136 1&, Cd. blindly advhc if niv Council is to carry out this extra work. The material is being obtained and the work wili be pioi ceded with without .jolav."—Matter dealt with in Standing Cum'initlee'.-. icport. and extra worn Mr .loiiu M'Xarrv wrote asking for a Lurn of the linaid's blacksmiliiiic;. engineering, and foundry work. - Received. * Mr 11. I'.. Morton, an Auckland o per cent, dehcntuic-holdcr. «u which it is itipuiated thai the interest is payable at the brain hes of the Colon Hank in New '.calami, wrote a-kiug whether, now that .he Mould's account is kept with the Xa. Lionai Hank, the Hoard ha.-, an arrangc.licin with thai bank bv wiiii h the coitr.ons arc payable in Auckland tree of i-.\-jlianne as implied ..n the fine of lliein iteceived ; Mr Morton to be nolilicil that ,he coupons were payable flee of exchange ,n Auckland. At the request of the secretary, who complained that several of the sniail ciaft In the haibor were plum: for hire without, license, the harbormaster reported as fil lows:-"Vmus of 21sl lo h.n.d re small .•raft plving tor hire. I have Intel ciewed the owners of ilie above, and they ail object to take ..ot a 11. eii.-e. ouying it would .lot paytlieni. 'I hey have given me tlle.r urcmis'e that tlu'V will noi Yarrv any pasWm'eis in the 'inline. George Todd's iam'ich. which I employed as a pilot boat, alsoin ii.-idaling to inn the larger steamers' lines wl.i-n getting lll.'in to the wharf. I • 'annul .-ce my way clear to do without, inlcss at a gieal'risk. I would lecoiumend the I'.oai.l to give Todd a license .vhile employed by me."—The report was received, members cxpressinc the opinion .hat no licen.-.e was necessary for the boat ased by the harboima.-trr as a pilot boat. The chief engineer oi' the dredge Progress rcpnilid : —"I beg to report that blithe vear ending November, 1907. the dredge Piogreso lifted and deposited at sea to2i loads, eqitailiug' tons of spoil in 120davs 3 hour,, actual dredging - i.e., at 9 hour.; per dav. As 1 believe Mr ,V. Walker is coming up lo inspeit the dredge, it wtl! be necessary to have the uoiler thoroughly cleaned, and to enable me to do so I would require, two boys for a few dnvs to chip il where required." Accounts lo the value of iT,O9 lis 7.1 •vere pas.-.ed for payment. The sccietary mentioned that Hie dredge engineer's engagement would expire at fhe end of the 'month, and asked for iu. itiuetioiis as to whether his services were to be continued. Mr Williams suggested that he should be kept going overhauling the cranes and other machinery lying at the breakwater, pending Mr Walkers lepnri on the dredge. The oecrctuiy said he had no.doiibt thai Mr Miller would undertake the work of iverhauliug, but he thought he would draw the line at painting. Mr Monson said he thought it was needless expense to retain Mr Miller's Services if there was nothing for him to do. ill- Williams moved :—"That the engineer's services be retained for another .nonth." .Mr liorrie said lie thought the matter of retaining Mr Miller's services should be referred to the .Standing Committee. Mr Mackay seconded Air Williams' motion, lie thought that -Mr ALiller's services should be retained until such time as they had decided what was to he done about the dredge. Air Gaidiner considered it unreasonable that Air .Miller should be kept on irom week to week, or even from month to month, while all the time- he was in suspense as to whether or not his engagement was going to terminate, lie could not he blamed if he accepted another position. As an amendment, he (Air Gardiner) moved : —"That Air .Miller's services iie retained for another three months.'' Air Wylie supported Air Gardiner's amendment in retaining the engineer's services for three months. With the repairs recently effected, he considered the dredge was in a condition for working until June next. Air Alonson: She will not he working. We have no money for working. Air Wylie (looking hard across the table at Air -vionson) : ltow do you know she will not be working. Have you. something up your sleeve. The Chairman asked Air Alonson if he aad anything to say. ' Air Alonson : "INo." Air Lane mentioned, as answering Mr Wylie, one or two repairs that were necessary before the dredge could be started again. Air Borrie asked if the repairs would necessitate the dredge being sent to Dunedin. Mr La Roche said she could not work in new ground. If put on new or hard ground the top and lower tumblers might carry away. To effect repairs she would require to be sent to Dunedin. Air Borrie asked if there was any chance of the dredge being put to workagain within three months. Air Rose, who had just previously made his appearance at the Board table, 6aid his opinion was that the Board" should cut off all expense in connection with the dredge. He was told that before she could work again she would require a new spur wheel. If she lad to go to Port Chalmers an. engineer could easily be ob. tained to take her down. Mr Wylie: Well, take her out and sink her. - Air Lane considered the dredge could be repaired without going to Dunedin.

The spur wheel could be sent to llunedin for repair. He thought Mr Miller should be asked what repairs were necessary. Then thev would know where they were. Mr Mai-shall said he thought they could easily keep Mr Miller going, overhauling macium-iv. Mr Wvlie asked why the diedge liad been knocked off. Was il for want of hinds or because it was out of tepair? The Chairman : For want of funds. Mr WyJio: I hope the l'ress will make a note of that. Mr Rose said that if the secretary had given it as his opinion that the engineer could be emiiloyed tor another month, then his suggestion that all expense in connection with the diedge should cease fell to the ground. Me would like to ask Mr l.a Hoelie if it was so. Mr l.a Roche replied that lie could not sav until he had made an examination. ilr Rose: Before the motion is put. 1 would like to ask whether a picuo..., le. solution that Mr Milier reieive one month's notice of termination of engagement, and that Mr Dick he appointed ■ aretaker of the dredue, had been icsrinded. An examination of the minute-book appeared to indicate the fact that the previous lesolutioti had not been re.-ciiid-cd. Mr ttardiner's amendment was then put. and as onlv one hand was held up m tavoi il was declaled lost. Mr ISorrie movi d as a further amendment: —"That the luithcr retention of MiMiller's services be left In the hands of the Standing Committee, with power to act." .Mr Marshall: You mu.-t "ive him a ith's notiie auvwav. Mr liorrie: He has had thai alreadv. Mr Marsha,l : Rut he is paid a tlilv sal.nv. Mr Rose, seconding Mr Rome's amendment, asked what position Mr Milier was ill. If the amendment wele not rallied. he said, it lelt the Standing 1 "1.11111111 Utfree to deal with Mr Miller, and Unoriginal moiioii terminating his eiiga'c meiit would stand. The Chairman assented.

Mr Car.lincr ..aid that too uiueh ..f Ihe Board's business was reiViicd to the Standing Committee. Business was tian,arled at the Standing t'.inimittee that other members did not know anytime: alujiil. Uulv this nioruiiig thev had a case of lmsi'ne.-is trans.-u-ted bv tic Standing Committee that he (the sleeker) and others did n..t know anything ah,.111 till they took their seats at t lie Hoard',, table. Mr Rome's motion was put and declared lost, those voting for'il being the mover and Mc.-.s:s Ro.-c and \lor„.oti. Mr Williams' motion, that Mr Miher's :-erw.es he retaine,! lor ,„:,- month, was then put and declared <-atried. T:,e hoard t-ben adjourned.