OAMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10239, 31 August 1909, Page 4

OAMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting, of the above, held this morning, was attended by the Chairman (Mr R- Milligan) Messrs Williams, Paterson, Brown, Macka.v, Livingstone Sutherland, Gr.idiner, Wylics md the secretary (Mr C. A. la Roche). An aj.olopv for absence was received from Mr W.- H. Rose—Leave of absence granted. Mr Rose also wrote at length with reference to the Board s di edging policy, and the letter was read in committee and received, it being decided that it be not handed to the Press for publication. The. Secretary of the Harbors Association of New Zealand notified that the Board were entitled to nominate and be represented by two delegates at the Harbor Board's' Conference to be held this year; also that the Conference would "be opened 011 1 liursday, 21st September, and that the Executive Committee proposed to make the .following; recommendation: —"That, as a special meeting of the Association is now being hold, the following portion of Rule No. 10, reading 'Tlie annual meeting shall be held in Wellington during the parliamentary session,' be not acted upon during 1909, but that all business usually taken at the annual meeting be now taken and dealt with." _

The communication was received, am! the Chairman and Secretary were appointed the Board's delegates to the Conference, 011 the motion of Mr Gardiner, seconded by Mr Lane. The Chairman, referring; to the business to be brought before the Conference and to the motion of which the Board had jriven notice re the constitution of harbor boards, said lie took it that it was the intention that the rolls to be used should he the borough electors' roll in the one case and the county electors' roll, ill the other. Members agreed that this was so, and the Secretary was instructed to note the same. The Secretary of the Marine Department notified' the appointment of Messrs William Gardiner, Adam Maekay, William H. Rose, and Joseph Wilr liams as the Government's representatives on ~the Board. —Received. The Chairman congratulated the gentlemeii named on their re-appointment. Mr R t W. Monson, local manager of the Union Steam Ship Company, wrote as follows: —"I am requested by my general manager to urge upon your Board the urgent necessity of providing some adequate protection for ships working the Holmes wharf. Owing to the gap at present existing between the end of the wharf and the dolphin great .risk is being run by ships working it, and all the masters visiting the port arc unanimous that it is absolutely necessary some protection should be made, so as to minimise the risk they are at present running in working the wharf; As there is always the danger of a vessel's stern falling into the gap and stripping her. propellers on the stones we would therefore ask your Board to kindly give this question their favorable consideration, and trust that they will see their way to accede to our request and have the neessary work done as soon as possible." The Chairman pointed out that it had already been decided to place a dolphin in'the gap, and a request was to be made to the Court for the necessary expenditure. Requisition ■ had, however, been delayed at the request of the Receiver, that it might be heard by the Court simultaneously with the application for the dredging expenditure. Mr Milligan also mentioned that he was procuring affidavits from shipping masters as to the necessity of the work, and this would strengthen the Board's application. It was decided that Mr Monson be notified accordingly. Mr C. Tiiburn wrote as follows: —

"Owing to developments of a private nature I am very reluctantly compelled to abandon my intention of offering for the work of deepening your harbor, tenders for. wliicli close 011 the 30th insfc. ■ I have to thank you for submitting tender form and conditions of contract. In conncctibii with the work under consideration by your Board, I .may mention here that I s have'gone exhaustively into the whole matter, with the result that I am convinced in my own estimation on a principal of-carrying out the work in a simple, efficient, and economical method, and iii the event of your Board failing to accept a tender on the 30th, I would be quite willing to negotiate with a view of placing, in complete detail, before your Board a scheme which I venture, to suggest 'will meet with general' approval.''—Received.

The Town Clerk of Oamaru wrote embodying the following reply to an enquiry by a prospective dredging ten"derer as to the use of the town water supply :■ —"I beg to inform you that the Council cannot' see its way to supply the water for motive purposes for- the generation of more than 40 h.p. (theoretical) for up to 9 hours daily. An 8-inch main is laid to within about five, chains of the mole,, and the pressure is about 1001b to the square inch. The charge would be one halfpenny per theoretical horse power, and the Council would not incur any expenditure for the existing of the existing main."— Received.

Messrs J. Sparrow and Sons, Dvinedin, wrote that after looking through the specifications they had decided not to tender for the dredging.—Received. The' following report of the sub-com-mittee set up to 'deal with the Harbor Board reserves was read: —"That tenders be called for the lease of section at the corner of Humber and Clyde streets for (1) a term of three years for storage purposes at an upset rental !of £1 per annum, and (2) a term of 21 years for building purposes at* an upset rental <if £4 per annum, lessee in each case to pay all rates and taxes. That consideration of lease of quarry reserve now tenanted by Mrs Crouch' be deferred until next meeting. That the rent of the lighthouse reserve be £l(s per annum. 1 '

The report was adopted, on themotion of Mr Patei'son, seconded by Mr Brown. ; -

A requisition from the Harbormaster for certain stores was granted. Accounts amounting to £245 Os 2d were, passed'for payment. The Board then went into committee, and opened tenders for dredging. Three separate tenders were received-—two for the' machinery and alterations to the Progress and one for the dredging. These' were, referred- to" the sub-commit-tee. previously appointed ito; obtain Mr J. Blair Mason's opinion thereon, arid will be further dealt with at a special meeting of . the - Board' to : be held on Saturday next, at 11.30 a.m. J .Tie.: Board resumed /and, ad-, journed. ■ ' _■ :