OAMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11774, 29 October 1912, Page 4

OAMARU HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of toff Oamaru Harbor Board, held this' morning, was attended bv the Chairman (Mr R. Milligan); Messrs.DoVey, M'Culloch, Sutherland,' Livingstone, and Mackay. _ . Tbe'North Otago A. and P. Association expressed 'thanks for letter intimating that the. current year's rates would be remitted.—Received. Application, was. made-for, .an increase, of wages paid to the winchmen'bu the dredge Progress. .In making- the application the forward wihehman stated, that "th? winchmen had: a great'.deal to "do with the success or otherwise of the dredge, and suitable men should be entitled to mpro "tftan laborers' pay, which is the amount of their remuneration, at present."—Consideration was deferred until the December meeting, when, the wages paid to all the Boards employees will be brought tinder xcTiew- ■ Mr'F. W. Humphries, local branch manager for the "Union Stenjn Ship CoiripanV, wrote as follows under date October 12: —"I beg to advise that tliis steamer overc'arried from Ihiiiedin to thislporta quaiitftv of timber and 100 barrels tier, in: rill 54 tons 13cwt 2qr, upon' Vwhieh von have doubtless been credited for'wharfage, at *s per ton bv. the" Rail way Department, whilst we have paid you" the tonnage dues at 8d per. ton.- The goods were ra i led' back to Dnnedin at our expanse, with the exception of'portion of tltc timber, which . was'.railed .to Christchiirch. The expenses in. all amounted to more than our -freight "from Australia, and we respecfcflfty'ask if your Board will meet us-in.tho matter by granting a. refund; of'tlie-'wharfage and tonnage dues." Oii Mi- M'Culloch's motion, seconded bv.Mr Dovey, it was decided that a refund as requested be granted. The Engineer reported as follows: — - "I have the honor to report that the dredge Progress - has besu engaged at the berth opposite the site of training piles at Holmes wharf, and her live weeks' work amounted to -IS loads, equal to 5274 cubic yards. "Advice lias been received from John Edmond that the new moorings are on board.the s.s. Karamea, and should bo delivered about tho second- week in November. As soon as they arrive I propose to lay them at the eu'rance and make a start- on this important work. "As tho dredge is due for survey-and overhaul on the 31st December next, and this being a bad time owing to the holidays intervening, I would suggest that application be made to the Marine Department for an extension until the 31st January, 1913. VOwing to the rough weather of the past fortnight, the progress with the training piles has not be=n very good. A large number of the piles have been trimmed and prepared for shoeing, and three have been driven in position. The scaffolding has been extended out to the line of the fourth pile and the balance, of the first row should be completed in a few days. "Owing to the reclamation being at different levels I consider the approach from the overbridge to Holmes wharf very dangerous on dark nights, and would suggest the. erection of a handrail to prevent accidents." It was decided to make application to the Marine Department for an extension of time for survey oE the <lr«fge. as recommended, and to erect. a handrail on the approach to Holmes wharf from the overbridge. A "statement was tabled showing the following credit bank balances:—General Account, £2550 rate account No 1./£lj]B9 6s lOd: rate account iNo. 2 £ISOB 15s 2d; rate account No. 3, £623 Is.Sd:- loans redemption, £B-lis 6d;' Break.wa.tcr repairs, £lSo 3s lid: 1903 -Joan '-account. £7OO. Accounts totalling £B2l 3s were passed for payment. ■ The Board considered the question deferred/from last meeting of lengtheninff'theflagstafr on Holmes wharf. The Harbormaster (Captain Ramsay) •appeared '"personally to state that the existing- flagstaff was too short »for signalling purposes, and that n hinst be lengthened to preserve the safety ot the -port, m '. ' „ ' „ In answer to a question tho Eiigincer stated that the cost of the work would be about £35. - • ■ , ... On Mr Dovev's motion, seconded by Mr Mrickav. it was decided that the' flagstaff bo lengthened as recommewkd bv Captain Ramsay. j * The Board went into Committee to. consider, the request of „the Borough Council for a conference wish respect to-the opening of tho mouth of the Oamaru Creek. '