HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6437, 29 September 1882, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Messrs K. Ramsay (chairman), R. Wilson, A. H. Robs, A. Burt, W. Bridgnian, H. Guthrie, R. Paterson, J. Mill, and H. S. Fish, M.H.R. WORKS .COMMITTEK. Mr J. Mill moved that as_Mr Fish had returned he should be reappointed .a mem-, ber of the Works Committee. Mr Ross seconded the motion, which was carried nan. con. PETITION. A petition was received from firemen and others employed by the Board praying tlfat they should be allowed £1 per month extra, or allowed to leave off work at 1 o'clock on Saturdays. . CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs Thomson Bros, wrote to the Board stating that they intended to start a Fishery Company, and asking the Boa,rd if they could obtain a site in Dunedin for a smokehouse.— Mr Fish moved that the letter be referred to the Works Committee for favourable consideration. It must, he thought, be quite obvious that to the citizens of Dunedin the supply of an important article of food —viz., fish — was extremely short, and the prices almost prohibitory. If it was in their power to do anything to help those who had the courage to go into deep-sea fishing, he thought they should do so. —Mr Ross seconded the motion, and expressed himself very favourable to the application.—The Chaibsian said that Mr Thomson had seen the harbourmaster on the subject, and he had arranged that the harbourmaster should attend the meeting of the Works Committee and explain what site would be most suitable. He was pleased to hear the remarks of Mr Fish, as he considered they should afford the proposed company any facilities in thenpower.—Mr Fish thought that if the company was formed the Corporation would take steps to establish a fish market.—Letter referred to the Works Committee, with power to act. . WORKS COMMITTEE. The Committee reported on remits as fol- " Letters from employes dredge 222, asking for an increase of pay.—The Committee cannot recommend an increase. "Jetty accommodation, Port Chalmers.— The secretary has been instructed to write to the Governmeut on this subject, as referred to by the harbourmaster in his last report. " In accordance with the harbourmaster s suggestion, the engineer has been authorised to place the Priestman dredge in commission, to work in the Alctoria Channel. - " The harbourmaster's request that steps be taken as speedily as possible to enable Jetty . street Wharf to be Utilised, has been referred to the engineer to urge the Government to have the long-promised connection of the railway with the jetty accomplished. " The engineer's recommendation for the construction of six new punts with accompany-inn-complement of boxes having been approved, alternative tenders (wood and iron) were authorised to be called for, and are due this " The following resolution has been handed to the engineer, viz.:—' That the engineer be instructed to present to a meeting of the Works Committoe, as speedily as possible, a report showing how and by what mean* he proposes to carry out the works in the Upper and Lower Harbour comprised in his report of June Bth, 1882, such report to state what new plant (if any) is required for the purpose above stated, and also m what respect (if any)— judging by events which have transpired since date of above report—such works can Vb modified without detriment to the scheme as a whole or the interests of the mercantile community, having in view the amount of money at the disposal of the Board; and also upon the basis that not more than £05,000 per annum be expended in the prosecution of such works; and further, upon the understanding that the reclamation of the areas in Jetty street, and between Rattray street Wharf and proposed southern side of the dock, be a prominent feature of the works to be executed.'" On the motion of Mr Fish the report was adopted. ' . . . Mr Ross expressed the opinion that dredging alongside the new wharf opposite Stuart street should be undertaken as soon as practicable. The wharf, he thought, should bo utilised as soon as possible, because if it was in use the traffic on Rattray street would be greatly relieved.

The Chairman suggested that the matter referred to should bo brought up before the Committee; and The subject was then allowed to drop. FISXSCK COMiriTTEK. ■

This Committee reported as follows : — " Mode of Collectinpt Duos.—Your Committoo have gone very fully into this subject, and the more they haye examined into it the greater the necessity appears that some arrangement or mutual understanding should be como to with tho agents or masters on the subject of the burden if a very considerable stall is not to be incurred for tho measurement of all goods and the collection of duea upon came befora

any goods are allowed to be shipped. If the Board ara driven to such a course, then the shippers also must have a stall' to check the measurements and pay tho duos forthwith. The consequent result may be easily foreseen — viz., that the dues upon export goods must be materially increased to cover the cost of an increased staff, and in addition there will be the increased cost of their own shipping statf,.and, what is more serious, perhaps, tho inevitable delay and bickerings that must take place in the shipping o,f goods as compared with tho present mode of landing at all nours and seasons, either day or .night, most suitable for the vessels'. To owners of steam vessels the latter consideration is a most important one. The whole subject, however, is one of such serious inirjort that your Committee, before reporting definitely on the matter, have resolved to defer doing so till next toeeting, hoping that before that time some common ground, equitable and reasonable, may be hit upon, so as to prevent any unnecessary burdening of trade or, hindering despatch of shipping; at tlie same time that will secure the Board from suffering loss in their revenue by leaving doors open for tho evasion of payments by unscrupulous persons making lise of mere technical objections—dangers which your Committee see are imminent if the dues are only to be collocted after receiving copy of the vessel's manifest, the vessel in meantime having sailed with the goods. " £200,000 Loan.—Your Committee have had under their consideration tho question of the best and wisest course to pursue in regard to the issue of the new loan, and tho preparing and floating of such portion thereof as may be necessary to meet tho, Board's present and probable requirements, '.the Committee having authorised their chairman and treasurer to have an interview with the Board's bankers, a letter was forwarded to tho manager of the Colonial Bank of Nsw Zealand, arid a reply requested in time for this day's meeting. "Messrs Dajgety and Co.'s two letters and claim on behalf of the captain and owners of the ship Glenmorag.—Your Committee see no ground for any such claim as made, and recommend the Board to decline acknowledging any liability in the matter." Mr Pish said he was couvinced that the only satisfactory mode of collecting tho dues would be to throw the onus of collection upon tho shipping agents. Ho could not see why tho •gents should not collect the dues, and thought if the Board could legally say they must do it, that course should be adopted, and the shipping agents would soon find out how to do it. There would be great difficulties in the way of tho Board collecting the dues, and an increased staff would be necessary, and the hours of loading would have to be curtailed. If necessary, he thought some allowance could bo made to tho agents for the trouble of collection. In Christchurch the dues were collected by the Railway Department. Somebody must give way, and if it was necessary in the interests of the Board, and as a necessary sequence the interests of the public, that this mode of collection should be adopted, then they could not allow the wishes of a few shipping agents to prevent them taking that course. The Chairman replied that tho circumstances of Dunedin and Christchurch were not at all similar. Agents here could not charge ihe people at Wellington, Lyttelton, or Auckland with the harbour-dues. If Mr Pish would look at the ordinary manifest of a steamer he would see that it would be a tremendous burden for agents to undertake the collection for each ship of from 150 to 200 amounts varying from sixpence to three or four shillings. It was most extraordinary that the Board should ask shipping agents to collect the dues; as well might the agents nsk tho Board to collect thoir freight. It had been stated that the Union Company had agreed to pay the dues, but he had seen Mr James Mills and Mr David Mills, and had been told by them that they would strongly object to do anything of the sort. Mr Ross said that the secretary had reported that the Union Company had expressed willingness to fall in with the arrangement. MrPiSHdid not think there would beany difficulty. The shippers of goods hero could as easily pay. the dues to the agents as those in Christchiuch could pay them to the Railway Department

The Chairman : In ninety-nine cases out of the hundred the freight is payable forward by the consignees, and you cannot charge dues forward.

Mr R. Wilson thought the owners of vessels possessed the greatest facilities for collecting the dues, and that they could do it far better and very much cheaper than the Harbour Board.

Mr Bubt was of opinion that the matter was a detail that could be best discussed by the Committee.

Mr Guthbie said there was no comparison between the circumstances of Dune'Jin. and Christchurch, and agreed with the Chairman that it would be an unjustifiable proceeding to ask the shipping agents to do the work of the Board.

Mr Gillies (the secretary) said he had not spoken to Mr Mills on the subject, but the collector of dues had told him that the Union Company were prepared to entertain the matter favourably, and he had reported that to the Committee.

The report was adopted. . APPOINTMENT OF INSPECTOR,

Mr Bubt moved —"That a competent engineer be appointed to act as inspector of works and machinery, to supervise the whole of Jhe works in progress, to have full control over all workmen both on shore and afloat, and to repjrt weekly to Mr Barr and the Works Committee."

Mr. Fish seconded the motion, but expressed »n opinion that it might be premature until they had actually entered upon the works they intended to carry out during the next three years. After a short discussion the motion was, with the consent of the proposer, referred. to the Works Committee. MISCELLANEOUS. Accounts amounting to £2065 Gs Id were passed for payment. Tenders for punts were received and.referred to the Works Committee to report. Two tenders were received for buckets for the New Era, and the Works Committee were empowered -to accept the lowest (Trustees in the estate of Davidson and Conyers, £205 os.) The Board then went into Committee.