HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6488, 28 November 1882, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

The adjourned ordinary meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday, and was attended by Messrs K. Ramsay (chairman), R. Wilson, A. H. Ross, A. Burt, J. Mill, H. Guthrie, and H. S. Fish, M.H.R. CORRESPONDENCE^ The Town Clerk wrote stating that with reference to the Board's recent application for permission to remove ■ material from Jones street, the Council was willing to grant such permission, providing the method of working adopted was satisfactory to the Council's Works Committee.—Referred to the Works Committee. Messrs Pritchard and Co. applied for the price of 450 cubic yards of material they had placed by mistake on the Board's endowment. —Referred to the Works Committee. The Secretary to the^Chamber of Commerce wrote :— I have the honour, by direction of the Chairman, to acknowledge. the receipt of your letter of the 16th inst., referring to a report of the meeting of tho Chambsr as published in that day's papers. In reply, I am instructed to say that at all times oa which the Committee have had occasion to apply to you for information, such has been mo it fully given, and that so far from having complaint to make on that head, the Chamber would desiro to plocs on record their acknowledgment of the completeness of the 'returns furnished by you, and tho caro and attention bestowed on their compilation. Received. THE WRECK CHART. The following letter was read :—

Marine Department, ■Wellington, November 23rd, 18S2. The Secretary Harbour Board, Duncdin. Sir,-I hive the honour to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of the 11th inst. with further reference to the method of imrking the Wreck Chart published l>y this Department, and in reply I am directed to inform you lhat tho copy cf the "Nautical Magazine" rcferrd I to is in tho possession of this Department, but it would appear that the remarks quoted by you rifiir to tho tables and not to tho charts published by the Board of i'rado. Care, however, shall be taken in future tint only serious casualties afull be inserted in the wreck chart appended to tho Annual Report of thii Department. The necessarily email scale of tho chare renders it impossible to place the symbols in every case in tho exact spot where the casualty occurred.—l have, &c, . . William Seed. CLEANING THE BAR. K. J. Fennor Willson wrote: — Having been engaged in America for a number of years in "the work of deepening rivers and harbours and rendering them navigable for Iho largest vessels, 1 may be pardoned for intruding an opinion at the pre=ctit time. I have read the reports of your engineer and of the other engineers employed and consulted by the Board,. and while admitting that the bar will bo improved by tlie works proposed, tho cost both of construction and maintenance will be exceedingly great. J am under no obligation to give the Board and tho public the benefit of my experience without equivalent rcmuuera ion, aud I cannot, therefore, put the Board in possession of my plans, as they would become public property. I have therefore decided to submit an offer for the construction of tho work, as follows: — For th<- sum of £12,000 I undertake to clear the bar at Otago lleadf to the depth of 23ft at low water, and to tho'fuli width the tidal How will admit of, aud to iuaintiin that depth of water for a period of flvoyears to tho satisfaction of the Board. 1 ask no payment until the work is done ; and if the Board will assist me with plaut a corresponding reduction can be made hi the cost. The terms of payment to be; £5000 on tho bar being removed to the stipulated depth : £2000 three months thereafter; and £1000 at tho end of each je;ir from date of contract. These terms should, I submit, be a sufficient guarantee of the bonajides of my offer. 1 undertake that the passage of vessels during the progicos of the work shall not be interfered with ; and I further undertake to uso all available labour, an 1 to construct the work with the utmost expedition, so that the same may be completed within eight moi.tlit; and if co-jupleted within that time,/ would ask a bonus at the rato of £1000 a month for expedition. My plan of uon-lructiou is eminently suited to secure and miintain for all time, and without tho aid of dredging, a deep-water entrance to the Harbour of Otago ; and this, 1 presume, is what the Board defcireß to p.cc'jmplish. Mr Bukt moved that the letter should be referred to the Works Committee. From the tone of the letter ho judged that the writer was prepared to carry out his plants of operation, and they might be well worth consideration. Mr FISK drew attention to the fact that the writer was altogether unknown. He did not appear to be a professional mnii, and tho question was, whether the Board were justified in making experiments that might be productive of evil. If Mr Willson thought he had a Bchdirio which he could carry out, he should put it before the Board with as little stipulation as possible.

Mr Ross did not consider that the Board had any right to go outside of the course generally pursued by corporate bodies in matters of the kind,.of eroployirigprbfessional men to work out engineering schemes. It was quite possible Mr Willson might have conceived a good idea, but money borrowed by ji-ct of Parliament should not be spent m teat ing the scheme of an unprofessional man. The Chaiehan thought that before the Board could consider any offer of the kind the plans of the scheme should be laid on the table. If Mr Willson was afraid of.his plans being made use of, he cciuld protect himself through the Patent Office. In Committee it had been decided not to have anything to do with an offer of a similar nature from Mr M'Kenzio, and their action had been approved of by their solicitors. He thought that as long as they had an engineer they ought to follow his plans. Altogether some 50 schemes for the improvement of the harbour must have been received by tho Board since its constitution, and it would never do for the Board to take into consideration proposals of the kind. Mr Mill deemed it the duty of the Board to put their foot down at once oh this pointthat they would have nothing to do with plans which did not come through their engineer. Mr Bum said ho would give notice that at next moating of tho Board he would move that competitive designs should be invited for the improvement of the Lower Harbour. Mr Fish moved—"That this Board is not prepared to entertain any proposition for tho improvement of the bar at Ofcago Heads unless emanating from professional men, and that Messrs Bl'Kcnzie and Willson be informed accordingly." Mr Wilson : I think these gentlemen should have "ashow."

Mr Fish : You may just as well go and ask Professor Thompson at the Carnival to give you a plan.—(Laughter.) Mr Guthrie seconded the motion, which was carried on the casting vote of tho Chairman. WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee reported upon remits as follows :— (I) Messrs Macfarlane and Watson's application for hire of waggons agreed to at tho rate of la per waggon per week, to be returned In liko good order and condition. (2) Messrs R. S. Sparrow and Co.'s account for work done to buckets for New Era: Tho engineer's roport is attichcd, from which it-will be seen that no direct authority had been Riven to proceed I with the work. Tho engineer's suggestion that the plant be used as required, and be paid for US'delivery is taken, is recommended for adoption, and intimated to Messrs Sparrow. (3) Removal cf watermen's boats to Stuart street, as suggested by the harbourmaster, h33 been ngreed to. (4) The engineer's suggestion that the New Em should go to the Victoria Channel has been agreed to. (5) Question of holidays: It appea-s thst the following are tho holidays that hitherto have been kept— viz.: New Year's Day and day following, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Queen's Birthday, Christmas Day, and Boxing D^y- seven In all.-Hesolvcd—" Tho only alteration to be recommended is the substituting the Prince of Wales' Birthday for Easter Monday." (6) Minister of Public Works: As instructed, a meeting was arranged, when a deputation of members of tho Beard waited on Mr Johnston, and the Chairman of

the Board brought nndcr his notice the several questions of removal of lino from Crawford street, now pa?jcnger-3tation bui.'dinjis, connecting railway with wharves; haulage rates, differential dues, and dredging at Port Chalmers wharves. Mini-jter having asked for a precis of correspondence re railwa3'-stntion site, the secretary prepared tho same and forwarded it to him before his leaving for tho South and Lakes. The different subjects brought up ho promised to consider and reply to upon his return. (7) Agreements appointing valuators i These have been sealed and signed, a* requited by law, and tho solicitors aro proceeding with the necessary steps prior to a re-salo of,the leases. (8) Cartage: Me3Sra A. Mollison and

Co.'s tender being loweathas been accepted. Coals In accordance with engineer's rtxammendation

Jlcßsrs Clarke and Wright's tonder has been accepted for coals. (9) Kepaira to dredge 222: The engineer has been authorised to accept the lowest tender. (10) Mooring punts". Resolved to recommend that, as suggested by tho engineer, it bo arranged that the ma6tors of llio steamers be instructed in rotation to see to tho proptr mooring of the punts each night. (11) An application for tho uso of the Iron Age by the employes of the Board for themselves and families on Boxing Day has been agreed to. (12) Two clocks for self-registering tidegauges at the Heads and near Port Chalmers respectively have been authorised to bo purchased. (13) The engineer's general report: Your Committee having given most carelul attention to this report, have adopted the following resolution ;—" Agree to recommend the adoption of that portion us amended referring to Upper Harbour, and that ilis proposals re improvements at the bar be considered at a future meeting." Tlie Committee deem it desirable that tho

whole of tho work cf reclaiming the area south of Jetty street, between Crawford and Cumberland

afreets, and the area north of Eattray street, bo accomplished with as little delay as possible. Tho amendment referred to in resolution Is embodied in a memo, from the engineer, attached, giving estimate ol additional plant that would he required to carry out the work iv aeordanco with the Coinmittco's views as to time of completion.

Mr Fish moved the adoption of the report. It would be seen that the recommendations of the Committee differed from the original report of Mr Barr in two respects. 1< irst, the

Committee recommended that the work of excavating the channel to the decreased width and depth, as recomuimended by Mr Barr, should be carried on with greater celerity than was allowed for in his first report. The idea of the Committee was that, although this course would involve increased expenditure, it was better to adopt it on account of the reproductive nature of tha work. The principal item of expense would be tho building of a new steamer, which would be constructed on the

hopper principle, so that it could be usod used either for towing purposes or for taking the silt from the harbour outside the Heads. It could also be utilised for

the conveyance of stones and other material to the northern channel should the Board decide to stop that entrance. Tho other recommendation was to postpone the consideration of the improvement of the bar until another meeting. He would say with regard to that recommendation that although he (lid not absolutely disagree with it, there was not much cause for delay. Looking at the matter in all its aspects, he saw nothing open to the Board but the adoption of the plan recommended by the engineer, whose ideas were in accordance with those expressed by Mr Simpson and Sir J. Coode. They should either make up their minds to adopt the recommendation of their engineer, or call for competitive designs for deepening the channel, with estimates of cost. They had already got the opinions of three engineers, and he did not think they could get any outside these which would be worth much. Delays were always dangerous, and he thought a delay in this case would be a weakness rather than otherwise. He was prepared to discuss on its merits any proposition Mr Burt might make for inviting competitive schemes, although he did not think much good would result. If Mr Burt was not prepared to bring anything definite forward at next meeting, he would move a motion to adopt Mr Barr's scheme for the improvement of the Lower Harbour.

Mr Wilson seconded. He reminded the Board that they were only to spend the loan at the rate of £63,000 per year. It would not do for them to be again going into the market in two years or so ; for even if they got a loan the question was, Would they be able to pay the interest falling due? He thought they should go on quietly and avoid falling into the old mode, use caution, and husband their resources a little moro. They knew what it was to be hard up, to go to their bankers with their hats in their hands, and to send deputations to Wellington. He was getting thoroughly sick of that style of thing. Messrs Ross and Mill objected to the construction of the steamer at tho present time.

The Chairman agreed with Mr Fish that tho matter should oe settled as speedily as possible. The dredge was not doing what was expected of her, and the Board ought to go about some works that would give them confidence that they would obtain a certain depth on the bar, such as those proposed by Mr Barr. He had sufficient confidence in tho Board's engineer, and would be prepared to second Mr Fish's motion at next meeting. , Mr Bubt thought that the dredge might be expected to do a great deal of work during the summer. He would like to have more light on the matter before voting for carrying out the proposed'works. Mr Guthrie was of opinion that the channel would be deepened much more cheaply by keeping one dredge constantly working on it, but he quite agreed that if two were to be employed, a steamer and extra plant were requisite. The report was adopted, Mr Mill alono dissenting, ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £12,601 8s lOd were passed for payment. The Board having discussed some matters in Committee, adjourned.