HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6746, 28 September 1883, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Harbeur Board was held yesterday. afternoon. ; Present: The Obairman_(Mr A. H. Robs), Messrs J. Barrpn, Guthrie, Paterson, and D. Reid.'*". : " PROPOSAL TO BSBTH THBHELKN DENN? AT DUNEDIN. ', ":

The Manager of the British and New Zealand1 Mortgage 'and Agency Company .-wrote:— " The Helen Denny, from Glasgow, will be due here Bhortly. She' is consigned ,to ua afc v Port Chalmera, and, ;if: satisfactory arrangements can be made, we should, like to bring her up to Dunedin wharf.to discharge cargd.« For that purpose we. beg to mr.ke the following inquiries :—(1) In there sufficient depth of water in the channel and at' the wharf to accommodate .a, vessel drawing Iff t? (2) Will the Harbour Board be responsible"for the consequences Of groundingj;he vessel on .the passage up and down from TPorti Chalmers?.;(3) Will the Board -undertake to deliver all cargo at Port Chalmers wharf free ol; charge which may be specially consigned to; that place by bill of lading ? (4) Seeing that no bertbage dues are charged at Port Chalmers, will theßoard'eonsent to .forego them in this instance/as an inducement to the captain to bring Ilia vessel to. Dunedin?" .';''; ;The Chairman did not think, the Board could agree -to undertake any liability on ac.count of the vessel grounding. ■■ .') r,'■.'"•-,■ ' .Mr Reid agreed with the Chaiman, that it would never-do for. the' Board to undertake Buch a liability. The other conditions seemed* reasonable" enough.... . ' ~ ; i'Xhe Board, resolved that a reply should be sent agreeing to all'the conditions mentioned with the exception of that.referringto liability for damage through grounding. ■ '-^tQ,:-> ■' '.' 1 * ] "-:"' LETTERS,FROM 818 JOHIPaJbDR' '•■■'' '- '"■<■'■

; Letters were received from Sir John Coode acknowledging, the receipt of, the/late Chair--man's letter, with drawings and. specifications, of the contemplated works at the Heads. The Cb airman said that the cablegram referred to in the letter had already been received, asking the Board to delay operations until receipt of his full report.- There had notbeen time for Sir J. Coode to send his report by the: mail which brought these Jetters, as' there was only an interval of a few/days, . THE DEBDOK AT WORK ,ON THE BAB. • X The Chaibman : I may as well state to the Board at'this stage what the dredge has been doing on the bar since she underwent repah-B. On the first day (Thursday last), when she wag at work for leas'than three hours, she. lifted 400 tons; oh Friday and Saturday; 1200 tons each day; on Monday, in five and ahalf hours, 970 tons; on Tuesday, 1400 tons; and yesterday, 1400 tons —or a total of 6570 tons for five days' full time. On the line of the leading lights 15 Boundings were taken yesterday at dead low water, and they give these resultß :— Two soundings, least depth 20ft; five soundings, least depth 20Jft; five soundings,'least depth 21ft; three soundings, least depth 22ft. So that there would be upon the bar at high water 25ft lOin. That i"b the shallowest part. The tides at present are below the average, being within three days of the lowest sprmg' tides. I was down on Saturday, accompanied by the engineer, harbourmaster, and Mr Barron, and the work was going on very satisfactorily. The dredge was lifting well, and every man on board seemed to take a thorough interest in his work. I'think tho machine is now working very satisfactorily, although it is far from perfect. Only a portion of the buckets has been mended, and I have no doubt that when they are all mended, and the dredge has fair play, it will lift 1800 tons or 2000 tons iper-day, which it ought to do at leaat. " . '..'.',.-■■;; Mr Reid : Given suitable weather for the work. ' ..': l '■ .'.:■■:'■■ ■•■ The Chaibman : Yes. She has had fine weather, and is working very satisfactorily. The ladder was supposed to be watertight, but was not; and it is not watertight yet, -It cannot be made bo until the dredge goes into dock, as Bhe will by-and-bye. '. ; '--'~■ Mr Babron: Have we any evidence as to how much the bar silted up while the dredge* was off?. - ."■ - f ■ . .;. Tho Chaibman : The bar must -Tiavo • silted up fully 12inches—I believe 18inches, :If she : had been in good order she1 conld-not have beon working owing to the weather, but,we" ;ook the opportunity of repairing her, "putting her on the bar as Boon as possible. WORKB COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT. . The following report was read and adopted :— •' ; " Your Committee have to report on remits as follows:— . '.....- :.-■,•«.. '■.;..-:;■ . " Connecting Gasworks with Jetty- street . —Referred to the engineer to confer with city surveyor. ■:::.:/ " Marine Department's letter re Kfebeltß for pilot-boat's crew.—The harbourmaster reports that for several yeara past they have been provided. Marine Department informed accordingly. 'Publishing annually' in ; marine ' report authoritative information in'regard-to-im-provements at tHe Port.—Secretary instructed: to see suoh compiled and forwarded "before April, as requested ■by the Marine Depart- ■ ment, ; : ■ ■ ; ■ -.■ . -■ "The Vulcan, having provided two swinging berths sufficient for thu Te Anau and Rotomahana class of steamers, has been sent down to widen and deepen a portion of the Victoria Channel near the lower black beacon. ; "Specifications for coal tenders have been prepared, and are recommended for adoption. Draft copies, as amended, are attached. . : ; " Site for Otago Rowing Club's Boat-shed.™ : The application has been referred to the Chair- " man and engineer to act.. •

"Extension of Rattray street Wharf.—The Committee have instructed the engineer to pre- ■ > pare plans and specifications. Wharf to be 20ft wide, and 3ft higher than preskit wharf. .•■•■; "Beacons, Victoria Channel.—Fresh tenders * have been received, and referred, to the engi--neer to report upon to this day's meeting of he Board. ; - "Reclamation at Jetty street Wharf—Pro-

posed Approaches, Over-railway-bridge. — A communication and plan from the Engineer, Middle Island, are attached in reference to the foregoing, which your Committee recommend to be agreed to, and that portion of said reclamation be Bet apart as a site for Board's offices, your Committee further recommend that competitive designs for building ba called for.

"Your Committee have authorised a furnace to be constructed on board the dredge 222, by the use of which it is anticipated that any of the buckets (retting crushed may" be repaired on board.

'One of the new steam-cranes built by Messrs R. .S. Sparrow and Co. has been placed m position at the Stuart street walling for discharging mudboxes. The Committee recommend Mr David Bruce, late of dredge 222 to ba appointed cranedriver." FINANCE.

. Ilie following report from tho Finance Com mittee was read :— " Your Committee have to report on remits as follows:— .

_ ' Bertlmgo Rates for Lighters.—This matter having beuu referred to the harbourmaster and secretary,, they recommend that clause 67 of tho regulations be cancelled, and that the wordi; "within and1 be inserted between theword* 'trading' and 'beyond' in the firs* line of regulation 68. The effect of this alteration would' be to abolish the exceptional quarterly rate, and place the lighters on the same footing es other vessels using the wharves. :

" Messrs E. Pritchard and Co.'s Account.— The matter baa been placed in the solicitor's hands. ■ ...

"Accounts examined and recommended to be paid, £1689 16s 3d." The report was adopted, with the exception that tho proposed alteration in Regulation 68 was made to road as follows i —" Everylsailinij vessel trading,' &c. , ■

KE-OHGANISATIOX OF THE PHOT SERVICE. Mr Patebson- asked if the new harbour. master had entered on hiß duties.

Tho CHAinMAN replied that he had Jlr Paterso.v pointed out that when the late harbourmaster resigned ho stated he was not satisfied with the position of the pilot service. Ho (Mr Paterson) thought they should get a report from the new harbourmaster, for if tbs state ot the servico was not satisfactory tho sooner the question was settled the better. Pho liaroourmaater could report to one of tha Cotmnitteos-say,- the Works Committee: the toQiii.uteo could meet him and sea what f.m? Bes 118I 18 re(l"ired to make. He moved— lhat the harbourmaster be requested to report on tho state of the pilot service." Motion agreed to. THK BOABD-S FINANCES. rhe return fnrnished by the secretary with ; reference to the Board's finances was ordered to be printed for distribution. The Board then adjourned. .'.'.'.,

A terrible affair is reported from the villago of Sotmar, near Brunßwlck. During a thunderstorm a mother and her four children, to whom eho was reading, were killed by a single flash of Jigbtuinir. Two other children who wero close by were uninjured.