OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12420, 1 August 1902, Page 7

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Tho monthly mooting of the Hortonr Board wa? held yesterday afternoon, there being present—The Hon. H. Gourley (ebairman), Messrs J. T. Maekcrras, A. V, Begg, J. Thomson, J. Oable, J. Robin, W ; Barday, the Hons, T. Fergus and D. Pinkerton. FINANCIAL. Tho bank book, laid unon the table, showed a credit Intones of £5977 19* lid. CORRKSrONDEKCK. Messrs Park, Reynolds, and Co, wrote that thoy' had an offer from Messrs Benjamin and Co, |o loaie scotioni 2B and 29, block LXIII, for M yearn at an annual rental of £20.—Offer accepted. A letter was received from tho Union Company asking for a refund of pilotage charges on tho s.s. Hawea, which had called in merely for the purpose of docking.— Granted. Messrs Hurray, Roberta, and Co. wroto, on behalf of Captain Graham, with reference to the extra charge for towage on tho, ship Pass of Balmaha. This extra £32 10s, with Uio ordinary towogo charge, £50 Bs, made, tho ohargo of tho board quite excessive. Should tho board not be able to make, a reduction, they wero afraid that in future tho owners vrould bo compelled to avoid this port.—Mr Rawson said that tho ship in question was' flying signals for a pilot when 20 miles beyond the pilotage limit, and tho harbourmaster, thinking she was in distress, sent out both tugs, which incurred this extra charge. Tho board, however, only charged- nxtrn for ono tug; and might have oharged double what thoy did—lt was resolved thai the application for a; reduction bo declined and an explanation furnished, The Secretary of the Women's Christian. Temperance Union wrote thanki.n<; the board for their donation of £20 towards the Dunedin Sailors' Rest.—Received.

The Secretary of the Wellington Harbour .Board wrote with reference to the refusal of the Collector of Customs at Wellington to collect harbour dues, pilotace, port ohargo, and harbourmaster's fees in respect of tho steamships Kent and Devon, which steamers were engaged by the Government to carry officers, men, and horses to South Africa, but which also carried ordinary freight below hatches for the benefit of their owners. The Wellington Harbour Board had determined to take notion to enforco. payment, and were asking for tho support of other boards in tho colony to resist the attempt of the Government to subsidise steamers at the expense of local bodies.—A good deal of correspondence accompanied the letter.—The Chairman said that no pressure the Otago Board could bring to bear would help the. Wellington Board. Tho only way was for the Wellington Board to bring a teat case in a court of law. They (the Otago Board) could only receive the letter and express their sympathy witli the Wellington Board.

Messrs A. Moritzson and Co. wrote urging the odvisableness of reducing the dues on cocksfoot. The present rate of 4s per ton of 20 sacks was "simply prohibitive—Application declined.

A OUIH FOR COMPENSATION*. The Under-secretary for Public Works, Wellington, wrote stating in reply to a letter from the board, in which it was stated that the board claimed £2400 as compensation for tho resumption of sections 26. 27, 28. and 29, block LIIV, oy the Government, that he was directed by tho Minister of Publio Works to draw attention to section 144 of " The Harbours Act. 1878,1' and to state that if the board _ had laid out any money upon the land in question tho Minister would be obliged if they would furnish full details of the expenditure. The board was also asked to supply particulars of the Union Steam Ship Company's lease. In the meantime the Minister did not admit the board's claim.

Mr Rawson, the recretary, said he had supplied the information. He did not think the board had spent anything. The land was nt the bottom of St. Andrew street, just on the railway line, and was leased.to the-Union Steam Ship Company for £100 a year. As far as he understood, the Union Steam Ship Company had not spent any money upou the land except in the payment of rout.

The Hon. Mr Fergus said the whole thing was ohildish. The Government might as well step in and take away the rest of the endowments, and say thoy were entitled to do 30.

The Chairman said every effort should'be made by the board to securo its sources of revenue. These lands were mortgaged to the board's bondholders, and he thought they should take some steps in the matter. Mv Begg moved-" That the board's solicitors be instructed to write to the Government and point out that these lands were part of the security to bondholders, and that they could not part with the land until it was compulsory. The Secretary suggested that the board might make representations in tho matter to the Acting-Premier. Mr Robin thought it would be advisable for the chairman and other members of the hoard when in Wellington to see the Acting. Premier. It was finally resolved that the solicitors draw up a protest in the matter, and that it bo forwarded to Wellington. ,' . REPORTS. The Works and Finance Committees* reports, and also that of the engineer (already published), were adopted. ' THE RAVEXSJIOURXE RECLAMATION. The following is a further report by the Engineer; dated the 24th July:•As instructed' by the board, I submit a further report on the filling-inof the piece. of unreclaimed land at the upper end of the Ravensbourne reclamation. On the harbour face there « a.length of cbout 16 chains of incomplete stohe-walling, the greater part bein« bejow high-water mark. Before minroin» ■ operations could be undertaken it would be necessary to raise this walling with a clav or earth backing, and also to lay a culvert, with catch-water drains, to convey to the harbour the drainage from the hillside above the railway. The walling presents some difficulty, as the adjacent material is fine, silty sand, quite unsuitable for the work. It would be necessary, therefore, to convey tho stones and clay either by long cartage or by punts. I estimate the cost of these' preparatory works at £850. This does not include the cost of pumping by theTulcan, which may bo taken at three .months' work at £300. giving an additional £300. A reference to the plan will show that after deducting the land required for the railway and for roads there would be about l-J, acres left. As I formerly reported when dealing with the Ravenshourne reclamation, there is a rocky point above the railway at tin's place, wliich it will be necessary to cut back when the line is straightened, and thrown over to the harbour frontage, the excavation from which would suoply excellent material for facing up and filling in the enclosed area; and I would therefore strongly recommend that, this work be'deferred until such time as the TJail-. way Department is prepared to divert the line and station. In any case I would point out that it is now necessary to remove the Vulcan and plant up to the Victoria wharf, as the present reclamation has been carried up as high as is safe without risk of flooding and damaging the railway line; and it would take from two to three months' preparatory work before the small area mentioned above were ready to discharge into. The report was approved, Mr Barclay saying that lie was disappointed that the wall "was being left after such a, large sum of money had been spent: at the same time be could not press any objection against the delay. THE CH ASSET. AT HAIIniXOTOJf TOIXT. Tho following further report, of the 30th was submitted by the engineer: — He Channel'at Harrington Point.—l have the honour to report on this as follows:—The strong sweep of the ebb tide has now gradually carried the channel between the Kaik jetty and Harrington Point so far to the eastward that probably a stable or nearly stable condition has been reached. This give 3 o, somewhat narrow and curved course of about 300 ft in width with deep water. At the lower end, however, below the. buoys, the channel is so far over into the bight that vessels avoid it and take a more direct course, which takes ■them across the shoal ground of the end of the northern spit, with 19ft to 20ft of .water. I am strongly of opinion that any dredgin* operations would lis very costly,'and would give temporary relief only; and that a per-

manent improvement of the channel can best be obtained by the construction of the three lower groins oh the lines laid down by Mr Napier-Bell in litis report of April, IS9B. These groins should be carried up to low-water level and built entirely of rubble rock deposited from punts. Mr Bell blbo showed a further groin above the Kaik, which he thought might bo required. ' This, I think, will be found to be, not necessary, and may safely be left out of the present proposal. The three lower groins proposed should be carried out simultaneously, starting at the low-water' line and extended outwards. There'is a face of suitable stone on the Government reserve at Harrington Point, which could, I think, be obtained. The board has. practically all the plant required in punts, cranes, trucks, and rails, but would require to make some provision 'for towing.' I estimate the cost of groins at £ 16,§00. This expenditure, however, would be spread oyer,, say, three years. If thought to bo advisable, the board could put on the market the available balance of the 5 per cent, consolidated loan, amounting to £11, GOO, which with, say, £10 premium, would realise £12,7G0. I may say that I have no doubt that the pronosed groins would effect a permanent improvement to the ohannel. As extended, their effect would he to gradually force over the channel to assume t>, less curved form, one great' 'advantage being that as they progress experience may ;how that a fair workable channel can be obtained without it being necessary to push them out as far as indicated, and, therefore at a less cost than the estimate.

Mr Rawson said that if the board decided to carry the work out it would be necessary to submit plans to the Marine Department, to be sent on to Government.

Mr Robin said the plans were on similar lines to those of Mr Barr and Mr Stevens, their late inspector of works. He (Mr Robin) had had' these things under consideration for a very long long time, and had had the plans in hi 9 desk ever since Mr Stevens laid them before the board. While thoroughly agreeing with them, and that it was higb time the work was carried out, he thought that particulars of such antimportant matter should be laid on the table till next meeting •to permit members to consider them. It was not a temporary expedient, but a thing that, when carried out, would be for all time. Ho was very glad that Mr ltawson had brought the matter before them, and ho (Mr Robin) would be very glad to support them, but he thought it would be advisable that every niembor of the board should be thoroughly conversant with tho subject before euch ail important work was agreed to be canied out. He moved—"That the nlnns and report lay oil the table till next meeting," The Hon. Mr Pinkerton ■ suggested that it might bo better to approach the Marine Department, so that if held over for a month the board would then be in a position to start work at once. Mi- Rawson pointed out such a step pould not be taken until the board decided in the matter. Mr Robin said he was prepared to sanction the work right off, but he felt that before important matter-, like this were brought before the board members should be notified. The Chairman said there was no great I 1?™) «) Reaving the matter over, and Mr Robin's suggestion was then agreed to; Hon T. Fergus was added to the Works Committee.