DOCK TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14279, 30 July 1908, Page 9

DOCK TRUST

«. The usual fortnightly meeting of the \ .Utago Dock I rust was held on Tuesday , evening in the board room, there being ] present-Messrs A. Cable (deputy chairman), W. Barclay, G. L. Dcnniston, G. Edgar, E, Gmlfred, J. Mill, W. Gow, G. B. Bullock; and W.i Sutton. ( TUE UEItOING 811.1.. A desultory discussion took place con- i cernmg the Merger Bill now before Parliament, Mr Barclay being strongly of opinion that a member of the trust should < proceed to Wellington in order to bo ' yrosont when the bill is being discussed ' by the Local Bills Committee Ho had no doubt a similar course would he fol- ! lowed by the Harbour Board, and under ) those- circumstances bo thought the trust ' should do as (suggested. Mr Bullock expressed similar views, as it was necessary ( that the committee should have full inter- J ination on any contentious points which may arise whilst the bill is under discus- •> .sion. Tho members generally being favourably disposed towards tho suggestion it. was resolved that the deputy chairman (ill- table) and Mr Hosking be asked to « proceed to Wellington when the bill is t under discussion. ; captain- Watson's allowance. , A letter was received from the Port e Chalmers Borough Council, in Toply to a ] communication re Captain Watson's refir- 1 ing allowance, and Mr John Mill moved 1 that the allowance bo granted.—Mr Edgav i objected to it on the ground that if the 1 Auditor-general objected to, its payment, 1 members of the trust would bo held jointly ' and severally liable. On those grounds ' he would vole against it.—Mr Mill strongly ! urged its payment, inasmuch as the trust ' had hitherto nude similar payments to ' former servants. Tho Union' Company ' and the Port Chalmers Borough Council j had both written to say they offered no objection to its payment. He expressed ' himself in strong terms as to the opposi- ( tion which had been raised against the r proposal to pay Captain Watson a retiring ', allowance.J-Mr Bullock suggested as an ; amendment that the trust should adhere to I its former decision agreeing to its payment ( wtien the Borough Council signified its ; unequivocal approval.-Tho Deputy Chair- t man said the opposition was mainly duo to 1 an adverse legal opinion relating'thereto, 1 and under those circumstances he was' not I disposed to vote in favour of it.—The ; motion was then put. and Was lost on the ; voices. i correspondence. : The Union Company wrote with refer- : ence to an arrangement made in July, ', 1906, wnereby the trust agreed to lease to ■ the company a portion of their endowment j nth i e nc,T " dock for a boat-repairing 1 shed, the lease, to be signed when the ground was available. The company be- , ing satisfied that the site was now readv, 1 expressed a wish to liave the lease com- 1 pleted as soon as possible.—Referred to the Works Committee, with powor to act. Messrs Turnbull, Martin, and Co, wrote 1 111 reply to a letter from the trust, for- < warding copy of freight note in connection ( with a shipment of 600 crates of frozen ( rabbits per s.s. Cornwall. As previously ' advised, bills of lading for these had been handed over to the National .Mortgage and ( Agency Company previous to receipt of ; the trust's letter. Mr Watson personally had booked the space with Messrs Turnbull, Martin, and Co., and the documents , had been handed over to his Dunedin agents, the National Mortgage Company,— , Received. " ' ItKrORTS. ' The Works Committee reported having 1 duly considered a remit from a previous , meeting re rate of payment for casual ( labour at the freezing works, and having '. been given, .power to act, had resolved that ; all casual kbour within the freezing eham- ; ber b© paid at tho rate of Is 3d per hour. ' For all casual labour outside of chamber- < for a portion of a day Is 3d per hour, for ! a wholo day or more Is per hour, a day < to mean eight working hours. The com- 3 mittee further reported having considered < Hie application from the Union Steam Ship ! Company for the use of a strip of land ' at tho side of the old dock, and sonsequent , upon olause No. 21 in the Merger Bill pro- ' hibiting the trust from granting leasee for j more than one year, suggested that the Otago Harbour Board bo asked to appoint a committee to confer with the trust,- ■ Adopted. ; The Dock Engineer (Mr R. Hay) reported ! as follows:—"Tho works at the new gray- ] Miff dock have progressed very slowly for 1 the last month, and very little has been i done. This is partly owing to the wet < weathor. Tho work in hand' has been : chiefly in the pump chamber, in which the > waterproof course is now being laid down. ; The boiler has arrived and is being built into position. Tho capstans have also ' been erected, and a small amount of punned ! earth and reclamation has been carried oufc ' ; Timber for the keel blocks is on tho ' ground, but very little prorge6s has been made in shaping and drawing the blocks." ] Mr Sutton drew attention to the fact that > two inspectors wore still employed at the' : dock on behalf of the trust, although little ; work was being done.—Mr Godfred stated ] that 15 men had been put off' last week and < only five men wore now employed, there ■ being only a day shift at work.—Mr Gow i considered that one inspector was sufficient, i and it was decided to refer the matter to I Mr Hay for a report. ( Tlie Dockmastor (Mr E. Knewstubb) re- ' ported that throe vessels had been docked ' during the month,' and the sheer legs had J been used once for a seven-ton lift. Tho ' now boiler had been placed in position. ] Tho engineer was hampered for coal stor- • age space, and it will be necessary to erect ! a suitable coal shed in rear of tho boiler ' room at an early dato, somo suitablo ' material being already available.—Adopted, ' t!\o Works Committeo being empowered to ) act re coal storage. • , The Freezing Engineer (Mr Smaill) re- / ported that in consequence of the Secent ] bad. weather, and from othor causes, the j supply of rabbits' to the freezing works had t practically ceased, but boned beef con- ] tinue.s to come forward. On tho 9th inst. ( 2100 cases of rabbits and boned beef had 1 lieen shipped by the steamer Cornwall, and 2 further shipments arc ponding. 'All the ( machinery was reported to bo in good ' order.—Received. ( The Finance Committee reported having ■ examined accounts as follow:— Ordinary ( account, £146 0s sd; dock construction ] account, £SB4 14s;. sundry accounts, £241 ] ]?s Id. Balance to credit current account, ' £165 6s 10d; to credit loan account, £1857 ! 7s 6d. Amount of loan account on fixed } deposit, £10.000. Contractors' deposit ac- 1 count, £1128 15s. The accounts were re- j coived for payment and the report was j adopted. (