OTAGO DOCK TRUST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14357, 29 October 1908, Page 2

OTAGO DOCK TRUST

The adjourned meeting of ilie Dcck Trust was held on Tuesday evening, tlieiv being present Messrs A. Cable (deputy ehairinani, (V. Harclav, (!. L. Dcnnistoii. (I. lidgar, K. (Irulfred, J. .Mill, 1). MThcrton, (i. ti. J'ulloel;, and W. Stilton. eonnnwosnENci;. Mr I'. Hay (engineer! wrote as follows: — "Your committee was good enough to call and discuss Iho resignation of my appointinrnt as engineer lo your trust, and I. am sorry that I cannot withdraw my resignation, as llk stuto of my health entirely precludes my acting in any capacity that entails worry or excitement". 1 need hardly say how much I regret i y.everii's: my cotit:?c-tion with your trust, I but 1 -hall be glad (when the time- comes) to insist, you in any settlement with the contractors." Mr DennMon reported flint- the committee appointed had interviewed Mr Jlify with regard lo his projected retirement troni the position of engineer to the Dcc-lc Trlisl. Ho far a? lie could ascertain the sole tvasou for Mr Hay's wish to resign ; was the present state of his health, which j rendered his retirement imperative. I .Mr .Sutton exprc«ed his nfrong ilk- i approval of the cour?> adopted by Mr j Way in tendering his resignation at the i present juncture. | Mr Bullock: Has Mr Hoy been fully i paid for his services up to data? j The Chairman: Yes. _ j Mr Barclay: Mr Hay should appoint I an 1 ' assistant eneinper in complete Ilie I necessary supervision, and should pay him I out. of his own pocket. j Mr Ciodfred: 1 move that Mr Hay he informed that the Dock Trust cannot consent to accept his resignation, and that his attention be drawn in the deed of agreement defining his appointment. The motion was carried on the voices, there Win:; only one dissentient. Messrs Ilcfking and Cook wrote stating that, clause 16 of the Dock Trust Merger liill had been modified. "The preceding words to whicU Mr Alien referred in his Jotter as introduced into clause 16 are 'from and after the date of merger.'' so as to make it clear that the refund to the borough does not arise until merger has taken place. "The additonal words-which Mr Allen got added in the Lower House .are merely permissive, and do not bind the ilfcrbour hoard. Mr Sindaif was: not aware of this! addition until the bill came before ib« j Legislative Council, but having ascertained j that Mr Millar, as representing the H:ir- j hour Board, did not object, to their inseriion, and cb-crving .iko that- the words were merely permissive, f.iul there bein<; no time left for objections, Ik. had the bill put through thn Council in the form in which it came from the Lower House." —Received. REPORT?. The Finance Committee reported bavin? passed general tucounis amounting to £671 Is 9d. The hank book showed a credit lwlance of £611 5s lid in current account, and £2002 lis 4d to credit new dock loan account. A fixed deposit account of £7500 showed lo credit in the loan account, and £1120 15s lo credit of contractors' deposit account. Mr Barclay reported I hat the Finance Committee had considered Mr John Watson's objections re payment of cold storage at consolidated vales, and recommended that he be pressed for payment of outstanding accounts.—Adopted. The Engineer (Mr D. N. Fletcher) reported that owing to the extensive leakage at. the old dcck gates, the consumption of coal, etc.. hod materially increased per unit. Of late one pitmp was required almost exclusively to cope with tho leakage, leaving practically only one pmnp ,to empty tho (lock. In the event of a breakdown of one or other of the pumps, serious delay would result.—Adopted. The .Freezing Engineer (Mr Sma-ill) reported that, small lots of rabbits, beef, and mutton had coming 1o hand since last meeting, and 0265 eases of rabbits and beef and 573 carcases of mutton were shipped by the Oswestry Grange and Athonie. Tho mechanical stoker had been removed, and the original fittings had been replaced on the boiler. Tho report showed that in 1904 the coal bill was £354 for the year, which, together with estimated increase for electric lighting, amoiinle.tl lo £451 After making several experiments with dross fuel, a mechanical stoker was installed for one lioiler. This reduced the coal bill to £295 in 1805. £293 in 1305, and £339 in 1907. The estimated -ale of electric enemy (£250) was exceeded by £10, exclusive of consumption at the dock and freezing works. In April, 190', alxiufc 5 per cent, of Westport slack was added to the. dross fuel. Tho resultant economy encouraged its mo a-lso last year, but of lute, «. much better class of fuel had bc?n obtainable at the, same cost, but was too big for the mechanical stoker, and can now be more, efficiently fired with tho shovel.—.Adopted. The Dcckmaster (Mr R Knewstubb) reported that the old dock gate., were giving a great deal of trouble owing to leakage, thereby entailing additional *" expense for pumping, etc. The machinery v.as now being kept running al its fullest capacity to meet present demands. Necessary repairs had been delayed in expectation of ■retting the use of tii -■ new pumping machinery, but Ihis would not be available for some time yet. Attention wan also drawn to the size ;uid spacing of the now dock heel blocks, the report, euggestinft that they be spaced to 4ft. instead of Sft apart as proposed. The heaviest vessels now using the. old docks averaged about £0 tons per keel block, whereas vessels like the Opawa and Athcnie would average 100 lons, resting upon 83 or 85 blocks. During the past month live vessels were docked for repairs, cleaning, etc.—The Chairman explained that: the engineer (Mr Hay) had spaced the blocks 6ft apart, but subsequently made the spaces sft. The latter was now considered too wide, and would have to he reduced to 4ft, at Ihe. trust's expense.- Adopted. Ml! BARCLAY'S RESIGNATION. Mr Barclay tendered his resignation as chairman of the Finance Committee as a protest against alterations which had been made in the Dock Trust. Merger Bill ivlien being put through the House after the Harbour Board, Port Chalmers Borough Council, ami Dock Trust's do!ei,'ale= had left \Vellinsrton.~Snvera.| members tried to dissaitde Mr Barclay from resigning, but that gentleman said he wi.ihcd to he free to deal with the matter in his own way when, the matter ca:nc before the Harbour Board.