OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14715, 24 December 1909, Page 4

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of tho Ot;iito Harbour Hoard, held yesterday aflornoon. wa.s attended by Messrs T. Ross, W. Belcher, .1. T. Mackorras, .1. Watson. W. Wilkinson. G. Si Bullock. G. W lhttrav, mxl ,1. Loudon. Aoolosics worn received from Mr W. Baa-lav and Mr 1). A. Dc Mtuis. Mr Koss was voted lo tlio chair. SVSU'ATUY. Feeling re'wpiieo to the death of Mr K. G. Allen was made by the aeUitsf-c'lmir-man, who said ihai they hail admired the way in which Mr Alto.ii had always stuck to his opinions, although norhaps they had not always been able to sec eye to eye with him. The following resolution was carried: — " That the hoard place on record its appreciation of tlio vultia'Ho services rendered lo the board and the citizens of Dunedin and Port Chalmers by the hue. Kdmund (.ilblott Alien during the many years ho occupied a. scat at this board tint! that a copy of this minute be. forward*! to the family of the deceased with an expression of the board's sympathy with them in their bereavement." rosmox ok dcck tiwst. A letter was received from the Otago Deck Trust asking that the balance <>f the board's contribution o! £500 for the par 1009 bo paid on or before the 30th inst.

Mr "Wilkinson moved that tho request l» acceded to.

Mr B;idwr said thai it was bis intention to oppose this motion. Ho thought, the time- had arrived when they should put into effect the provisions' of the Merger Hill. Instead of ud\anc:iig this money to the Dock Trust, aild incurring unnecessary t.roubb and expense, ho thought the tima ha<l now come when the resolutions necessary to merger should, be passed by both bodies. The Dock Thrust was in "a, had way financially, and it was advisable in the interests of all concerned that the present position be ended.

Mr Mackorras raised a i:oint of order. Was the matter of. the .jxwition of the Dock Trust before tho board?

Tho Chairman said ho thought Mr Belcher was in ord?r; but perhaps ho \voukl malm his remarks as brief as possible, or bring his amendment forward if ho had one.

Mr Jfelohor: I shall take my time, sir. I want to bo checked or interfered with by nobody so long as I am in order. Ho went, on to suggest that they should put tho Duck Trasl out of notion ami save all the expense- incurred by tlio continuous unnecessary existence of that body by declining to give this money. The trust; would then have to make default, and they could put in a receiver.

The motion was carried.

1 COUHEsrONHENCE. Tho Bay Town Board wroto submitting resolutions that had been adopted in ro tho vesting of Anderson's Bay inlet in the board.—Received. ' The Department of Agriculture wrote asking tho board's consent to tho department's handing over section 28, block LXX, to the Post and Telegraph Department.— Referred lo Reserves Committee, with power to act. MK DELCIIEIi's QUESTIONS. The following questions, asked 'by Mr Belcher, with answers thereto, were laid on tho table: — What sum of money was paid to tho board's solicitor for appearing before the Arbitration Court as representing the board to orguo tho point as to wliether

persons employed by local bodies were L entitled to the wage rates fixed by the Arbitration Court?—£24 5s Bd.

What ;uin of moiu'y was paid by (ho Harbour Boards' Association to tho solicitor who appeared for the association at tho

sitting of the Appeal Court in the above matter ?—Cannot say. What was tho decision of the Court of Appeal?— See Otago Daily Times of August 3, 1909, page 4. What was'tho amount of coste allowed by tho Court of Appeal against tho parties who made the apjjoal!—Cannot say. What was the duferonoa in wages being paid to the employees of tho board under its own system, an<l tile wages that would have to bo paid under rates fixed by au award r—'i'ho board paid the painter £2 14s per week; under an award tho wages paid would bo Is 3d an hour.

What would tho total of difference' amount to per 'annum ?—The board's painter would receive £1 18s pet annum more than award rate. IMW'.OVIXG DKCDCE 404. Mr Bullock, in moving the adoption of tho report, said the only item requiring special mention was tho question of putting cutting gear 011 to tho dredgo 404. This dredgo had boon procured for work at tho Heads. Now this work had been done, and it was found that a sue-

tion pump was not suitable (or working on a siifcdy bottom.

Mr Mackorras said he had a very lively and sad recollection of thousands of

pounds being spent on cutting machinery for tho plant of tho old Vulcan. This bad gono on for some years, and after costing thousands of pounds had to be abolished.

:Io hoped that what had been done then-

he supposed the engineer would have records—would bo a "warning. lie would counsel groat care being exercised. Mr'Wilkinson said -the cutting gear had given tho result desired, and he thought tho board should equip all its dredges. This money would bo well spent. Tho Acting Chairman said ho quite agreed with Mr Mackerras. Ho hoped the Works Committee would bear tho warning ilk mind. The report was. adopted. nKI'ORTSj.

The Engineer (Mr J. Blair Mason) reported on convenience for tho use of persons employed on the board's wharves, to the elt'ect that it w'as necessary that batter and further accommodation of this character should bo pvovidnl. Tho estimated cost of providing three small and two large conveniences as shown in plan would be £313. It s'lwukl be noted that no public or city conveniences existed cast of the Triangle and Cumberland street, so that in tlio_ provision of conveniences of tho nature indicated in ihe vicinity of the wharves at Rattray street, cross" wharf, and Jetty street, and which would be used largely by the general public, it should dovoivo upon the City Corporation to bear a proportion of the cost thereof, or in eome manner reimburse the bard for the .services rtivdored.-Mr London said he thought that tho council should be asked to tear a proportion of tho cost. Ho moved that tho engineer be empowered to approach tho City Council in tho matter.— 'i'ho motion was carried and' tho report was adopted. Tho li'inanoo Committee reported as follows:—"In tho matter of tho letter of the I Uunedin Fire Board as to adequate protection of tho board's wharves from lire, ybtir committee, viewing tho importance of the question, has decided to make further inquiries as to tlie system adopted at other contres, and confer with the Fire Board, with tho view of devising a system that will bo satisfactory to the board. In tho matter of the letter of the Harbours Association covering a judgment of Mr Justice Cooper deciding that tiio Declaratory Judgments Act provides a means of bringing an insurance company before tho court, despite the terms of condition No. 18 endorsed on Ihe policy, .your committee recommends that the matter bo remitted to tho delegates attending the next meeting of the Harbours Association, with instructions to affirm that tho right of reinstatement by an insurance company under policy conditions as applied lo Harbour Hoards should bo subject to the right of arbitration."—Mr Rattray moved the adoption of the rejiort, and the motion was carried. The Office Site Committee reported:— " Your committee recommends the building of an ollicc, at an estimated cost of £5300. on tlie site at the corner of Rattray and Wharf streets, assuming the laud can still be obtained from the Railway Depart-' ment on reasonable terms, and recommends that the secretary bo instructed to negotiate with the department accordingly."—Jlr Rattray moved the adoption of this report. The committee had gone exhaustively into the matter, and had considered a number of sites. It had been decided finally that the silo suggested was the most suitable.— Mr Watson supported the Art Gallery site as being most suitable, lie moved as an amendment—'" That the report be held over for one month for further consideration."— Mr Belcher seconded the amendment.—The motion was withdrawn, and the amendment carried. TENDERS. The tender of Messrs M'Callum and Co. for the supply of timber to the board during the forthcoming year was accepted.