OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18720, 25 November 1922, Page 2

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD

r ' , MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held last night, and wag attended by Messrs H. C. Campbell (chairman), D. Larnach, T. H. Russell, A. Cable, N. Galbraith, H. E. Moller, G. 11. Walker, W. Wilkinson, J. A. Roberts, K. Ramsay, J. M. Dickson, J. M‘Donald, ana J. Loudon. GENERAL. The bank balance showed a net credit of £16,335 6s Id. A letter was received from the Returned Soldiers’ Association thanking the board tor its efforts to alleviate unemployment amongst the returned soldiers, and regretting that it was unable to make any further monetary grant to the board. —Mr Moller asked if tho £IO9O which had been received trom the city had been given by the City Council or the local Relief Committee, ■there appeared to be some doubt which bociy had given the money.—Mr Dickson gave details and said that there was no doubt m his mind that the City Council was responsible for the guarantee of £looo. —Mr iVt’uonald said that somebody would have to pay the money over. The discussion then closed. Letters were received from Messrs Samson and Co., Central Produce Mart, Waters, Ritchie and Co., and Scurr and Co., protesting against the action of the board in confining its auctioneering business to certain firms. Mr Moller moved that tho letters be received and that the names of the above iirms be added to tho list of auctioneers already accepted.—Mr Larnach seconded the motion. He thought that they should have stuck to tho one firm which had previously done their auctioneering business.—Mr Russell raised tho question whether tho resolution on the books regarding the appointment of the other auctioneers should not first be rescinded, and iVfv Moller then withdrew his motion, and said that he would give notice to move that tne previous resolution be rescinded in order to enable them to add the Tour additional auctioneering firms. Mr Wilkinson brought up the matter of communication between the Port Chalmers railway station and the board’s sections at Aramoana, North Head, on Saturday afternoons, and suggested that the board subsidise a bus service to the extent of £5, if required.—After some discussion, it was decided to support the request, and that the bus leave on the arrival of the 12.15 p.m. train on Saturdays. TENDERS. A number of tenders for Harbour Board supplies were received and referred to the engineer, who will submit them to tho Works Committee. LAKE LOGAN. T’ho Secretary reported that in connection with tho leasing of the Lake Logan ajea he had replied to an inquiry by the Town Clerk that: —“No final subdivision of the area has been adopted by the board. By correspondence we have agreed to lease (when the reclamation is completed) to the council, for recreation purposes only, 20 acres for 50 years. The first 10 years rental 0 per annum, and the remaining 40 years to be £2OO per annum. Clause 109 of the 1919 Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act gives the District Land Registrar power to register the lease. By correspondence wo have agreed to transfer five acres to the Education Board, in exchange tor the Albany School site, and buildings thereon. In tho same way, we have agreed to lease (when the reclamation is completed) a further three acres for 50 years, at £IOO per annum. Note. —The Education Bcaru submitted an authorising clause to the recent Parliament to be embodied in the Washing-up Bill.” Mr Loudon moved that the reply of the secretary be approved. The matter would come up again. The motion was carried. RESERVES COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Reserves Committee reported in respect to a communication from M. Stevenson claiming that a building valued at £6O, on lot 2, section 27, did not belong to the board, and consequently could not be included in the sale, that tile chairman’s action in authorising the deduction; at the auction, of the value of tho building from tho total amount of improvements bo approved. As regards the communication from M. Stevenson asking the board to accept half value of improvements on lots 1 and 2, section 27, instead of full value, as provided in the conditions of sale, and from tho Westport Goal Company asking relief from payment of tho furl value of the improvements on sections 25 and 26, as provided in the conditions of sole, that the applications be declined. Messrs John Lysaght Ltd., had asked for an adjustment of lot 9, section 27, to permit of tho erection of standardised buildings, and the committee recommended that the necessary adjustment be made, Messrs Lysaght, Ltd., bearing all the required expenses—tho rental to be adjusted also in accordance with the varied area. The committee recommended that Mr Geo. Simpson bo appointed tin; board’s valuer for leases expiring during 1925. Mr Galbraith moved the adoption of the report. Mr J. Loudon said that he desired to bring before tho Reserves Committee what, in his opinion, was a most important matter in the interests of the board and the future development of tho city. What he suggested was that provision should now bo made before large vested interests were created, in the shape of expensive buildings, to make a broad straight highway connecting Lower High street with the Port Chalmers road, and j auctioning the later about tho centre of Lake Logan Park. It appeared absolutely certain to him that in the near future large crowds would assemble at Lake Logan from the centre and southern portions of the city, and also that there would bo an extension of the tramway system in the direction of West Harbour. It was therefore imperative that some bettor means of communication should be provided than existed at present. There was also the necessity for a considerable cleaning up of the board’s properties in the northern part of the cigy, and this would be the first step towards that end. Quito recently certain leases had been entered into with Nees and Song which affected the scheme, but ho (the speaker) had interviewed the Messrs Nees and was glad to find they cordially .endorsed the proposal He was sure they would (whatever rights they possessed) meet the board in the best citizen spirit The scheme would also mean re-casting the lay-out of a number of sections and the resumption of a small area, but ho felt very strongly if the board neglected do something now on the lines indicated they would only regret it once and that would be for all time. — The motion was carried, and members expressed their appreciation of Mr Loudon’s remarks. Tho engineer was instructed to prepare a sketch plan of the district affected and to submit it to the Reserves Committee for a report. HARBOUR DEPTHS. Tito Harbourmaster, Captain M'Lean, reported on tho harbour depths as follows: North channel, 40ft deep, 100 ft wide; bend, 33ft deep, 350 ft wide ■ Deborah Bay, 30ft deep, 500 ft wide; Victoria channel (centre), 19ft deep, sides, 181 ft deep,- 160 ft wide.

SHIPPING RETURNS. Arrivals.—Coastal, 26 vessels, 21,507 tons; intercolonial, 6 vessels, 10.133 tons; foreign, 11 vessels, 50,702 tons; totals, 43 vessels, 82,342 tons. Departures.—Coastal, 29 vessels, 28,305 tons; intercolonial, 6 vessels, 16,329 tons; foreign, 4 vessels, 20,917 tons; totals, 39 vessels, 66,051 tons. POSITION OF TUG-MASTER. The Harbour-master’s Department Committee report recommended: —That applications bo invited for the position of tugmaster, at a salary of £325 per annum; no application to bo considered from an applicant whoso ago exceeds 40 years. That the committee bo authorised to select the names of four candidates for submission to an adjourned board meeting to be held at 8 p.ni. on December 14. —The report was adopted. WORKS COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The Works Committee’s report recommended, with respect to the communication from the city engineer and from the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board, with regard to drainage on reclaimed ground in blocks 74 and 75, that the whole matter of draiiTage bo referred to the Works and Finance Committees (combined) to report. The committee further recommended the following works for approval; (a) Purchase of lower tumbler for dredge 222, at an approximate cost of £43; (b) purchase of driving belt for dredge Vulcan, at an approximate cost of £55. —The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. Tho Finance Committee reported that, with further reference to its September recommendation, now recommended for approval the exchange of the board’s 4i per cent. Liberty loan debentures (£15,000) for 5i per cent, bonds in terms of the communication from the Minister of Finance. The committee recommemnded that the contract price for the receiving and delivery contract, which Messrs H. L. Tapley hold, be reduced from Is Hid per ton to Is lOd per ton ns from May 15 last, consequent on the reduction in the waterside workers’ award, which takes effect from that date. The statement of revenue and expenditure for January-Octobor, 1922, was recommended for adoption. General accounts totalling £6517 4s 9d and dock accounts amounting to £434 4s 9d were recommended for payment. With respect to the judgment which had been secured against the New Zealand Aero Transport Syndicate, that the solicitors be instructed to take suoh action as they thought best to secure tho amount of tho judgment.—The report was adopted.