HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19009, 3 November 1923, Page 16

HARBOUR BOARD.

The meeting of the Otago Harbour Board, held last evening, was attended by Messrs T. H. Russell (chairman), D. Larlach. A. Cable, H. C. Campbell, H. E. Molier, J. H. Walker, T. Anderson, K. S. lament y, J. Loudon, J. M’Donald, W. IVilkihson, and Captain Sundstrum. The bank balance showed a net credit of 315,361. EASTERN WHARVES. The Standing Committee recommended, :onsequent on the replies received from die Portobello Railway Ferry Company, ho Portobello Road Board, and the Peniniula'; Ferry Company relative to tho erection af Conveniences at the Eastern wharves, that'no further action bo taken with respect to the proposed new conveniences, ind that the Peninsula Ferrv Company ind Portobello Railway Ferry Company be isked to supervise the Portobello convenience for alternate six-monthly periods, in which event the board would ae prepared to rehabilitate the convenience. Failing an agreement as suggested the convenience to be demolished. The recommendation was adopted. OTAGO EXPANSION LEAGUEThe Standing Committee recommended that a donation of £IOO bo paid to the Otago Expansion League. The recommendation was adopted. FLOOD DAMAGE. The Standing Committee recommended •with'; respect to the communication from the town clerk regarding action by Messrs Gregg and Co. for flood damage to premises in Harbour terrace, that tho board s solicitors bo requested to watch the proceedings in the board’s interest. Mr Walker raised the question whether tho report of the board’s, engineer and tho Drainage Board’s engineer would not have some hearing on the claims for flood damage. He had noticed in tho report, which had been published in the press, certain statements which might have a disturbing effect in any action which might be taken against the board. If he remembered rightly there had been a commission appointed consisting of railway engineer, then our engineer, and the drainage engineer to go into the question of the floods, but he noticed that the report on the matter had been drawn up bp Messrs Wiikie and M’Curdie. He had noticed a statement in a local in the press that, according to the two engineers, certain work should never have been proceeded with. What action was the board to take in the face of that. Certainly Mr Wilkie had disassociated himself from some of the statements made by Mr M’Curdie. IVhat would be the position if Messrs Gregg made a claim against the board? Voices: Their claim is against the City Council. The Chairman said that the matter had been brought before the board so that their solicitor might watch the proceedings. Mr Molier said that if tne City Council got caught the board would have to indemnify the council. , The Chairman said that he did not think the board would have to indemnify tho council in this case. Caotain Sundstrum said that it would be a great mistake to further continue the discussion. The recommendation was adopted. BROAD BAY BOAT SHED. The Standing Committee recommended, with respect to the communication from-the Broad Bay Boating Club, asking permission to erect a clubhouse on the Broad Bay wharf, that the’request be granted, under the usual conditions, also that the board’s Bile-driving plant be used to drive the five piles required for tho grid. The recommendation was adopted. DOCK WHARF. Hie Standing Committee reported as follows on the dock wharf:—“Consequent on the heavy cost to erect a timber wharf, your committee recommends that no further action be taken in the matter of the erection of this wharf, also that the offer of tho Union ■ Steam Shin Company to dispose of the Broxton be declined.” The report was adopted. TKo Standing Committee recommended that the matter of a road to the Spit etand over in the meantime, seeing that the Waikouaiti County Council intended- to apply next year for the subsidy on the amount of the board’s proposed grant (£200). The recommendation was adopted. RECEIVING AND DELIVERY CHARGES. • Tho Standing Committee reported as follows on the question of the charges for the receiving and delivery of cargo:—“Your committee has to report that, after full consideration, it cannot see its way to recommend any alteration in the charge of 2s 7d per ton for the receiving and delivery of oversea cargo but recommends that, if the combined shipping companies and the Importers’ and Exporters’ Shipping Association, or either of them, is prepared to do the work and undertake all responsibility, the board raise no objection, it being clearly understood, however, that the board, acting for the consumers and the community genernlly. must be vested with adequate ontro* this to be legally provided for.” The Chairman moved the adoption of tho report. Mr J. Loudon, in seconding the motion, referred to the conference held recently between the combined oversea shipping companies, the Exporters and Importers’ Association, and the Harbour Board. He said hat the arguments in favour of the charge aeing abolished used by the exporters and mporters were neither impressive nor convincing. On the other hand, the statement nade by tho representatives of the shipping rompames was painfully frank and left no •oom for doubt as to their attitude. They moted from the conditions contained in heir bails of lading to the effect that their •esponsibiliy ceased on the goods being anded from the ‘ship’s slings on to the vharf.'ancl argued that tho consignees should ye there ready to rocei'fte the goods when iischajged from the ship. They further dated, that if they (the shipping companies) vere called upon to do anything further ban/indicated by this condition they would Bquiire to be paid for it. No doubt their sontotition was theoretically and legally cor■ect, .but it must be patent that its working ipplication was utterly impracticable, and hat there must be some intermediary beacon the ship and the consignees, the joods having to be received, signed for, ;orted, and placed in the sheds ready for lelivery to the consignees. It would be an nconoeavabie and chaotic position to have i numoor of consignees clamouring and ■ummaging for their goods at the ship’s lings. It was contended by tho Importers mcl Exporters’ Associations that the board ■endered little or no service for the charge nade, but that was absurd on tho face’ )f it. -They also complained that the board nade' a margin of profit on the work, but I vheri the circumstances wore considered he \ >elieved it would be recognised that the i ward was quite justified in its action. It i vias true that extending over a period of I .9 years there had been an apparent profit I >f approximately £IOOO per annum, but if ; he upkeep, and maintenance of the sheds 1 ind a small sinking fund against the capital Jonstrnction had been debited (his apparent rrofit would wholly disappear. To abolish ho charge as desired, and if Ihe bc-rd did be Work at present performed bv the conractqrs, would entail on last year’s working i loSs of about £7OOO. and their finances vould not admit of this. Mr Walker: That is absolutely wrong. Mr Loudon maintained that he was right. Ie said that it was unfortunate, hut the tern fact remained that they had to find ; i large sum annually to cany on the i wsiness of the oort. Their loan indebted- ! less stood at £1,000,000, with an annual j Dterest bill of £55,000 in addition to admin- | stration expenses. They had no rating 1 lowers, and were entirely dependent upon | ho dues on goods and ships and their i ■ndowment rentals for their revenue. Ad- | nittedlv their dues on both ships and goods I verei high as compared with some other I irst-qjass Ports of the dominion, but revenue I lad to be procured to carry on the work if tlie port, and there was no help for it. Jcmbers of the board were 'mite as alive o the position as the business community. U the same time it seemed unreasonable o expect that the dues at the port of )tago could he levied on a parity with idris so much more favourably situated. : he only solution of the matter so far ,s he could see was that they should he fiven rating powers over the harbour disrict of Otago, which was already defined, [’be rate need not be a large one. and the atopayers could be safeguarded as to the oaxitnum. Further, the amount derived romJsnch a rate might bo specifically earnarls\l for concessions in dues either on rood* or ships which were found to nress lardly and which prejudicially affected ihe rnde of the port. Tim dues on certain cornnodities did not materially affect imloriers or consumers, bnt_ when it came <> such articles as fertilisers, phosphate ock. oornsacks. woolpacks, fencing wire, ahhit and sheep netting, etc., and raw nnierials used in manufacturing it seemed nit of proportion that they should he subect to the maximum rate allowed by law. ■omo years ago he had gone to a good deal if trouble in preparing a statement showng the exact position with regard to the aring proposition and was prepared to do n again. He believed. fhe suggestion if arriod out would got over many of their

diffioulties with regard to port duos and would be in the best interests of the whole province. He thought that the recommendation of the Standing Committee wag in the right direction. Mr Cable: Are you putting a time limit on the offer? Mr Loudon said he thought it would bo bettor to add a time limit, and it was agreed to add this to the recommendation. Mr Walker said that he thought the resolution on the order paper was entirely wrong. The statement that the hoard would lose £7OOO a year did not appeal to him as correct. He thought that the control should bo kept in the board. He would move as an amendment that the matter he referred to a committee for n report. The Importers’ Association, however, to his mind, had put up a fair case. They had not got sufficient shed accommodation, and yet he had been 1 informed that certain companies used the sheds practically as a sort of warehouse for their goods. That was quite a wrong thing. As regards the question of the profit to the board they should consider the representations of the merchants of Dunedin. The arguments they had put forward were quite clear and logical. He thought that the board was entitled to forgo possibly a portion of the profit it received on the charges made. A discussion ensued on the question whether the sheds were being used by consignees as storehouses, and the secretary said that there had been cases where by reason of peculiar circumstances it was impossible to remove the goods into what was known as the “pawnshop.” There were cases where goods had been sold by a consignee before they wore delivered. Storage was charged after a certain number of days., Mr Molier seconded Mr Walker’s amendment. Mr Ramsay said that it appeared to him that the whole thing was a silly business. There was no possibility of any decision being arrived at. At the conference held by the board and the representatives of the shipping companies and the importers and exporters one of the members of the board had prompted one of the delegates all the time. He thought the time had now arrived when that member should say whether he was on the board in the interests of the port or in the interests of the Importers’ Association. Mr Walker: Who is Mr Ramsay referring to? Mr Ramsay; Mr Campbell. Mr Molier said that if the tender for carrying out the -work was, say, 2s 3d, the board should not increase its charge beyond the existing total charge of 2s 7d. Captain Sundstrum said they would occupy an utterly impossible position if they handed over the receiving and delivery of cargo to any outside body. The board had got to get revenue. The importers could not do the work cheaper than the board. Ho thought that they should call for tenders right away. They would then know where they were. He did not think it '-as possible to get the work done at less than 2s (it is now Is lOd to the contractor and 2s 7d in all—the 9d going to the board). They had £55,000 to pay every year in interest alone, net to say anything about the office and other expenses. The work of receiving and delivery meant a good deal of work to the board indirectly, and the board itself had to send out the accounts and collect the money. He would move as a further amendment that tenders be called for at once._ Mr Anderson said that he did not think the Importers’ Association would take on the work. He thought that they should at once call for tenders. Mr Walker’s amendment was then put and lost, and a similar fate befell Captain Sundstrum’s amendment. The recommendation of the Standing Committee was then put and carried It was decided to ask for a reply from the bodies referred to as to their intentions before the next meeting of the board. The Chairman, Messrs Molier. Ramsay, Loudon, Cable, and Captain Sundstrum were appointed a committee to draw up the conditions to be submitted to the outside bodies referred to in the recommendation. THE BIG DOCK: In connection with the contribution from the Port Chalmers Council of £SOO towards the loss on the working of the big dock, the Chairman said that the Port Chalmers Council had written stating that it was not going to pay the amount unless it was forced to do so. The council seemed to think that it had no right to pay and that the board had not carried out its agreement. The board’s solicitors, however, said that the council was liable. The board had, according to the Statute, to impose the charge every year. Mr Walker moved that the matter be left •to the board’s solicitors to act. Captain Sundstrum seconded the motion/ If they were not legally entitled to collect the money they should know their position. Mr Cable contended that, although there was a written agreement in regard to this payment, there was also a verbal agreement which released the ’ council from payment. His Honor Mr Justice Hosking had termed it a “gentleman’s agreement.” How the law would look on the verbal agreement he did not know. There was now only about 18 months to go under the agreement, and he thought it would be a very gracious act if the board did not press for payment. In answer to a question, the Secretary said that the board had previously remitted €250 of the £SCO this year. Mr Anderson said that had it been possible the whole liability would have been remitted years ago by the board, but the £SOO had to be asked for every year under the Statute. After further discussion, (Mr Walker agreed to withdraw his motion, and it was decided to allow the matter to stand over for a month. It was agreed that Messrs Cable and Anderson should interview the council and see if some amicable arrangement can be come to. LEADING LIGHTS. The Engineer reported that the electric light department of the City Council considered that there was no prospect of electric lines being continued further than Portobello for many years. A rough estimate of cost of lines from Portobello would be about £2OOO, on which expenditure a revenue of £3OO a year would be required. Therefore it seemed inadvisable to wait until electric power was available before installing lights of a reliable character. The report was adopted. DRAINAGE COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The general drainage committee reported as follows: “Your committee has to report having fully considered the communication from the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board relative to drainage of the board's reclaimed areas, and can see no reason to alter its previous recommendation to secure the opinion of a judge of the Supreme Court, and recommends that the Drainage Beard be so advised/’ The report was adopted. COAL SUPPLIES. The tender of (be Slate Coal Company for the supply of coal (38s 9d per ton) was accepted, subject to the tests being satisfactory. LAKE LOGAN. The question of the position of certain heuses abutting on (be Lake Logan area, was taken in committee. It was decided that Mr Cable and the engineer and the secretary should visit the locality to interview the various residents affected, and see if some satisfactory arrangement could be reached; a report to bo submitted to the board. HARBOUR DEPTHS. The Harbour Master reported the 'ow-water depths in the harbour were as follows:—North channel. 40ft deen, ICOffc wide; bend. 33ft deep, 3Soft wide; Deborah Bay, 30ft deep. 300 ft wide (apurox.); Victoria Channel, 20ft deep, with a bottom width of 90ff. sides 18^ ft. SHIPPING RETURNS— SEPTEMBER. Arrivals/ Coastal, 24 vessels, 21,349 tons; intercolonial, 7 vessels. 18,336 tons; overseas, 15 vessels. 67,178 tonstotals, 56 vessels, 106.863 tons. Departures; 37 vessels. 21.778 tons; intercolonial, 9 vessels, 23,553 tons; overseas, 13 vessels, 60,460 tons;—totals, 59 vessels 105,781 tons. ’ SUMMARY OF TUGS’ WORK—SEPTEMBER. Tug Dunedin: Steaming time. 111 hours 45 minutes; distance, 466 miles; coal consumed, 61 tons. Tug Plucky: Steaming time, 7 hours 30 minutes; distance, 17 miles; coal consumed. 5i tons. During tho month of September the following passed for pilotage exemptions: G. A. Gray, master Flora, tonnage 1000 tons; Donald M‘Donald, chief officer Moeraki, tonnage 2000 tons; J. M’Kelvio Aitken, master Pukaki. tonnage 1000 tons: Mark D’Arcv, master Kamo, tonnage 1000 tons; Robert fteollay, dredge 222, tonnage 1000 tons. On October 16, 1923. a flashing white light on the mole end at the entrance was changed to flashing green.