OTAGO HARBOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23435, 25 February 1938, Page 7

OTAGO HARBOUR

MONTHLY BOARD MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held last night, Mr W. Begg oresiding. There were also present: —Messrs J. B. Waters, R. Duncan, D. Copland. J. W. Munro, M.P., F. E. Tyson, A. Campbell, M.P., 1. Scollay, J. H. Duncan, R. Harrison, A. Smith, R. S. Thompson, and D. F. H. Sharpe. VISIT OF H.M.S. ACHILLES A letter was received from Captain I. G. Glennie, of H.M.S. Achilles, Melbourne, regarding the proposed visit of his ship from March 11 to March 14.—The secretary stated he had replied that the dates were acceptable. —Noted. REQUEST GRANTED The Port Chalmers Marine Band asked permission to use the dock for a swimming tournament on the afternoon of March 12.—The request was granted, subject to the condition that an insurance policy was taken out to cover possible accidents. PAYMENT TO MEMBERS The Standing Committee reported that it had instructed the secretary to draw up a suitable motion for submission to the board requesting the Minister of Marine to have the travelling expenses payable to members increased, a copy of such motion, when adopted by the board, to be fqrwarded to other harbour boards asking their co-operation.—After some discussion the motion was carried, an amendment by Mr R, Duncan, that the amount be 2os, being defeated. The Standing Committee also recommended that the board affirm the principle that members of harbour boards should receive £1 10s per meeting. and that the Minister of Marine be advised accordingly with a view to having such payments authorised by legislation.—The motion was carried. LEASE REFUSED The Standing Committee reported that it had considered an inquiry regarding a lease of approximately 1J acres at the cement works, with buildings thereon, and also a report by the engineer recommending that no part of the area be leased on other than a temporary tenure. —The committee recommended the adoption of the engineer’s report.—Approved. DONATIONS APPROVED On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, the board approved of donations to the Shipwreck Society of £lO 10s and to the Ravensbourne Regatta Committee of £2 2s. HARBOUR MASTER’S REPORT The harbour master (Captain J. McLean) reported that 69 vessels, totalling 124,734 tons, had arrived at Dunedin and Port Chalmers during the month. They had comprised 39 coastal vessels, six intercolonial vessels, 20 overseas vessels, and four warships. The departures totalled 65 vessels, 115,476 tons. The pilotage total was 41 vessels, 183,717 tons. The tug Dunedin had steamed 379 miles in 66 hours 35 minutes, burning 59 tons scwt of coal. The report was approved. PORT STATISTICS The statement of the board’s receipts for the four months ended January 31 showed a total of £60,827, compared with £50,193 in 1936-37, £50,578 in 1935-30, £43,214 in 1931-32, and £57,348 in 1929-30. The return of cargo, inwards and outwards, for the same period amounted to 151,691 tons, compared with 144,975 tons in 1936-37, 130,090 tons in 1935-36, 92,059 tons in 1933-34, and 142,624 tons in 1929-30. The shipping arrivals for the four months ended January 31 totalled 234 vessels, of 395,523 tons, compared with 186, of 372,937 tons in 1936-37, 203 ships, of 341,949 \ tons in 1935-36, and 198 ships, of 326,463 tons in 1934-35. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT The engineer (Mr J. McG. Wilkie) reported as follows: — During the month of January the dredge Otakou carried a total of 10 loads (14,800 cubic yards). The whole of this material was deposited at the dredge Vulcan. During the month the dredge steamed 72 miles, and consumed 27.53 tons of fuel oil. The annual survey and overhaul of the dredge were completed and dredging operations commenced on January 19. During the month of January the dredge Vulcan pumped 14,800 cubic yards of material received from dredge Otakou into the Mussel Bay reclamation area.

Docks.—During the month four vessels were docked. The electric crane was in operation for one hour and a-half. Leith Canal. —During the period January 12 to February 10 the following work was carried out: — The north-west grab was engaged excavating the section between the site of the cantilever bridge and the railway bridge, the material being loaded on trucks and spread on the board’s lands adjacent to the work. The remaining portions of the cantilever bridge foundations on the north side were demolished, and the ground levelled off preparatory to the laying of the concrete floor. Sixteen tie rods forming the anchorage of the north sheet pile wall were placed and concreted, and a length of 198 feet of lower belting along the front of the sheet piles was concreted. A length of 96 feet of floor was levelled off and concreted. Birch Street Wharf.—During the period January 12 to February 8 the following work was carried out:— One hundred and thirty new piles were driven. 180 old piles drawn, and 60 piles prepared for driving, 52 deck beams were fitted and fastened. 22 half sets of caps fitted and bolted up. and 175 deck sleepers placed and spiked down. The concrete backer wall was extended for a length of 188 feet. A further shipment of timber and piles was received and transported to the various stacks.

Black Jack’s Wall.—Repairs to the seaward face of this wall were continued during the month. Slio.—The following work was undertaken at the board’s slipway:—The repairs to the Vulcan nunt were completed the v/hole of the bottom having been renewed with jarrah planking. and the punt tarred ready for launching. The launches Taiaroa and Tohu one lifeboat and one pontoon were slipped, cleaned, painted and relaunched. The lightkeeper’s launch was slipped and is being fitted up for temporary pilot service.

Oil Berth Victoria Wharf—A manhole giving access to the oil valves beneath the wharf was covered over and a new one cut and fitted with a cover to suit the position of a filling point recently installed A platform was also extended beneath the wharf deck to give access to the new filling point. Boat Harbour.—-A boatshed to accommodate three 14-foot yachts was constructed, rental for which will be a charge against the Otago Yacht and Motor Boat Association

Harbour Survey—As conditions permitted. the harbour entrance channels and bank were sounded but this work is not yet completed. Workshop.—The following works were carried out by the workshop staff:—Prior to commenciie dredging and on the completion of the annual overhaul, six buckets on the Otakou were replaced, anchors and chains repaired and the steam crane overhauled and repaired. The tug Maroro was docked for annual survey and overhaul on January 31 The hull was cleaned and painted, the tail shaft drawn and a new bush fitted, and the boiler and circulating nump opened up for inspection The report also detailed the work done by the electrical staff The report was adopted.