New Plymouth Harbor Board.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 106, 9 July 1895, Page 3

New Plymouth Harbor Board.

Mr E. Maxwell, when at Timaru, waited on the Harbor Board there with a view to securing their dredge for use at New Plymouth. The.Timam Herald gives the following report of the interview :

Mr E. Maxwell stated that Lis Board, finding that the harbor was being closed up by a deposit of sand, had written asking for a lease of the Timaru dredge, and now thought the matter of ouch importance that they had sent him down to see if he could not arrange terms for its use for three months. A spit of sand had formed right across the entrance, 20ft deep, and it was only a question of a few weeks when the harbor would be closed altogether. It was therefore of vital importance for them to get a dredge capable of dealing rapidly with sand, and they knew that there was not a dredge in the colony to compare with the Timaru dredge for such work. They had the Oamaru dredge a few years ago, and could get-her again, but she proved unsuitable. He had ascertained that the cost of working Timaru is much greater than his Board anlxclpaiod, --d therefore he could not himself accept arjj. offer • he could only submit an offer to Board. It was a matter of life or death to their harbor to get the sand cleared away, and they were anxious to hire this dredge. His Board would meet on the second Tuesday in July, the same day as the 'Timaru“Board, and he could send them a telegram saying whether or not their terms were acceptable. It could be made part of the contract that if anything happened requiring her services at Timaru, she could be sent back a week after receiving notice to that effect. In connection with towing, he saw Mr Mills, manager of the Union Company, on his way down, and arranged that any towing to be done could be undertaken by the company’s vessels. In this connection he read a telegram from the Dunedin office : “ Inform'Mr Maxwell we have no objection our steamers when at Timaru doing towing to and from sea at tariff rates, weather and other circumstances being favorable.” He (Mr Maxwell) understood that there were no sailing ships coming to Timaru at this time of year, and this season was just the one when the Board could spare the vessel as a tug. He hoped.the Board would, if necessary, stretch a point to help

them, as it was f a mnPor of lit - and death to them. In reply lo Mr Wilson, Mr Maxwell s.ti i they could no doubt arrange to work night and day in suitable weather. After discussion Mr Evans moved and Mr Sullivan seconded the following resolution : “ That this Board lease tho tug-dredge Timaru to the New Plymouth Harbor Board for a term not over three months for a consideration of £SOO per month and expenses ; the vessel to be kepi fully insured up to £17,000 ; rent to commence from (he date of departure from this port, and lo end when she is delivered at Timaru; that in tho event of the harbor silting up at any time during the period of the said lease, !}he Timaru must be returned here after a week’s notice being given ; in this case payment of rent to be counted only during the time the vessel has been away from this port; also that in the event of any sailing or other vessels coming to port requiring towage during the absence of the tug-dredge Timaru, the said towage to be carried out by the first visiting steamer of the Union Company, ‘and all Costs of the said towage to be borne by the New Plymouth Harbor Board ; and that the tug is not to leave this port until all damage by the recent storm is ascertained and rectified.” This -resolution was lost on the casting vote of the chairman, so that steps will have to be taken to make other arrangements.