Harbor Board.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 229, 13 November 1896, Page 3

Harbor Board.

The Board met on Tuesday. Present— Messrs Maxwell (chairman), McLean, Davies, Bellringer, Sarten, Shearer, Ward, and Ralfe.

Mr Samuel, the President of the Chamber of Commerce, waited on the Board, and gave the result of the deputation that waited on the Minister for Railways, to ask for a reduction in the railway charges on the port line, and for repairs being done to the wharf. Mr Samuel went fully into the details of the interview, and said that the Minister held out no prospect of reduction or reasonable concession to the Board or public. The Government had taken up the position of declining to give the Board or public concessions.—Mr Maxwell :.Then we are to understand that all negotiations between the Board and Government are practically ended. —Mr Samuel said that was the only conclusion they could come to. He pointed out that the Government were evidently determined not to bring their charges down, and dray traffic was the only remedy to give the public cheaper rates lor the importing and exporting of their goods. It seemed to him that the place must be in the bad graces of the Government when they declined to give reasonable concessions to the public.—The question of the position of the wharf was then discussed. —Mr Samuel said that the wharf was the property of the Board, but the rails on it belonged to the Government, and the Government property was protected by law from any interference.—The secretary then read correspondence between the Government and the Board in respect to the arrangements entered into regarding traffic on the wharf. —Mr Samuel suggested that the corresponcence should be referred to the Board’s solicitor with power to take another legal opinion on the position if he thought fit.—The Chairman said that it had been suggested that the public should take action the same as was done in the case of the tollgates at the Hutt.—Mr Samuel said-that the Board’s best course would be to instruct the solicitor to take another legal opinion if necessary on the question of the Government surrendering the wharf to the Board, He also suggested that notice should be given to the Railway Department terminating the arrangement with the Board in respect to the use of the wharf on December 31,1896.—1 t was decided to conaider these two suggestions,—Mr Ward said the Board should first see if they could carry out the work cheaper than the railway line. —This.would be the preferable course.—Mr Samuel, in reply to Mr Ward, said that he spoke on the assumption that the goods could be carried cheaper by dray traffic than by the present system of railage. The Chamber of Commerce had had the experience of local commercial men who stated that the goods could be carried cheaper by dray traffic than under the present heavy railage tariff. He thought however that the Board might satisfy themselves on the point independent of the Chamber of Commerce.—Mr Ward said that was all he desired, and pointed out that there would be a heavy cost for sheds, ice.

After Mr Samuel withdrew the Board discussed the matter at length, and it was finally decided on Mr Bellringers suggestion to ask the Department for an answer by December 31, and if it was not satisfactory to terminate the arrangement at the end of January, Messrs Sarteu and Ward who favored an opinion on the correspondence being first obtained from the solicitor, voted against the resolution..

Captain Holford, the harbormaster, reported that for the whole month of October twenty-nine vessels had been worked at the wharf, of the aggregate tonnage of 7838 tons, and 1342 tons of general cargo and 120 tons of coal had been landed, 135 cattle and 54 horses had been shipped. The dredge had made 120 trips, working on 23 days, and had lifted 7200 yards of sand. 'The crane had lifted 630 yards. The dredge had improved the berths at the wharf, but sand still drifted through. The Clerk of the House of Eepresentatives forwarded abstract of Committee’s report on petition from Board to reduce charges on port line. The Committee had no recommendation to make. The Chairman said be believed the Committee considered the petition -without calling a single witness who could put the Boards position before them. Mr Ward in referring to the passenger tax at the breakwater cbndemned the imposition, and said the Board would have to take it oil as the steamship companies added the tax to the price of tickets.—Mr Sarten said he would charge all who used the wharf. The Treasury notified that £2025 7s 9d, 25 per cent of land revenue for quarter, had been remitted to the Board’s credit.—The secretary said that amount was about £IOOO less than the corresponding quarter last year but the quarter last year was an exceptionally good one.—Herald.