Harbor Board.

Opunake Times, Volume VII, Issue 309, 24 August 1897, Page 2

Harbor Board.

The Harbor Board met on Tuesday. Present—Messrs E. Maxwell (chairman), Davies, Bellringer, Sarten, Ralfe, Ward, and McLean. A STATEMENT. The Chairman stated that in accordance with instructions received at the last meeting he had made arrangements for preparing plana and specifications of the Board’s plant and of the proposed alterations to the wharf. Mr Marchant was in New Plymouth and be (the chairman) had asked him to report on the works. On Mr Ralfe’s motion, the Chairman’s action in asking Mr Marchant to prepare the report was approved. THE RAILWAY CHARGES. The Chairman also mentioned that according to the newpapers the Railway Department had agreed to make a reduction of sixpence per ton on goods between New Plymouth and the Breakwater. He had not received any official notification of the reduction, but he had reason to believe the rereport was correct. The information came to him as a surprise—a pleasant one he must say, for it was very gratifying—after all the trouble the Board had been to, to find that the reduction would be made, and he would suggest that the Board write thanking the Minister for his action. Mr Davies : Do you mean to thank him for agreeing to the Board’s request ? The Chairman : Yes. Mr Davies : I don’t think he would like it. He set hia back up. and put his foot down and said he would not make the redaction. He stuck to that, and absolutely declined td do it. We have nothing official about the reduction ; its only hearsay and we now propose to thank him for acceding tj the Board’s request. I really don’t think he would like it. A member : We are all gratified, of course. Mr Davies: Oh, yes; we are all gratified. But if you send the vote of thanks I think it would hurt hi« feelings. Mr Ward : And wouldn’t you like to hurt his feelings ? Mr Davies : Not at all. The subject dropped. MR MAROHANT’S STATEMENT. Mr Sarten asked if stones were thrown over at the end of the breakwater would they prevent the sand going round. Mr Marchant said he did not think so. The sand going around that point was a process of nature, which was bound to go on for ever, as the sand came up the coast from the south to north, and nothing oould stop it. The Chairman stated that the old system of dredging with the backet used to cost the Board one shilling per yard. The pump only costa threepence, and during the eleven months the pump had paid for itself three times over. That was apart from the immense benefit otherwise derived. harbormaster’s report. Captain Holford reported that daring the month of July, 31 steamers were berthed at the wharf, landing 10,630 tons of general cargo and 215 tons of coal. The dredge had made 37 trips, taking out 2220 yards of sand, while 1600 yards had been removed by the land dredge. The Thomas King was only able to work six days owing to the very rough weather. The Chairman mentioned that the berthage at the cattle wharf was very satisfactory. Steamers could go alongside there and cattle could be taken from the race. periodical survey. Mr W. H. Skinner, of the Survey Department, forwarded plan and report of periodical survey of harbor. Owing to the wet weather a full report had not been completed, but sufficient had been done to show that there was a marked improvement in the removal of sand. striking rate. The Chairman moved a forma! motion striking a rate of a £d in the £. increased accomodation. The plaus and specifications of the proposed work for increasing the wharf accomodation, decided on at the last meeting, were laid on the table. Mr Bellringer moved—“ That tenders be called for the work immediately on consent of the Governor-in-Council being obtained. Seconded by Mr Ralfe. The Chairman said he was strongly in faver of the work being done by day labor. The Board had got some special quotations for material, and he thought the work could be done quite as cheaply as by contract. In answer to a question, Mr Marchant said in the South Island the work was always done by contract, and was faithfully carried out. He could not see any objection to the contract system. The Chairman : Can you see any objection to day labor? Mr Marchant: None whatever. Mr Bellringer said the Board had adopted the principle of tendering for anything and everything it required, and to depart from that in such a big work as the one under notice, would be acting inconsistently. Apart from that the work could, in his opinion, be done cheaper by contract and with greater despatch. Mr Bellringer’s motion was carried. repairing the wharf. Mr Bellringer moved—“ That all previous resolutions dealing with the Railway Department and wharf be reacinded ; and that the Railway Department be respectfully requested to allow the sixpence reduction on haulage to accumulate, and handed over to the Board for the purpose of repairing the wharf.” He said he had been informed that a large majority of importers and exporters had no do-

site to pocket ’-lie i ; ix ; -yii - o, but Would prefer that it sluuiid accumulate to enable the wl.au' to bo repaired. Mr McLean: Would it not be as well to give the Department the wharf ? Mr Bellringer; That is another thing. We have made it appear that it is absolutely necessary to repair the wharf, and it will have to be done. The Chairman was opposed to the motion, and Mr Davies also intimated that he would vote against it, as he preferred to wait till a reply was rereoeived from the Department. The motion was then put and lost. —News.