OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 1296, 30 September 1876, Page 7

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

, The usual fortnightly meeting of the Board) was' held on Thursday (21st Inst.) Present :! Messrs Reeves (Chairman), Tewßley, Ritchie,' M'Neil, and Davie. The minutes of the pre vious ordinary meeting and of one special; meeting were read and confirmed.

' THE ENGINEER'S MISSION TO WELLINGTON.

Mr M'Neii; asked what instructions 1 had; ' been given to the Engineer for the' purpose of j eliciting Mr Blackett's opinion. He presumed! that special queries, well considered, would; have been drawn up by the Board as a body, 1 in order that it might obtain ' the information' which Mr Blaekett was , supposed to supply.! He was not satisfied that Mr Simpson snould simply pui what questions he thought fit, as there were ptints that' he (Mr M'Neil) also ,wiahe'd cleared up ; and no doubt.it was the' ' Bame with other members of the Boardi He, "therefore, wished to know in what way Mr ' Simpson's instructions had been drawn up, and what he hail gone to Wellington to do ? ' Mr Davie: There i 8 the resolution of the ;Board., ( Mr M*Neil : Something more than a resolution was wanted. .

„ ' Mr' Davie : Then it was for the Board to 'say so. ■ ' The Chairman said that the whole of the plans -were to be submitted to Mr Blackett. Mr M'Neil proceeded to say that the same agreement was made on the occasion of Major Gordon's visit. When it was found that he had not pronounced clearly in regard to certain irattera, it was said that he had not been asked. He thought that it would have been wise before Mr Simpson left for Wellington to have held a meeting and drawn up certain questions to be submitted to Mr Blackett. He did not consider a general resolution was sufficient ; but he thought that Mr Simpson's visit to Wellington would likelylead to a settlement of thsse difficulties, and he was glad when he heard that he was to go. He might refer to one matter concerning which he was in doubt. It was proposed to expend L 40,000 upon the proposed scheme for the depositing of the dredging. That was an experi- , ment, and tho sum was a very laige one to layout under such circumstances. He would, therefore, like to have an explicit opinion from Mr Blackett whether, upon the whole, there was a reasonable probability of the undertaking being a success before the Board should spend one-fifth of its capital in that manner. It was ' not enough for Mr Simpson to lay his plans before Mr Blackett, who might say, " Upon the whole, I think that it is very fair and' very feasible." That would nob be enough for him. There must have been something like haste exhibited,in despatching Mr Simpson'to Wellington so soon.

,' Mr Ritchie : I certainly did not think that Mr Simpson would be off post-haste in two days after the last meeting of the Board. I had more to say on that occasion than I cared for, and feeling that Mr Tewsley and myself were in the minority, I abstained from saying more than I did. I_ also rightly or wrongly concluded that neither Mr Tewsley nor myself , were likely to have our views carried, seeing the way we were sat upon by an amendment which was brought forward ; and that after an amendment was thrown out, the matter was attempted to be put right by another amendment, in exactly the same terms as ours. It was not satisfactory to either Mr Tewsley or myself, and we would not have anything to do with it. When I heard that Mr Simpson was away, I felt that the action was a hasty one, and that his good taste might have dictated to him that if he were to obtain a conclusive opinion from_ Mr Blackett, he should get the Board's 'opinion in regard to the points to be submitted to him. I thought of this several times at the last meeting, but felt that it was not the time to bring the motion forward, as I considered that the chance of success would be very small. Mr Davie : It seems to me that if the Board feels disposed to put any special queries to Mr Blackett, it is not too late to do so. The matter may be referred to a small Committee, which could forward the questions to Mr Blackett. Mr M'Neil : I am not doing this for the sake of opposing what was done at the last meeting of the Board, and had I been here I would have pursued the course I am now doing. I put it to the Board to say whether or not we should get Mr Blackett to come down. I am doubtful about the deposit of the dredging — other members may feel equally strong upon some other point. There will be no harm

in Mr Blackett coming down after Mr Simpson has fully explained the plans to him, and he will be better informed on the subject than previously. I think that the Chairman should be requested to ask Mr Blackett to come to Dunedin. Mr Davie : I have no objection. The Chairman : Mr Gillies states that the plans and specifications are before Mr Blackett and Mr Carruthers. Mr M'Neil remarked, in answer to an obr servation made by Mr Davie, that he would be opposed to expending L 40,000 for the deposit of the dredging unless the Board has a decided opinion in regard to the success of the scheme. The Chairmav: If Mr Simpson lays the plans and his views before Mr Blackett, then if the Board asks the latter to report, that might do. Mr Ritchie: Though Mr Simpson may bring his views before the Board, he may not lay those I hold on certain points. Though I am in the minority, I would like to satisfy myself before consenting to a large expenditure, which is entirely an experiment. Mr Simpson admitted that in this room, and said that he had never seen it tiied, nor read of it having been tried. Mr M'Neil : There is the wharf question, and that of concrete v. timber. Other members might like to have Mr Blackett's opinion on these subjects. i Mr Ritchie moved : " That the Chairman of the Board convey to the Colonial Secretary the desire of the Board that if possible Mr Blackett be directed to visit Dunediu, in order that he may inspect the site of the proposed works,_ and that the Board may have a personal interview with him in reference to the plans for harbour improvement. And that Ibis resolution be at once telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary, and to Mr Simpson." MrTEWSLEY: I second the resolution, and in doing so, I may say that I quite endorse what Mr Ritchie has said. Our main reason for getting Major Gordon down, was to consult him about getting rid of the stuff. It was upon that point the discussion took place as to whether he should come down or not. But' through mismanagement, and for want of specific instructions when he did come, the Board did not get the necessary information from him. That should act as a lesson to us not to commit a similar mistake on this occasion. The motion was then put and carried. DISPUTE AS TO THE RECLAIMED LAND. The following letted was read :— Provincial Secretary's Office,' ! Dunedin, llth September, 1876. ; Sir— l am instructed to acknowledge the receipt of, your letter of the 18th inst., and, in reply, to state 1 that the Government has obtained a measurement of, the reclaimed land by Mr Blair, District Engineer' copy of which is enclosed, from which you will observe that he -makes the total filling up 20,170 cubic yardsmore than that agreed on by Messrs Arthur and Simpson; and as this makes a difference of £3646 more" than is proposed to be paid by the Harbour Board, I, am instructed by the Government to state that; they^ decline to accept & settlement on the basis at a depth" of Bft.— l have, &c. j Alex. Willis, Under Secretary. • The Secretary, Otago'Harbour Board. ,- On the motion of Mr IM'Neil, seconded. byj Mr Tewsley, the letter was referred to the Engineer for his report on its contents. ' LETTER FROM MR SIMPSON. The following letter was read:— Harbour Engineer's Office, ' Dunedin 14th September, 1878. The Chairman, Otago Harbour Board. Sir— l have the honour to acknowledge recsipt of' the following resolution, passed at the last meeting of. the Boird, viz. ;— " That the suggestions contained in Mr Simpson's letter of the sth inst. be adopted by the "Board ; and, with a view to placing the whole plans and views of the Engineer fairly and satisfactorily before Mr Blackett, that Mr Simpson do proceed to Wellington for that purpose," and in reply have to statei that I will take the earliest opportunity of personally communicating: with Mr Blackett in order that the> Board's wishes may be attended to. Relative to what transpired at the last meeting, when the subject of my two letters (of dates 26th July' and 16th 'August) was under consideration, I note in, the Press reports of the proceedings that the Board' has decided that the expressions taken exception to by, me were not Intended a3 reflections upon my profes-| sional conduct or ability. In consequence thereof, I would request the withdrawal of my two letters of the dates above-mentioned. — I have, &c, D. L. Simpson, Engineer. Mr Tewsley : I never knew that the Board decided that. Mr M'Niel: Better let the matter pass. Messrs Tewsley and Ritchie : That was certainly nevar carried. Mr Ritchie : Let Mr Simpson take his own way of withdrawing his letters ; but I think that he might have done it in a more graceful manner. He may please himself. You cannot make every person see a thing in i^s proper and right aspect. I suppose the end justifies the means. The Board then resolved that the letters should be withdrawn. ANOTHER COMMUNICATION FROM MR DARLING. The following letter was received : — • Glasgow, 27th July, 1876. Dear Sir— Your favour of May last reached me before the telegram from our Mr Mills. Tho line being broken, and likely to bo for some time, will explain the delay in transmission and tho no reply to the message. I now enclose you lithographs and .some particulars of the dredge referred to. The aame, by book post, of a dredge by a Russian inventor. The latter appears to me particularly well adapted for gold-dredging in the New Zealand rivers. Jt would iift the silt to the bare rock, and from a very irregular bottom. I have examined very minutely the dredge on Duckham's patent, which is to be seen daily at worn; in the Millwall Dock. This system of discharging the spoil seems to me well adapted for localities where the matter requires to be deposited over walls and at any distance from tho machine. The distance does not affect it muoh.for it is found in practice that the pressure in the receiver is due to the height, and very little increased by the friction of the matter passing through the pipes. The figures 1, 2 3, and 4 represent the machine at work in the Millwall Dock. It will be noticed the dredging machinery and tanks are carried on the same bottom ; but this could not be done (to have tanks any size) with machines already at work ; so that barges would become necessary, which appears to me preferable, as two would keep a good dredger going. Barges would be nuch easier handled, and no trouble with shifting moorings, etc. Each tank on the dredge referred to carries 100 tons. The power is 25 h.p. nominal, and is used, it will be observed, for dredging, propelling, and forcing the spoil out of the receiver. Tiie spoil is raised to a height of 15 feet ; the pressure per square inch varied from 71bs to Gibs ; the distance discharged, about. 160 yards ; time, 10J- minutes. The connection from pipes on thore to mouthpiece on board is made with a leather hose in aboui three minutes. The discharge pipes are 18-inch diameter, and having to go under road and railway, arc made of cast iron. Anything 1 light and portable, however, would answer this purpose ; light wrought iron, in handy lengths, I thin 1 .:, would be the best and most economical in the end, although either leather, canvas, or wooden boxes would do for a time. Although the trial I was at was quite unexpected by those in charge of the machine, 1 must state that the matter in the tanks was of the best description for being easily discharged, being very soft and not at all lumpy. I believe, however, that anything small enough to go through tho discharge pipo would go out if power enou'.'h is used to maintnin a pressure on the receiver of Jib. per square inch to the foot in height of matter raised. 1 am promised particulars of cost of, and in working this machine as compared with the old system, all of which will be forwaulcel for your information as soon as possible. I will gladly hunt up any information on this and any other blatters that muy be required for your Board in this country. Mr Andrew will have advised you that the last orders are completed and shipped, I trust everything will turn out satisfactory 1 took the liberty of naming the locomotive " Keclaimcr." — I am, &c, John Dakling.

J. L, Gillies, Esq., Dunedin, N. 25.

ifORE LIGHT. Mr Massey wrote stating that instructions had been given to erect the necessary lamp» posts and lamps on the Rattray street Wharf as soon as possible. ! THE LIGHTERMEN'S PETITION. MrH. Guthrie wrote as follows:— "On behalf of the lightermen who signed the petition presented to your Board on the 27th of July, I beg to request an answer thereto. The busy season will commence very shortly, there bein» nine ships now due. The total want of shed accommodation, coupled with the disadvantages they labour under, will, unless some concessions are granted by the Board, completely paralyse their trade."— Received. FINANCE. i Mr Tewsley suggested that the Finance Committee should try and float another portion of its loau, while the money market was in its present state. > The Board then adjourned. [