OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 3755, 2 March 1926, Page 72

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held 011 Friday afternoon, and was attended by Messrs J. Loudon (chairman), T. H. Russell A. Cable, W. Gow, 11. C. Campbell, H. E. Moller, T. Anderson, D. Sharp, J. M‘H. Dickson, K. S'. Ramsay, J. E. MacManus. D. Larnach, W. Wilkinson, and Captain Coll M‘Donald. The Chairman stated that the net credit „ balance at the bank was £21,894 10s 7d. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from Messrs H. L. Tapley and Co. suggesting the installation of a telephone slot machine at the Victoria wharf.—The Chairman said he had asked Mr Wilkie, the engineer, to report on the application. STANDING COMMITTEE’S REPORT. The committee recommended, with respect to the communication from the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Board in connection with the silt pits at Frederick street, that the secretary’6 reply of February 16 be approved.—The Chairman said that the Drainage Board had agreed to pay and that that settled the matter. The committee recommended, with respect to the communication from the Town Clerk requesting an area at the corner of Frederick street and the highway, for a fish market, that this matter should stand over until a reply had been received from the firm to which this area was under offer tentatively.—Agreed to. In connection with the application from the New Zealand Railway Department for street access to the goods yards at the Anderson’s Bay road, reoently taken over by the department, it was decided to go into this matter with the railway manager, the chairman to arrange for a meeting.— Consideration of a letter from the Town Clerk in regard to the street was held over in the meantime. —The Chairman said that the department had taken land worth some £SOOO from them, and had given them land worth about £9C£, and was making them pay for the Now it had served the board with notice that it intended to take the Ocean Beach railway line. The committee recommended in regard to a letter from the Town Clerk concerning the formation of Halsey street, between Ward and Sturdee streets, that the carrying out of the work be approved.—Adopted. The District Engineer, New Zealand Railways, wrote asking for the board’s decision with respect to the layout of the approaches to the overbridge at Hanover street.—Mr Wilkie’s plan was approved The committee recommended with regard to the engineer’s report dealing with the removal of a reef at Quarantine Island that the matter stand over until Mr Wilkie returns from his trip abroad.—Adopted. The committee recommended that 5gn 8 be granted to the Fire Brigades’ Demonstration Committee.—Agreed to. A MAIN SENVER. The committee recommended that sgns be reference to be submitted to the arbitrators in regard to the long-standing dispute between the Drainage Board and the City Council as to what constitutes a main sewer and matters relating thereto-. Mr Godfrey, Under-Secretary for Marine, will bo tho chairman of the arbitrators. REMITS FOR CONFERENCE. Reporting on the remits to be discussed at the forthcoming conference of Harbour Boards, Mr Loudon said that the committee comprising Messr s Gow, Moller Cable, and the speaker, had considered the remits carefully. The whole of the remits really aimed at removing anomalies and at making the harbour legislation clearer. The board’s delegates would have to use their judgment when voting on several of the remits. One Otago remit dealt with the placing of towage charges on a proper footing, and another asked that tno Government should not take land at a cost of only the amount spent on reclamation by the boards, and that any reclamation work should first be agreed to by the board. The Otago Board would ask that the definition of a wharf be extended to include all land adjoining a wharf. Mr Loudon explained that people claimed that the adjoining area was “no man’s land,” and the board desired legislation which would enable it to charge the users of the land at wharf rates. Speaking of the remit asking that boards should be permitted to let contracts privately for supplies up to £SOQ, the maximum amount at present being £SO, Mr Loudon said that under the existing limitations the board was prevented from making a contract which would be most advantageous. The board would also ask the conference to support a remit that boards be permitted to make expenditure in advertising ports in handbooks, such expenditure now being tagged by the auditor. At the last conference of

boards, the constitution of the bodies was discussed and it was decided to ask the boards to express opinions on the matter. Mr Loudon reported that replies had been received, but the opinions would not advance the question nearer completion. The opinions included the “kicking out of the Government representatives, election by popular franchise, and representation of payers of dues. GENERAL. On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, the board passed for payment general accounts amounting to £7171 4s 3d and dock accounts totalling £243 12s Bd. The Mercantile and General Insurance Co. wrote asking that it be considered in the board’s 1926-27 allocation.—The board agreed to allocate a share of the policies to the company, the board following its practice of destribution among New Zealand companies. On the motion of Mr Gow it was decided that the board should revert to its previous hour of meeting—7 p.m, as against 3 p.m. at present.—The motion was carried bv seven votes to six. It was decided that a special meeting of the board be held on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 p.m. to consider the estimates. DREDGE EMPLOYEES. The tentative agreement of conditions arrived at between the engineer and the employees on Dredge 222 was brought forward by the chairman, who stated that the employees had joined the labourer’s union. He had been informed that the employees on the dredges of the Auckland, Wellington and Lyttelton boards were-not members of the union. It was decided that the agreement should be discussed at the special meeting to consider estimates. Mr Gow said that the board should emplav a crew which was. not members of a union. Mr Loudon: “Do you want to discuss that to-day?” Mr MacManus said that the Arbitration Act had been placed on the Statute Book to oppose men who held the opinion expressed bv Mr Gow. The preference to unionists clause had been inserted in the Act as employers were engaging nonunionists. The Chairman; “Well, we will discuss the matter on March 9.” TENDERS. A number of tendors were received for the supply of an electric motor. The tenders were referred to the chairman, Messrs Miller, Cable, and Gow, and the engineer to bring up a report.