HARBOR BOARD

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6784, 22 September 1893, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD

The Board met last evening. Present — the Chairman, and Messrs Hepburn, Chambers, Tucker, Matthewson, and Crawford. HARBORMASTERS RErORT. Captain Thomson reported ; — "The soundings iv the river and out from the breakwater are about the same as I reported to yoa last month. The chain for the large iron buoy has arrived, but as the test certificate did not arrive with it I have delayed taking it over. I expect it by to-night's steamer, and whenever the weather is suitable the buoy will be put out in its place. The new casting buoy for the 21 feet rock I have had scraped and tarred, and when the weather fs suitable I will have it \n\l in place also. The deck of the wharf on Kaiti I have had repaired, and the battens put in the joints of tl-.e planking of the viaduct, ordered to be done some time ago. The tide gauges on the town wharf and Kaiti are completely eaten away by the worms, and I have made two new totara ones to take their places. The fender piles on the breakwater at the lower end are much eaten away. The bolts and piles want overhauling. Steamer arrivals up to date 15, departures 15 ; sailing vessel arrivals 4, departures 3." On the suggestion of Mr Chambers, it was resolved to ask the Harbormaster to report, and see if there was any indication of the teredo having got into the totara piles at the end of the breakwater. THE TARIFF. The return, asked for by Mr Arthur at the previous meeting, was laid on the table. The following is the estimated increase from the new wharf tariff :— General merchandise £1000, wool about £100, beer £160, timber £124, posts £36, total £1420, from which have to be deducted refund on Coast shipments of imported goods and loss accruing from the minimum charge on small packages being reduced from ninepence to sixpence. Mr Chambers said he was rather disappointed at the increased tariff charges only bringing in the amount estimated, still they had succeeded in putting harbor taxation on a more equitable basis. Captain Tucker moved, and Mr Hepburn seconded, that the tariff as printed be adopted. Mr Matthewson objected on principle, though he felt his opposition was no use. They were shunting the whole burden of their harbor blundering on the people of the town. Property should be taxed for the outlay. They were now making a retrograde movement. They should promote the trade of the town. Mr Chambers asked whether it was the traHe or land that made Gisborne. Mr Matthewson admitted that Gisborne could not go on without the land, but Gisborne was necessary to the working of tho land. If there was not a town here settlers would have to go to Auckland for what they wanted. Mr Chambers said the county was everything, and the town an excrescence. Mr Mattcwson thought they should work hand in hand. Mr Chambers said the State was made by producers, not by distributors. The Chairman said there was no doubt) that the Board was in a position that it must get more funds. The saving in rates would be shared in by both town and county. Mr Chambers remarked that the country must be developed faster than the town. The Chairman said he admitted that, bub there were some people in the country who actually thought that there should be no town at all. Mr Chambers said he was only pushing his argument to an extreme. The Chairman thought there was no question that if there were seven or eight thousand people in Gisborne the country would be benefited, as they frequently heard settlers complain of the want of a local market. The motion for the adoption of the proposed tariff was agreed to, and it was resolved that a special meeting be held that day fortnight to confirm the tariff.