HARBOR BOARD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10137, 25 August 1904, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting was held at 2 p.m. to-day, when there were present : The Chairman (Mr Townley), Messrs Sievwright, ' Hepburn, Captain Tucker, Matthewson and 1 Whinray. WHARF RAILWAY LINE. | The Hon. Jas. Carroll wrote from Wellington acknowledging the receipt of the : Board's letter, requesting that permission • be granted by the Working Railways De- ! pavtmeiit for the rails leading to the I wharf to be shifted' a few feet, to admit [ of further storage accommodation. In I reply, he stated that he had submitted the matter, for favorable consideration, to tho Hon. Minister for Railways. A later telegram was read from Mr Carroll, stating that the Department had no objection to the proposed deviation, [ provided the cost was Tborne by the j Board. ; Captain Tucker said it was only fair ; that the Board should pay for the cost ; of alteration. — It was diecided to accept ! the terms of the telegram.— Captain Tucker said a wire liad been sent to Mr Carroll, thanking him for wlial he had 1 done. ' NAPIER SHINGLE FOR ROADS. Mr R. D. B. Robinson, town clerk, wrote stating m reply to the Board's letter asking for a crossing from the wharf to Read's Quay footpath, that the Council liad authorised* two crossings to be made. He had 1 also to ask that the Board allow Napier shingle to be landed (for road purposes only) free of wharfage, as tlie 5s per ton would make its importation prohibitive. The Chairman said the Board had no power to suspend the tariff. At present they had no discretionary power, and , it was proposed to give them this m an amendment of the Act. Captain Tucker thought that it was desirable that the Board should have discretionary power. Mr Whinray considered if they could get Napier shingle at 6s a yard it would be a good thing for the district, but if they had to pay 5s wharfage it would be placed out of the question. Mr Sievwright did not think the Board was under obligation to charge anything. Captain Tucker: It could come m as ballast. Mr Sievwright said if this principle were admitted 1 they would have requests from all local bodies. Captain Tucker said the Harbor Board could (jet the cargoes themselves and sell the metal. Mr Hepburn said the Board were trying to figure out a scheme to beat the law. Captain Tucker : But we arc not cheating anybody, and are only trying to asr sist ourselves. It need not appear on the- manifest. The. Chairman said the Board could hardly sell the metal, as it would have to appear on tlie manifest. Captain Tucker did not think that it was necessary to place the metal on the manifest. They need not pay lighterage to themselves. He did not see why they could not import metal or sell property of their own if tliey thought fit. He proposed that a committee be set up to arrange for a shipment as asked for by the Borough Council. Mr Matthewson suggested that the metal should first be consigned lo the Board, and no mention should be made of any truck with the Council. After further discussion the Chairman and any two members of the Board were authorised to arrange for a shipment as requested, the metal to be consigned to th« Board, and the Borough Council to make arrangements afterwards as to its purchase, KAITI FREEZING WORKS SITE. The Board's solicitor forwarded copies of conditions and special resolution necessary m leasing the Kaiti freezing works site to the Gisborne Sheepfarniers' Company. The solicitor forwarded an opinion m regard to the lease. The special resolution provided* that a fresh lease be -.'ranted to the Company at £300 per year for 15 years from August 1, 1904, with right to lease for a further 2l year.*.; if notice is given within 12 months or not earlier than two years of the expiration of the fresh term ; also that the annual rental for the first three of the 21 years' term, and of each and every subsequent three years shall, failing an agreement, be ascertained by arbitration, the basis to be on the total unimproved value of the land, and half of the buildings and improvements, such half of the improvements not to exceed £5000. The resolution iv this form was passed. Mr Whinray said he understood that a question was likely to arise as to the road past the freezing works, which, it was stated, had been enclosed bj- the works. Was that included iv the lease? The Chairman said the plan clearly showed the area being leased. The fence was a little on the road, but the Board Mere not leasing more than they had the power to, and any part of tn"e road was not included. The conditions of tender for the section of 1 rood 15 perches at the corner of the road, not included m the lease, were then considered, and it was decided that buildings and improvements to the value of £200 must be erected by the successful tenderer. DREDGE "JOHN TOWNLEY." Captain Solvander, master of the dredge John To'wnley, reported: — "Since your last meeting the amount dredged is as follows : 825 cubic yards sand from alow? tho breakwater. 1600 cubic yards mud and clay m various places between stock yardi and Dalgety's store, total 2425 cubic yards, and 9 hours filling on the new wharf. On the 30th the dredge was laid up for annual inspection for tliree aud' a naif days, and was found to be satisfactory. We also had three days bad weather,, and part of that time was employed filling m the new wharf. On the 18th the intermediate shaft- on the crane broke, and it took three days to repair." TIMBER INDUSTRY AND THE SLIP. Mr C. B. DeLautour, manager of the Karaka sawmills, wrote : — "As you are already aware, we are engaged m an industry situated near the flagstaff, and now contemplate developing it extensively. Your slip would be of very valuable assistance to us to further our aims. I now ask your Board's kind consideration of the matter and allow us the use of the same for the following purposes : To float and berth our craft m the mouth of the slip; to erect skids and a small tram-line (subject to your overseer's approval) so as to make a speedy clearance of any such timber discharged. I may mention tliat no machinery connected with the slip would be required." SIGNALLING APPARATUS. The Marine Department, Wellington, wrote acknowledging the Board's letter, m which particulars were asked of the working part of a semaphore apparatus large enough to be seen at a distance of two miles. In reply, the Department forwarded a copy of the plan of the ijagstaff and semaphore at Kaipara Heads, which showed 1 the construction and dimensions of the semaphore arms and their attachment to the- signal mast. There was no objection to the semaphore being combined with the signal staff, so that tlie whole can be worked by the signalman. The cost of the semaphore would! depend upon how much of the cost of the mast and gear is chargeable to the semaphore, which, could be fitted and equipped for about £43. SILTING UP OF TARUHERU. Mr W. Nelson, of Nelson Bros., Tomoana, Hawke's Bay, wrote : — "The iuci- , dent of our being obliged to get the use of 'your slip for the annual inspection of the Tuna, owing to our inability to get to our own slip, will, we trust, bring forcibly to your notice the disabilities under which we are working owing to the sUting up of the Taruheru river. As last year we paid your Board over £2000 m dues, when we practically make no use of your port, and as we have liad a very heavy outlay m wharves at our works, we respectfully submit that we are due such attention to the river as shall enable us- to carry on our lightering with greater ease and l certainty than at present, aud that we should be able to get to our own slip. Your early attention to this matter would be much appreciated, as the difficulties of working our barges are now almost insurmountable." HARBORMASTER, Captain Gumming, harbormaster, reported: — "In compliance with your instructions of last meeting, I have uow.a.| plan of a flag and semaphore signal staff combined, which will suit our requirements (see plau). The channel has silted up" m places during the last month, making the channel very narrow. Soundings taken on the 24th inst., with the. tide gauge at zero, are as follow : End of breakwater 12ft 6in. fifth, aud sixth bollard from end 7ft Bin, Snark s landing Bft big crane Bft, Waikanae 7ft 9m, off stockyard Bft 6in, halfway along wharf Bft 6in.' Having trouble m getting up the Ilma's anchor, we were late on the tidle coming m, and the ship struck on the bank near tlie end of the breakwater till the following tide. Tlie ship was drawing lift, and no damage was done. Shipping since last meeting : Steamers: arrivals 26, departures £Jj sailing ships : arrivals 11,. departures 11. OVERSEER, Mr D. A. McLeod, overseer, reported : "On the 4th and sth inst. advantage was taken of the weather (which was too rough for outdoor work) to have the goods shed flooredl, which has been done with white pine timber from the Mungatuna sawmills at a cost for material and labor of £27 10s. Water storage: Two more tanks have been fixed ou the Board's section on "Kaiti, increasing the water storage capacity to 3000 gallons.- The John Townley on the Ist, 2nd, and 3rd of the month was laid up for the usual inspection, overhaul of boilers and machinery, and on the 4th, sth and 6th she was unable to go outside through stress of weather, nine hours of which time she was engaged filling m behind Kaiti wharf, and from that" v date to the 18th sho was. in constant work. Then another stoppage of 3£ days occurred through tho 'breaking, of on© of. the horizontal driving shafts of the crane, which has been replaced, with a piece of shaft- from the Hercules crane on the breakwater. She has during the month taken 25 loads of spoil to sea, three loads abreast of the Harbor Board office, five loads of rock

abreast of Dalgety's store, eight loads abreast of Kaiti wharf, and l nine loads of sand from mouth of river. The small dredger has removed) and deposited on Waikanae reclamation 14 loads of rock from between the lower and upper beacons, and one load of gravel and sand from the end of groyne extension. She has been off work nine days during the month, three days through inspection overhaul, three days through stress of weather and three days getting new piston rings put m. Tlie blasting punt nas been at work 23 dhys during the month., 20 days between the upper and lower beacons, three days abreast of Dalgety's store, and one day not at work. Groyne extension : Good progress has been made with this work during the month, 24 piles luive been driven and braced, and the engine and gantry are working very satisfactorily. The Tumi was taken on to the slip on Tuesday, the 2nd, and) launched on Friday the 12th. Wages, £2 10s 6d, oil and coal 12s 6d, total £3 3s. Forty-two yards of gravel have been received from the carters, and spread on reclamation back of town wliarf during tlie month. Accounts to hand totalled £126 2s 9d'." FINANCIAL. The following cash statement to August 20th was placed before the Board:—Ordinary account (credit), £21,967 lis 6d ; harbor improvement account (debtor), £17,071 0s sd '; balance, £4896 lis Id. Bank : Current account as per bank pass book, £4898 12s Id; less unpresented cheques, £2 Is. Outstanding: Arrears of rates, 1901, £65 15s lOd ; 1902, £130 12» 6d; 1903, £473 16s; wharfages current, £14 13s 2d ; rent, £281 Is lid.