HARBOR BOARD.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12660, 31 January 1910, Page 5

HARBOR BOARD.

Tlie monthly meeting, of the Harbor -Board , was held this ;. afternoon, there Avere present : Messrs J. Townilev J. Clark,* W. D. S. Miv - Dortald, M.P., G. Matthewsoii, J.-;B. Kells, F. Harris, C. J. Palker, and Hon. Captain Tucker. The Harbourmaster (Captain Cuniming), reported that for tho year 1909 the shipping of the port showed an m crease of 33 steamers of a "total tonnage of, 25,389 tons (nett), and <i decrease dl 27 sailing ships of 4572 tons net register. The. local lighters had mado 1088 trips during the year (an increase of 144 trips); yielding J_ 136 m revenue. Last month's shipping comprised : Steamer,", arrivals 57, departures 56; sailing ships, arrivals 14, departures 15. The Harbormaster pointed out that tho channel along the Avharf had silted, up at the top half, and he urged that the' dredge should be put on to clean it out. Heavy shipping during the month, a.*-- Avell as the presence of 20 lighters and tenders., hhd made it* difficult to work at time?. The channel was keeping about the same 'depth.- Lighter dues 'on tho month /totalled £9 15s. j- '"'■'■•'' '/'THe Overseer (Mr D. A. McLeod), rcjjrtn'ted'that. the John ToAvnloy had taken '27 loads of spoil to sea this- month, and had undergone the usual overhaul, boing 12 ' days out of commission. 'lhe small dredger had continued Avorking all tlie tn'onth at the end of the breakwater. The suction dredgejiad also Avorked continuously. The old runner might do for a. month or six Aveeks, by which, time 'the reclamation area should be full. Mr Oveirtbn had oiie -of the mufl punts Avell under Avay besides 35,500 ft of timber artd a- large portion of the ironwork on the ground. He recommended a progress-.* payment of £300: The Overseer pointed put that the punts had been designed for. .work m smooth water, and they carried^ their, loads so high as to make them dangerous "id a '"choppy sea. ' pe'siiggekt&d!'this might be' obviated ; Avithout mj(jteria;lly ; altering their, cohstruction by 1 bririging the door tb the bottom" of the Avells instead of the top of same, and reducing the height of the hoppers one ft&tlV * This; would residt " m the load hejhg parried .„§ft 6in lower at the bottpin arid a foot lower at the' top. It would also increased the capacity, of the ■pTn-ftk frorh'6syds to 75yds'. • As the AVork could be carried out without interfering with the work already done he suggested the alterations should be sanctioned. Mr McLeod also pointed out that'the deviation made by the engineer tdv;thy- design of the Auckland punts m slq^ihg aivay the corners Avould make therir more "cranky,"*, anpj take .away this buoyancy Avithout' Triiprbving them fbi-Bteering or towing. The punt now under construction would have to be cpiripletcd according, to the altered de_r|*:n biit he suggested the corners should bja;left ,pri>the,§ocond, punt. The damage in'the '-wharf near No. 2 shed had been repaired at a cost of £9 15s. . TitnberAvbrK "m connection Avith the. new dredge aiid punt: N berths had been completed, Avith the ekcepjbioii Of iron fastenings. Regarding tHe^ tjailway embankment approaching the V^iarf the overseer pointed out': tliat It was' repfeatedly being Avashed iiito the channel and repaired from time to tirtib m a • tempoi*a^y« Avay.^-yStone and gravel removed from tho Kaiti . beach totalled 180 loads. ' ; ' VCaptainy Solvandeir; . (dredgemaster) reported that the John Townley had undergone the annual overhaul and had been .put into commission again on the 20th'.'.. TAVo-tlipusand six hundred yards of -spoil bad beeii .lifted. ■*.'• Mr A. if. Longi engineer of the John Townlejjr, reported that upon the annual inspcctibh'^tne > machinery avus fouiid tb be m a "satisfactory .condition. 'L'ho crane, deck Avinchps, and propelling engines had been overhauled. F. ,W- < ' JWarchant, M . Inst. , C. E. , Timaru, wrote "stating that ho had forwarded amended plans of the extension of the breakwater ■ as Kpucrgeßte'd by /the Engineer-in-Chief : ' He- added that as the bay was completely .land-locked (rom every direction except south-east he could not see the least objection to his own' proposal. There was not the least possibility of a concentrated -wave driving up 'the river, as. might' occur ..were thp Oonditiontf'-' • "different,- and ho thought nayi^itors Avould prefer tho line he sngs>kted,. giving a better entrance and dopd&idre. - The diffoi-ence bot\veen the two proposals, hoAvever, Avas not of aiiy vitaj impbrtaiice ; either -scheme Avould do ay hat /vi-as . neceesary , viz. f -_helter the entrance and destroy the dangerous AvaA-e. Avhich now cannoned, from. side to side of thei; channel — The Chairman said tlie amended plans had been forwarded to the Marine Department, and had not been returned. , They could do nothing until the -filans. came 'back.