HARBOR MATTERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16869, 26 October 1925, Page 8

HARBOR MATTERS.

MONTHI.V HOAIU, MEKTINt

The monthly meeting of the. Harbor Board was held (bis morning, Mr. IV. G. Shciratt presiding. There were also present Messrs A. H. Wallis, T. Corson, T. Quirk, R. D. Dymock, C. G. lloldsworlh, I. Mirfichl, T. I odd, and J. Tombleson.

Leave of absence was granted Messrs T. Holden, C. 11. Williams, G. Witters, G. Smith, R. M. Birrell and Dr. J. <*. Collins.

A letter was received from the Timaru Harbor Board offering to soil a second crane to the Board.—The engineer reported that the crane was too old and 100 heavy, and it was decided to write declining the offer. ADVISORY COMMITTEE’S REPORT.

The report of the Advisory Committee was as follows :

“The committee held meetings on October 5. 20, and 23. and authorised the following:—The appointment, of G. Lomas, at present foreman in charge of blasting, to the position of quarry manager at tho salary of £8 per week plus away-from-home allowance until a cottage is provided; the appointment of C. Lewis, of the blasting gang, to tho position of foreman in charge of blasting operations at the salary of £6 per week; the purchase of a horse for use at Whareoogaonga; llnv engineer to order from Poole and Steel, Sydney, six 'new buckets, with links, required as spares for the Korn.t; the- engineer to arrange lor R. Patty to again install his wireless sat on the Korun., and to operate (be apparatus on the voyage whan the vessel proceeds to Auckland for docking; the acceptance of Price and Co.’s offer at £B7 to supply n dutch, a shaft and other niachincfry parts required for the new slipway; tho- acceptance of the following tenders, (a) C. Aickin and Rons.’ tdnder at £422 13s .64 (or a quantity of timber; (b) Martin nrici Swain’s tender at £259 10s for about 1!, tons of galvanised corrugated iron; (c) McKay Bros.' tender at £157 10s for box frame windows—all being material required for huts, etc., at Whareongaonga. “The committed agreed, also, to make the following recommendations to the Board That the Board join the Employers’ Association ; that the Board Jet tliei cook-house at Whaveongaonga at, £1 pur week, and that, the application of Mrs. A. Perry to occupy same and cater for the quairymcn be accepted under conditions to be arranged; that the Board purchase a motor car at approximately £SOO for usd in connection with the quarry; that the Board authorise the urection of three or four huts at the quarry suitable for married men ; that the Board authorise the engineer to hire a lighter from Nelson’s (N.Z.) Ltd., at £3 per trip for transporting gear to Whareongaonga; acceptance of Mr J. W. Holmes’ tender at 57/9 per ton for 1000 tons of Westport unscreened coal delivered in 200-ton lots on site near the Waikanao cattle yard; acceptance of W. Wilson’s tender at 7/6 per cubic yard for 13,000 yards of shingle, stone and sand delivered at the Board’s yard. Kaiti; acceptance of the Public Works Department’s offer to supply the following materials required principally at the quarry, 20,000 feet of 55U> rails at £l3 per ton ; 4000 hardwood sleepers tit 7 - ouch—all delivered on wharf at Gisborne; the acceptance, subject to the engineer being satisfied regarding certain details of the tender of J. Dutliio and Co., of Wellington, to supply 10,000 feel of 1411> rails at, £l3 4s per ton, also the same firm’s tender of £290 to simply 12 sets of points and crossings each for 141 b and for 551 b rails.

“The secretary submitted particulars of office equipment which lie recommended should now he purchased to enable the increasing work in the office lo he satisfactorily and economically coped with. The equipment particularly referred to was a Burroughs adding machine to cost £153 10s, required 1 particularly in tho preparation id' monthly trade returns for the Government, and a, National receipting cash register, to cost £350, required in connection with the rate collection, hut designed to deal with all cash receipts. The eoinmittue recommend the IJotil’d lo purchase the equipment. In order to establish responsibility and aulhmilv in connection with the collection of rates over the harbor district tho committee agreed that it would be advisable to make an appointment. and now recommend tho Board to appoint the secretary, Mr. Barton, to be its rale collector. “The committee considered a request made by a local firm that a quantity of hardwood posts recently imported be charged wharfage at timber rate instead of at the rate for posts. Cortaro action was agreed upon, but at a later meeting the committee agreed that tho matter should bo discussed by the Board.” In regard to tho paragraph relating to the wharfage rato on sawn posts the secretary explained that Hie cost would bd less if they were charged as timber and not as posts. It was suggested that in future there should be a distinction between split and sawn posts.—lt was decided to consider the matter when tho tariff was being revised, and the report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The engineer reported on general main tenancc matters as follows : “The dredger John Tov nicy has been employed thio'ighouf the month in improving the chan mil' and cntr iiice. The vessel spent two days on tho hard for overhaul arid repairs to tail shaft. The grab dredge has operated at the town and Kaiti berthages, and also has been engaged in removing fascines on the lines of the training wall. Repairs and maim temvnoe to the Board’s property, consisting of wharves, sheds, lights, etc., have been executed as uvecessitatod from time to time.”

The report was adopted. The acting harbormaster. Captain Holmes, imported as follows: “Westerly winds, moderate, to strong, have prevailed during the month. Close soundings taken on October 15 show an improvement at the entrance, though the navigable channel remains much the same as last reported, namely four feet when zero is on the gauge. The navigation lights are in good order. Thirtysix vessels have worked the port from September 24 to October 22, the gross tonnage being 10,898, and tlie net tonnage 10,019.’’ The report was adoDted. Accounts totalling £10,360 7s Id, as tipproved by the finance committee, were passed for payment*. The chairman and Mr. Williams Were appointed delegates to the Harbor Conference at Dunedin in March next.