TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5007, 15 May 1889, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Ibe Timaru Harbor Board held its ordinary meeting for the month to-day. Present— Mr J 5. Acton (chairman), Captains Sutter and Woollcombe, Messrs I. L. Morris, J. Talbot, j, S. Wilson, T. Teschemaker, K. F. Gray, J. Manchester, and the Mayor of Timaru. CORRESPONDENCE. Besides routine correspondence, the following was read; — From McEiven' and Co. London, stating that the order for spikes had been filled “exactly.”—The engineer had complained that the spikes were smaller than were ordered, and now produced his fetter book showing the scribing round a spike of the size he wanted, which members saw plainly was larger than the spikes sent. From Priestman Bros, in reply to letter complaining that the wear and tear on some of the grabs had been very great. They supposed that instructions had been given not to drop the grabs from a greater height than was necessary to make them pick up the spoil. The writers sent a drawing and description of a new dredge bucket, Morgan’s patent, which was giving great satisfaction to users. One of them had lifted half a million tons at Glasgow and was very little the worse for it. A paragraph had appeared Jin the Otago Daily Times to the effect that owing to representations made by the National Mortgage and Agency Company, the Dnderwriters’ Association had agreed to place Timaru and Oamaru on the same footing as the larger ports in respect of insurance charges. A letter had been written to the chairman of the association, and he replied that members of the association had not seen the paragraph before. It was not correct that any change had been made in the rales charged at Timaru and Oamaau. A note from Mr Spalding stated that the paragraph referred to London insurances and if the board made inquiries they would find that London offices would insu-e cargoes from Timaru at the same rates as from other ports. Members thought that further inquiries ought to be made. 'ihe Marine Department had been asked to republish the plan of the harbor with their annual report, os last year, but had replied that as there was so little difference in the plan, and the purpose of the publication waa to show improvements, it did not seem worth while to publish it this year. A further letter had been written by Mr Turnbull, urging that there had been a good- deal of improvement effected, in the construction of the north mole, and the plan was well worth publishing on that account. The Otago Lock Trust wrote that they had contracted for the erection of shear legs for lifting heavy weights, and must decline the offer to sell them the crane Hercules. A report from Mr George Oroll, Government Inspector of Machinery, on his inspection of tug Titan was received with a list of repairs needed to hull and boiler. The chairman reported that the work of repairing the boat bad been entrusted to Messrs Morgan and Cable of Dunedin, It could not be stated, yet how much the repairs would cost.

A letter was received from a resident of Invercargill warning the board against making tho same mistake as was made by the Bluff Harbour Board in ordering their tug Awarna [from Homo through Mr Darling. A | copy of this letter had been sent to Captain Cameron for his remarks, and he wrote in reply explaining that Mr Darling had nothing to do with the building of tho Awarua, being in the colony at the time, and that if the boat had proved unsatisfactory it was due to the nature of the conditions imposed upon the designer. engineer's eefoet. Mr Marchant reported as follows ; “ Breakwater. —Several of the spare concrete blocks have been removed from tho bloekyard, and a few of them have been stacked on the parapet offset. “ North Mole Contract. —This work is progressing satisfactorily, “ Dredging.—Since last merting tho Taniwha has dredged and discharged 1275 tions of spoil, and 18 tons of rocks in 10 workng days. “I have completed tho plans and description of the proposed harbour endowment ”

HARBOURMASTERS’ EEFOET. Captain Clarkson reported the arrival of 17 steamers aud 3 sailing vessels, (7045 tons),and I the departure of 18 steamers, and 5 sailing vessels, (8138 tons) during April. Tho weather during April had been exceptionally fine. Ho suggested that tho buoys denoting the wreckage of the Duke of Sutherland and Lyttelton be removed and replaced with conical shaped buoys, the ones at present in use not being sufficiently visible, and also being very heavy on tho chains. During the month the usual soundings had taken place with result as per book." In a conversation on the subject of the wreck buoys Captain Sutter explained that the buoys required were “nun ” buoys, double cones, the present ones wore casks and they presented a big broadside to the waves and caused a great strain on the chains in heavy seas. 'I he secretary stated that the hooping and re-hooping of the casks had cost more than proper iron buoys would have done. —lnquiries to bo made whether the proper buoys can bo bad or made in the colony. 1 lio chairman reported that the tender of Wheelan and Co. had been accepted for painting and tarring tho Titan, at £lO 15s. READING RIGHTS. A memo, from the Engineer suggested the advisability of consulting the Marine Department as to the colors for leading lights, and ordering the necessary lanterns from Home at once. —Captain Sutter did not see that leading lights would he ‘needed ; no < vessel should come in at night without a pilot. —The harbourmaster to be consulted.

TUG AND DEEDGE STAFF. Captain Sutter presented a report on the staff of the lug and dredge, and recommended that an additional permanent hand be engaged, one able to act as fireman on the tug, as this addition would enable both tug and dredge to be worked at once. He moved and Mr Morris seconded that the man be engaged. Several members objected that only a-few months ago the matter was fully gone into and it was decided that the staff should bo reduced ; it should be very distinctly shown that reversion to the former state of things was necessary.

The engineer stated that in the past eleven months—(the staff was rorrranged in June last) —the dredge had lost 65 working days through the reduction of the staff. Mr Teechernaker was strongly of opinion that the dredge should be kept constantly at work. Mr Talbot moved as an amendment that the question be referred to the Standing Committee for further enquiry, but this was lost, and Captain Sutter’s motion carried, by five votes to four. EXTEA liABOE. Some conversation took place an the considerable sums paid for *• extra labor.” The chairman said nothing could be more unsatisfactory. This month the “extra labor” account was £23, of which £ls was for getting the Titan on the slip. The engineer was asked how that was, and explained that Mr Croll gave notice of his coming and that he must see the tug on the slip. Three attempts were made to get her up, the two first failing on account of a nor’-wester reducing the tide by nine or ten inches. Mr Teschemaker blamed the harbormaster for trying to pet the boat up on an unsuitable tide, but Captain Sutter pointed out that as the lowness of the tide was due to the weather be could not be blamed. THE SLIP. Mr Gray drew attention to the waste of power and labour in hauling vessels up the slip in the present fashion, and which he considered both cumbersome and dangerous. Ho asked that the engineer report at next meeting whether the hauling engine should be shifted. Mr Marchant said the manner of hauling up vessels was the cheapest that could be adopted Iwhen the slip was made, and when the surf boats were quite done with it would be well to shift the engine ; there was plenty of room for it opposite the slip. In reply to a remark that the slip was not so successful as was anticipated, he said it was more successful. It was only designed to be a spring-tide slip, yet the Titan could be got on it in any ordinary tide.

ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1627 6s 5d were passed. The railway return of wharfage collected during the four weeks ended March 3let was £538 —an average amount.

THE NEW TUG. The secretary read copies of letters sent to Mr Darling (constructor to the Union Company) at Homo, asking him to obtain tenders for, and supervise the construction of, a new tug, the broad lines of the specification for which were given.

It was resolved to transmit to London through the Bank of New Zealand, £SOOO, for Mr Darling to draw upon in connection with the contract; the balance to bo sent later. The board then rose, at 13.30 p.m.