Bluff Harbor Board.

Southland Times, Issue 5003, 13 August 1884, Page 2

Bluff Harbor Board.

» Tuesday, 12th Aug. ■-'■'■ The montbjy meeting of the Board was attended by Messrs J. Gr. Ward (chairman)^ Wiilcocks, Mitchell, Kemp, /, Thompson, ,0088, Cruig r Dauiels, and Captr Stevens! :- Mr C. MjAllister (engineei^jtotKe^Uiiitfa 1 Steam Shipping Co., in London), intimated that a trial of the tug Awarna had been made, and had proved satisfactory. An average speed of 10^ knots had been attained under unfavorable tidal conditioDS, and it was thought when in her towing gear she would easily steam 10£ knots. The letter also contained a number of instructions and suggestions in regard to fitting up the tag on her arrival at tbo BluflE. — The agents intimated that the tug ;had sailed for Now Zealand on the 27th May, and forwarded a copy of the letter of instructions for the voyage given to the master, Captain Cunningham. It was resolved to hold over applications for the mastership of the tug until that vessel's arrival, Messrs Anderson and Morrison wrote offering to supply lamps for lighting the harbor, the same as those in us© at the Otago Heads.— The Chairman said the lamps had been ordered. The Harbormaster reported that the barque Automne had, when coming up the harbor on the Isth, run foul of the lightship, completely demolishing the lantern and doing other damage.— Pilot.McDopald reported that the accident had occurred through through the wind failing when the vessel was close to the lightship. The Chairman said .that from his enquiries it appeared: that the accident had been unavoidable. It was one of those mishaps which would occur with the most careful men. Mr Thompson was. of the same opinion. He uad closely watched the whole occurrence, and knew that it could not be helped. The Secretary reported that Capt. Logan denied that the Manapouri had damaged the piles of the wharf, while the Bluff agent of the Company admitted that the injury had been done by the Company's vessels, although not by the Manapouri on the occasion referred to.— lt was resolved to infoim the Company of their agent's admission. An application from R Fowler for a site on the foreshore for a blacksmith shop was referred to the Works Committee. Information was received that the Governor had approved of the. plans of ihe Frozen Meat Company's works at the Bluff. —lt was resolved to instruct the Board's solicitor to prepare a license for the. Company. • : The Chairman stated that no answer had been received from the Gbverninerit to the Board's application for telephonic communication with the Flagstaff Hill; and it was resolved to renew the application. An application from the successful tenderers for the waterworks; for" the remission of wharfage dues on the material required for the job,, was declined. E. G. East applied for the use of the shed on the wharf for the remainder of the oyster season.— Referred to the Works Committee. George Williamson asked the Board to reconsider its decision not to refund him the cost of erecting the watershed on the foreshore. The Board waß deriving all the benefit from it, as the dredge depended upon it from water supplfe's.-- The matter was referred to the. Works Committee. Accounts amounting to L 139 17s lld were passed for payment. The arrivals and departures for the past month were reported to have been as follows .—Arrivals : 16 vessels, 9997 tons, 761 tons piloted. Departures : 13 vessels. 9258 tons, 1473 tons piloted. The Treasurer reported that the revenue for the month had been L 376 7s 9d, beinir an increase of LlO2 14s 4d on that for the corresponding month of <the preceding year. The Engineer reported that during the past month the dredging operations had been very much retarded by bad weather. Tne bottom was also now much more difficult to work than before, the dredge frequently bringing up large boulders and what appeared to be manuka roots. The month's work had resulted in the removal of 210 yards of stuff at a cost of 2b Ud per yard. The Works Committee were granted power to act in the matter of. certain applications for permission to erect smoke houses on the foreshore. Tenders for the supply of coal and stores to the Board were referred to the Finance Committee, with power to act, The Board went into committee to consider the applications received for the position of inspector of waterworks during their construction. There were 21 applicants. Od the Board resuming it was resolved to appoint Mr James Mentiplay. The Chairman, according to notice given moved— "That the Board take Bteps to obtain another endowment of land of sufficient value to enable it to borrow up to LIOO.OOO for prosecuting neceseary works and carrying on the business of the port." He believed that the Board would agree to the motion unanimously, and if they were successful in getting the endowment they would be placed in a better position to properly carry on the business of the port. It was a difficult matter now to obtain endowments, but he thought the Board was in a peculiar position in that respect, and had stronger claims to consideration than other public bodies. He referred to the circumstances connected with the granting of the endowment at present possessed by 1 the Board, and pointed out that while they had had to pay, up to the present, LISOO as interest on the money borrowed on the endowment, they had only derived a revenue from it of L 2168. The security afforded them an annual revenue of L 440, while they had to pay L3OOO per year for the loan on that security. If they decided to go in for this loan of LIOO,OOO the first thing thrown up would be the old accusations of the waste and extravagance with which the last sum borrowed, L 50,000, had been expended. Now, he lad made enquiries into this matter, and would show how it stood. The actual money received by tie Board from that loan, deducting all the expenses of floating, &c, was L 46,500. Ofthit amount the sum of H9,500 had been expended on the wharves. These were a vuluable asset, in fact they were perhaps the finest wharves .in the colony and brought in a revenue of about L2OOO per year, or say 10 per cent, on the outlay The next item waa the cost of tbe dredze L 4500. At first the dredge had not worked satisfactorily, but it was now going on well, and in time it would make berths suitable for the largest of the ocean going steamers, berths which they could not ha7e provided elsewhere in the harbor at double the cost. Then the tug rost L 7500. He would say nothing about that item as its merits had already been fully discusaed, and it remained to be i practically proved whether or not the expenditure was a judiciong investment. Next,L2BQo had been spent on the powder magazine, Harbor offices, men's house, hoathouje, and junior pilot house, A.l(

"1h>8« items made up a total of L.34,300, to which was to be added LI 6OO for the KghtshirV Captain Boyd's land for water rite, pilot boats, cutter, buoys, &c., and that with tho amount at preßent in the bank to the Board's credit. L 9060, ma<U> a ,gratt<l total of L 44,360 outof the L4G,SQO actually" receive:! for the Jbart: This loft only L2UO unaccounted for, or rather to be accounted for by the difference between the Board's revenue and. expenditure. - TheßO figures showed that the Board was «not by- any means in the bad financial rpo-ilion which many of the outside public - said it wpr. The opinion had got abroad -tnntthe T. 50,000 loaned been wasted;; in fact one member of Parliament had told •nimHhat the difficulty in the way of getanother .nrfowment would be to satisv £acfAnly'Vjcp!tiin bow that money had been exDcndcd. It was because of this erroneous " impression lhat he had taken the trouble to io into the figures ho had submitted. It Dni^ht be said that the : Board being in "so good a financial position, having 'L 9060 in the bank, there was no necessity •for them to borrow. They must remember 'that shortly they wonld have to pay about L3OOO for waterworks, and that the tug would soon be out and would cost somstting to fit up. By that time all that was "left of the last loan would be gone, and they would have to look elsewhere for money. There were, besides, other works, •which required to be done for the benefit of-the port'; for instance, the blasting of f the triangleWocke. Now was the time for theih W ask the Government for this en- * dowment with some show of success. The Bluff was one of the five chief ports of tlie" colony,, and it was therefore in such a position that some money was required to support it. The Government would have either to give them another endowment or the power to Btrike a rate : on the district, and ho considered that the latter expedient would be very objectionable. Mr Willcocks seconded the motion. He "was glad to hear so good a report as the Chairman bad given them of what bad " been aone with the last loan. The^time was coming when money would be reauired for important works, and it would be well for them to make early application for the means of obtaining it. .Igenlcman high in power in the colony had exwessed the opinion that the Bluff Harbor A-as entitled to every consideration, and therefore they should have confidence in the Buccess of their intended applicatl0 Mr Craig was of a similar opinion. He was glad the Chairman had so clearly placed before the public the real financml Josition of the Board. It occurred to him that in no- single instance wewrmsgovernment, jobbery, log-™ ll^ an ? T^? moreclearly exemplified than in the treatment of the Bluff Harbor by the Government Such- places as Timaru, Oamaru, and Taranaki had received great «88»tance, while the Bluff had been neglected. The Bluff was sure to become the most import--ant port in New Zealand, a fact the 'Government were beginning to recognise, and there were a number of works which , must be carried out. The assietance of the I members for the district should be requested in the matter. Mr Mitchell was in favor of the motion, although he did not think the application would be successful. Many other bodies were looking for endowments, and if one were granted to the Bluff Harbor Board a precedent would be established.- He supported the motion because it would be the Winning of a negotiation with the Government during which the Board might ask them to resume the present endowment and all liabilities connected with i' If that could be effected the Board would be released from a very heavy responsibility. The harbor had been compared with Timaru, Oamaru, and other Places; but it might be Baid that these other places had natural open roadsteads tthile the Bluff bad a naturally good harbor, and Was therefore not so much in need of assistance. If, during ' the negotiations the Government were induced to resume possession of the endowment, the Board s financial position would be improved for many years to come. Mr* Daniel supported the motion, but wai of- Mr Mitchell's opinion that another endowment would be refused. He knew from his experience that the Government bad get its face against granting more endowments to local bodies. It would be a good thing, however, if the Government could be got to take over the Board s present endowment. Captain Stevens also knew that the Government had determined not to give any more endowments to Harbor Boards; they had hinted that to the Riverton Harbor Board: • The Chairman reminded members tbat not very long ago the Government had SVen an endowment to the Otago Harbor oard, which was then up to its neck in debt. The Bluff Harbor Board was in a different position from other local bodies, mchiftß County Councils. They were in charge of an important colonial port, and if they were expected to carry on its business properly without finances, they had better give up the task at once and let the Government attend to it thetnselvep. Mr Thompson considered the motion a move in the right direction. If they looked at what had been done m Otago they would see that tbat had been accomplished which Nature had apparently never intended, while at the Bluff all Nature required waa a little assistance. The Board was a little Blow, and was losing golden opportunities. Port Chalmers was represented as what the Bloft should be, the chief port of the southern portion of New Zealand. He would not support a proposal to borrow money for blasting the triangle rocks, but funds should be raised to build a graving dock . They aspired to be a first-class po> t and yet they had not a dock, slip, or anyt'ling to enable them to repair damages to rassels Bhould any casualties occur. If a ship was in any way injured she had to be S3nt to Port Chalmers for repair, and thus while they were taking care of the pence they were sending away pounds from the- port. They had at present lots of water and reasonable wharfage, and what they wanted was a graving dock. The Chairman said that in regard to blasting the triangle rock's Mr Thompson had differed from a high engineering authority, his Excellency the Governor. His Excellency bad told him (ihe Chairman) that modern knowledge and skill would render the work of blasting away the rocks one easily to be accomplished, and had advised that if money were obtained a portion of it should be devoted to that purpose. In regard to the dock he (the Chairman) quite agreed with Mr ThompsoD. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Craig, to draw np a statement of tbn goard's financial position, to forward it along with a copy of the above motion to each of the members for the Southland districts in both Houses, and to respectfullyrequeßt those gentlemen to give the •application their support. The carrying out of these arrangements was entrusted to the Finance Committee. The Board' then adjourned.