Bluff Harbour Board

Southland Times, Issue 18059, 31 January 1903, Page 4

Bluff Harbour Board

FRIDAY, 30th JANUARY.

The monthly meeting was attended by the chairman (Mr A. Carmichael), Messrs J. W. Mitchell, A. Bain, J. E. iWatson, . .R. Dunlop, R. Anderson, G. Waddel. T. Gilroy, and I. W. Raymond.

The Chairman reported that ho had notified the owner of the hulk Chance that he must remove the remains from the foreshore without delay, as they were a danger to navigation. — Approved.

S. H. Gladstone, England, wrote that the lighting apparatus ordered by the Board was ln thfi s.s. Corinthic (now in "Wellington)-— lt ■ was resolved that the harbourmaster and engineer report to the Harbour and Works Committee, the latter to have power to act re tfce erection.

." The -Bluff Regatta Committee thanked the Board for placing the tug at the service of the regatta committee on 2nd January, on " such liberal terms. — Received."

The Public Trustee returned statement of accounts for _ last year's sinking fund , certified as correct by the Auditor-Gen-eral. (The -fund now stands at £22,772 7s lid.)— Mr Mitchell said that he believed North Invercargill Borough would shortly be raising a loan, and he suggested that the Board should tender for it.— Mr Bain said the matter could be 'dealt with by the Finance Committee, Tvho could also . consider the question of other loans which might arise. — A resolution was passed that the Finance Committee., .have ... : power :to recommend the Public Trustee •to authorise a loan if they consider it desirable to tender.

The Engineer notified that the new railway- approach to the wharf was being proceeded with as rapidly as pos-sible.—-Received.

A petition was received from the tally clerks and wharf labourers asking that the old shed on the wharf, which the Board contemplated shifting, be made available, for. use as a shelter foT the petitioners.—Harbour and Works Committee to consider the matter.

The secretary submitted the following return of revenue and : • receipts during the past month :— Pilotage, £304 4s 2d; port charges," "£22o 7s 8d ; 'wharfage to 6th December, .''._ £224 19s 5d ; to 3rd Jan., £314 Bs Id ; credit balance at bank, £3095 19a 2d ; ordinary revenue for December, £.1681 3s (a decrease of £322 78 8d from December, 1901) : outstanding accounts. £415. 10s Gd.

The Awarua Boating Club applied for permission to' place the club's boatshed on a site below ' low . water mark, adjoining the new railway approach, giving access to the shed from the approach. Owing to the present railway reclamations the club was compelled to shift the shed, and the proposed site was the : only convenient one. — Referred to the Harbour and- Works Committee ; the engineer and harbourmaster to report, iy.. ...'.•;..-,■..

Applications for. oyster beds under the wharf were - referred to the Harbour and Works Committee.

yj. .Mill; and Co- applied for refund of •wharfage paid on coal delivered to s.s. Waikato. The steamer was short of coal: and 106 tons was- supplied out of the yard rather than send her away, and no time was available to secure a steamer. Coal'^ would have to be imported to take the place of the coal disposed of, so the Board would: -' hot sustain any loss through the refund ;— Decline d.

The , Government valuations of two runs on Taringatura endowment were re-

ferred to the Finance Committee

It was- decided that two spare arc lamps for lighting the wharf be procured.

E. Parsons ..wrote that owing to the railway reclamations he had no access

to the foreshore for the purpose of cart-

ing gravel, and asked the Board's cooperation r itt obtaining access by road. — Mr Dunlop' said that -it was very desirable that there, should be means of get-

ting access -to. .the foreshore, without -.going through : railway trucks.—Re- ~ ferred to the Works Committee.

J. Walker and Son, contractors,, applied for ;» rebate of wharfage on 15 yards of gravel landed on the old wharf. They had 'got, permission from the hurhrmrronwtgr "tn lnUd A + ♦*»»'» ""*" a-isV, and had to cover the wharf with boards at their owa expense before they, could land it.—M r Raymond objected to the

letter on: th ft ground that it was not

mentioned in the order paper.— The secretary said that he had pnly received it

that morning,^ and had had no t.me to include it.— The Chairman rilled that it was admissible, and a motion was carried that the harbourmaster report to the Finance Committee.

jr.. C. Ijayldoh, Wellington, forwarded

a sample of his patent worm-oroof pow.der for wharf. pUes - for trial by the Board.— Engineer to report. The Harbour and Works Committee reported (iy having received the ivii^iueer's report on the iQrton crane, and held the matter' over for- further ■ consideration ; (2) recommend -the Board to resume the lease of the slip-way, tho engineer to report upon the cost cf puttingit in order for small crafts ; (3) to

reply, to Murray, Arnold) and Co.'s application-.': for increased price for ironbaric .that as the timber had. been offered

and accepted at contract price nothing further could be paid ; (4) recommend the. Bioard to communicate with the builders of the : tug • and with Morgan, Cable- and Co. as to the- price of a spare

tail shaft; (5) to grant the assistant

signalman X5 as a' bonus -for extra duties performed during., the signalmaster's

absence oh- iicfc 'leave - r (6)* the engineer haying asked for instructions as to the method of the five spans of

the new . railway approach, the commit-

tee has ;' directed that they be done at schedule rates and the piers by day labour, if . necessary.— Report adopted.

The Finance Committee reported (I

having accepted tenders aa follows ;— Stores and coal, Nichol Bros ; plumbers' reqnisites.VT? J. ;H. Stewart ; timber, Southland Timber Co. ; the -tenders for blacksmithing work were so high that it was not"';' deemed advisable io accept .either ; (.2). having received the report of the harbourmaster re account for concreting floor of tug; and recommend the Board to. inform ; the . harbourmaster that wherever possible the- Board must he requisitioned, in the matter of repairs, and that in matters of .eanergency he will be expected to dp whaii is necessary, and attach an explanation to tho accounts (3) recommend the Board to grant Mr Gilford a bonus of 10 per cent, on hia salary for 1902 •" (4) having examined accounts amounting to £1863, and recommend that they be passed -for payment. — Clause .8 having been amended by the inclusion of the words " the chairman to be consulted whenever possible. " the report was adopted.

A special committee appointed with reference to repairs to the assistant pilot's house, reported that in their opinion the house was too far gone to justify expenditure in repairs, and in view of the reluctance of Mr and afrs Gifford to leave it, recommended the Board to make a weekly allowance of 10s towards the cost- of such repairs as Mr Gifford sees fit to effect. — Several members advised building a new house. It was mentioned, that the Health Officer had condemned it.— The Chairman said that till -official intimation was received of the condemnation .the. 3oard' was not called aa to do. anything, so the present arrangement 'could continue (meantime..

J. Hawspn^ chief officer s.s. Monowai, was i j^anted^-pflotsrge;; exemption certificate under ihe. usual 'conditions.

TJb» engineer's estimate of cost of putting in-order for small craft was referred to the Harbour and Works Committee for report.

J. McNeilago, boatman, applied for increase of wage.— Held over.

The engineer reported that the boiler of the s.s. Theresa Ward contin ied lookV ills', a "d recommended the fitting of a Hotchkiss water circulator.— Referred to "^ Harbour and Works Committee!

The harbourmaster reported tl<at the shipping for the month of December had bcen--Inward : 17 vessels of 26,430 tons; outward : 17 -vessels of 29,524 tons ; an increase of 759. tons, inward and 1010 tons outward - oyer the , corresponding month of last' year. He .'- recommended that marks be placed on the shore to define/the posit|ptt of the mid-channel rocV.i^r tha'cfipvenienco of exempt shipmastm;.—Adopted, ■ the: marks .•_ to be

The secretary submitted the following return of attendances of members at

meetinga of the Board : Meetings held — ordinary 12, special 3, statutory 1, annual I— total 17. Attendances . J. W. Mitchell, R. Dunlop, and A. Esin 17 each ; A. M. Carmichael 16 ; T. Gilroy 15; J. E. Watson 14; R. A. i-.nderson 13 ; I. W. Raymond 12 ; J. Roberts (8 months) 8 ; G. Waddel (4 months) 4 ; Sir J. G. Ward (received ''eavo of absence while discharging his duties as Minister and Acting-Premier, nnd acted as Parliamentary representative of the Board) 2. The return of amounts = paid for travelling expenses, with approximate distances travelled nnd time occupied was : A. Carmichael, chairman, 79 mHes (Wednesday till Saturday night), £77 2s (id ; chairman's expenses to Wellington, £25 ; A. Bain, 21 miles (part I day). £5 7s Gd : R. Dunlop. 20 miles (part day). £5 2s 6 : J. W. Mitchell, 20 miles, ,(part day), £4 15s ; I. W. Raymond, chairman to 10th Feb., 1902, 20 miles (part day), £4 2s Gd : R. Anderson, 20 miles (part day), £4 ; J. E. Watson, 20 miles (part day), £3 12s 6d,T. Gilroy, 20 miles (part day), £3 2s 6d ; J. P, Roberts, 20 miles /part day). £2 7s Gd (eight months) ; G. Waddel, 20 miles (part day), 15s (4 months) ; Sir J. G. Ward, Is 6d. .(Several of the meetings were held in invercargill, which accounts for tho mileage travelled by Bluff members.

Tho meeting then adjourned