BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD.

Southland Times, Issue 14635, 27 January 1911, Page 2

BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD.

THURSDAY. JANUARY

Present: Messrs R. A. Anderson (chairman), A. F. Hawke. G. R. M addell, T. Green, T. Gilroy, J. Fraser, and J. Fleming. MR DUNLOP’S RESIGNATION. /A letter was received from Mr K. Dunlop, tendering his resignation as a member of the Board owing to his appointment as a Director of the Southland Frozen Meat Company.—The resignation was accepted witli regret and appreciation of Mr Dunlop’s services during it is membership of the Board for 15 years past, was ordered to bo entered in the minutes. The Chairman remarked that although the provisions of the new Harbour Boards’ Act. legislating! against the possibility of a member having conflicting interests, were probably wise yet they entailed the resignation of men, •whose services were of use to the Board. Mr Dunlop had taken a lively interest in the Board, and his advice and general knowledge were of considerable assistance to his fellow-members. CORRESPONDENCE. In reference to a charge by the Board of £25 for the recovery of an anchor lost outside the harbour by the s.s. Warrimoo, the Invercargill manager of the Union Steamship Company wrote asking for the charge to be reduced. He claimed that the sum of £lO was arranged for as the cost and that the tug was unsuccessful in recovering the anchor, the TVarrimoo itself picking it up again. —The Secretary (Mr G. It. George) explained that the actual cost of the tug and "dtver exceeded the £25 charged, the diver having engaged in operations on four occasions. He also stated that there was no arrangement entered into for £I(X to be charged, and that although the’Yv'arrimo picked up the anchor it was only after the diver had attached a line to it. Union Company that, considering a reasonable charge would have been £Ja. the account of £25 could not be reduced. A letter was read from the Commerce and Tourists’ Department offering to issue tickets for the Board’s Stewart Island service at the various Tourist office branches at a commission of 10 per cent. —lt was explained that Messrs Cook only charged a commission of 5 per cent., and it was agreed to offer the Tourist Department similar terms.

It was decided to reduce the penalty of £IOO imposed upon tiie National Mortgage Company for delay in executing a recent timber contract to £27. the Company explaining that tiie delay was brought about by a strike in .Australia.

(R. R. McDonald applied for tiie position of driver of I.obnitz punt.—Applications to be invited. D. (Mclntyre applied for the position of engineer of tiie tug. —No vacancy, but letter to be filed. J. Halpin applied for permission to remove soil from the place where Mr Hinchey was working.—Tiie matter to be.inquired into. J. "Wishart applied for the position of second engineer of the tug. No permanent appointment to be made. A letter was received from the Governor (Lord Islington) thanking the Board for courtesy extended to him on his recent trip to Stewart Island. In reply to a communication from the Marine Department asking in view of the forthcoming Harbour Board elections, which authorities should lie the controlling parties in the case of the joint representations of the Invercargill and South Invercargill Council, and of Hie Gore and Mataura Councils, the secretary was instructed to reply that the Invercargill and Gore Councils were the senior authorities in each case. STAR OF INDIA'S VISIT. Messrs Henderson and Co. wrote intimating that the Tyser Company proposed to send the Star of India (12,Min tons) to Bluff about the first week in March, as her final port of call in New Zealand to load ifiuio carcases of mutton and 1000 to IMM) hales of wool, but having regard to the large size of Hie boat the Company wished to be assured that she could berth with safely since she would draw 29 feet of water. —The Harbourmaster reported that it would lie possible to berth a vessel drawing 29-feet aft, and 21 feet forward, which lie thought would meet tiie case of the Star of India, and it was deciib-d to forward a copy of the Harbourmaster's report to Messrs Henderson and Co. FINANCES. Accounts amounting to CiIDS were passed, for payment.--Tiie revenue for the month was staled- to have been £2317 13s Id. A SAVING IN COST. The Kngineor reported that the construction by the Board's own staff of tiie new punt had been atH-nded with a saving of £2 1:7, tiie work having 00-q £1707 as compart-d with tBCoi —the amount quoted in Hie lowest tender received ini’ •its construction. COMM ITT F.K’S RFPORT. The following recommendations of Hie Harbour and Works Committee were adopted:— ; That a lightship he put at the chequered buoy, and specifications he prepared to bo submitted to the committee .also that power he given to the committee to approve specification and to call for tenders. That the Board adopt the following regulation:— “When hulks are moored at night on the northern or outward side of the wharf, a bright light shall he exhibited on the outside of the vessel for the guidance of navigation. Tiie Harbourmaster shall also have discretionary power to require lights to be exhibited on other vessels when moored outside the wharf and all masters of vessels shall he required to comply with Ids directions in that respect.” That the Board notify the oysfermort that the davits at western end of the wharf are an obstruction to flie berthage and must be removed at an early dam. That the dredge cut out another BUM't western end of wharf. CHARIMAN B 11KBO 1 Pl’. The Chairman reported Unit the amending Harbours Act, passed in Hulast session of Parliament, made some alterations in the dates of the siatniory meetings of the Board, and the third Monday in March was now the date futile annual meeting for the adoption of the Board’s accounts. Ho proposed at the next meeting of the Board to review the Board’s transactions for the y---ir. The gross receipts had been £2i,029 Cs 7d. but as that amount included £ I <ll 2 10s received from the Railway Department for the reclamation wall the actual revenue was £2a,-lli or t.j.,0 less than that of last year. That revenue lie considered very satisfactory in view of the fact that a much larger decrease haul been expected owing to the shortage nt grain exports. Tiie expenditure bad been £23.302, and tiie sinking fund had Increased to £3R.722. The shipping returns showed tiie entry of 321» vessels of 579,2G0 tons, which was a decrease of 25 vessels, but an increase of 10.272 tons, indicating that the shortage was of small vessels, and there was no diminution in the number of large steamers which frequent Hie port.