BLUFF HARBOUR

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 23 January 1925, Page 9

BLUFF HARBOUR

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD The monthly meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board waa held yesterday forenoon, there being present:—Messrs A; Bain (chairman), W. J. A. McGregor, A. H. Aitken, W. B. Dixon, J. Fraser, P. Reid, J. F. Fleming, J. R. Hamilton and C. S. Longuet. GENERAL BUSINESS. Commander G. Stopford, of H.M.S. Dunedin, wrote, advising that H.M.S. Dunedin would visit Bluff Harbour on March 24, and would remain until March 30.—1 t was decided to extend every facility to the visiting warship. The Chairman reported that as no further tenders had been received for the tug, he had instructed the secretary to cable Messrs Rennoldaon and Thomycroft, asking if they had forwarded tenders. He also reported that he had granted a free passage to and from Stewart Island for the Murihiku to take part in the contest for the Sanders Cup at Auckland. —The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The secretary and engineer reported on works carried out during the month of December, as follows: Dredging.—Up to the 9th the dredge was working on the Middle Bank, getting 11 loads, making 4460 tons of sand, which was deposited at sea. The new rollers were fitted to ladder. On the 10th the dredge was put in alongside wharf and cleaning and painting operations were carried out. Also repair work was carried out to the winches. Time dredging, 22 hours 45 minutes. Total time worked, 120 hours 45 minutes. Coal consumed 22 tons. Distance steamed 92 miles. Work is still proceeding with the boring and blasting of rock at the new wharf and good progress is being made. After the holidays the dredge will come in and lift the rock already blasted and remove the silt so that the diver can proceed with further boring. Half the wharf has now advanced to pier No. 70, there being only one more pier to be driven to complete the full length. Carpenters.—Were employed putting up a new hand rail on approach to main wharf, electric light boxes were repaired, four piles were driven for the Southland Cool Stores and repairs were carried out to Lobnitz and Priestman. Labourers. —Were engaged discharging timber, attending to diver and getting punts out of water. Reservoir.—Men were engaged clearing weeds from Board’s property. Owing to the long spell of dry weather the reservoir is getting very low, there being 15ft 4in on the gauge on December 31. Engineer’s Staff.—Forgings, bolts, etc., were carried out for the new wharf. The pile driving winch was repaired and adjusted. Repairs were carried out to electric drilling machines. Repairs to Priestman were completed and it is now ready to receive the boiler which should be delivered early in the year. Repairs were carried out to two winches on dredge and two chutes were repaired. A number of small iobs were attended to. Wharf and ships’ lights received attention.