BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD

Southland Times, Issue 20013, 29 October 1926, Page 10

BLUFF HARBOUR BOARD

MEETING OF BOARD. The monthly meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board was held in the Board Room, Invercargill, yesterday morning. Present Mr C. S. Longuet (chairman) Messrs Andrew Bain, J. Fleming, J. R. Hamilton, M.P., P. Reed, M. N. Hyndman, W. B. Dixon, A. H. Aitken, W. J. A. McGregor, G. R. George and the Hon. A. F. Hawke. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs R. A. Anderson and John Fraser. The Minister of Railways wrote with regard to the formation of an advisory board on railway matters.—Left to the chairman and secretary (R. A. Adams) to report to next meeting. The secretary reported on the business done at the meeting of local body representatives in connection with the Southland Provincial Court and it was decided without further discussion to leave the matter in the hands of the chairman and secretary 1 in the meantime. The financial statement for the nine months ending September 30, 1926, read as follows: Berthage dues, £5028 9/11; port charges, £3lOO 1/9; pilotage dues, £3971 8/6; towage dues, £233 10/-; total, ,£12,333 10/2; electric light, £565 19/6; water supply, £74 7/4; meter rents, £ll 15/5; wharfage dues, £12,915 5/2; pilotage exemption fees, £3l. Stewart Island service, passengers, £7OO 7/7; cargo, £3OO 0/1; mail subsidy. £252 16/-, total, £1313 3/8. Hire of launch, £3 10/-; licenses to boats, £1; rents, £3Bl 7/1; rents oysterbeds, £2O; hire of diving gear, £2 10/-; sale of material, £77 14/1; interest, £906 4/7; refunds, £3B 18/9; total, £1431 4/6. Grand total, £29,349 2/5. This showed a decrease of £1692 10/7 for the same term last year. The Harbour Master (Captain S. A. Lindsay) reported as follows on shipping for the month:—lnward, six overseas vessels 28,964 tons, four inter-colonial vessels 9386 tons, 27 coastal vessels 5684 tons. Total

37 vessels 44,034 tons. Outward: four overseas vessels 17,001 tons, five inter-colonial vessels 12,105 tons, 28 coastal vessels 7028 tons. Total 37 vessels, 36,134 tons. Compared with the corresponding period last year there was an increase inward of 25,630 tons and an increase outward of 16,794 tons. The total inward tonnage for the nine months was as follows: January 20,825 tons, February 44,594 tons, March 35.169 tons, April 29,791 tons, May 25,112 tons June 30,607 tons, July 38,325 tons, August 30,135 tons and September 44,034 toivs. Total 298,592 tons as compared with 310,791 tons for the same period ending September 30. THE DOG ISLAND ROCK. The secretary of the Marine Department, Mr G. C. Godfrey, forwarded the following report in regard to the reported sunken rock off Dog Island. Captain J. Bollons, of the Government steamer Tutanekai, reports having on September 10, 1926, exhaustively searched for the sunken rock reported by Wellington notice to mariners No. 40 of May 11, 1925, to exist at an estimated distance of about one mile southward of Dog Island. Captain Bollons reports the search was carried out under conditions of sea which would have shown distinctly any shoal carrying up to 7 fathoms of water; that the bottom in the locality in which the rock was reported to exist is clear and has a uniform depth of 14 fathoms at low water and that the reported shoal does not exist. Captain Bollons supplies the following information for the use of vessels when nearing Dog Island:—By keeping Whale Point (south-west point) open off lookout point (of Bluff Hill) Dog Island will be passed at a distance of at least one mile in a depth of from 13 to 14 fathoms of water. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENTS. When the question of harbour improvements was raised Mr Bain said the cranes for the new wharf should be procured as soon as possible. The Hon. Mr Hawke: We have got present work on the new wharf to complete. It will have to be a deep water berth. After that we will have to improve the fairway. I think it would be best to do nothing until we have completed the work in hand. We can get on to the fairway when that Is finished. It will be possible to do without rails on the new wharf and use motor trollies similar to those on the Wellington wharf. They will be quite suitable for taking cheese and frozen meat from the stores and this method of cartage would ease the traffic on the old wharf. Mr McGregor: The delay at present is caused in getting the trucks onto and off the wharves. If the trucks were handled more expeditiously I think it would assist. If the new wharf is flush decked either motors or trucks could be used. The chairman: We need the trucks on the new wharf for handling incoming cargo. Mr Hawke: The goods should be sorted at Bluff instead of at Invercargill where an exorbitant price is charged. Mr Hamilton: Who is going to say that the vessels can berth at the new wharf? Mr Dixon: It’s much easier to get in to the wharf than it is to get out again. Mr Hamilton: Then what is the use of the wharf if the vessels can’t berth there? I think we should have some report on the whole question. Mr Dixon: I cannot see how the vessels can get in. There is more than dredging to be done before they can. I would like to see the shipping men themselves consulted before we do anything further. If the crane is to go anywhere it should be on the main wharf which at present cannot carry it. The new wharf is quite suitable for smaller vessels but the larger overseas boats will not use it for many years. Mr Hamilton: If that opinion is held it is all the more necessary to secure a report ,on the new wharf and the entrance. I will i move that the harbour master report along , these lines. The chairman: We will have to strengthen and widen the main wharf be- . fore we can put facilities on it. The motion was then put to the meet- ; ing and carried, it being decided to go into i the matter fully at the next monthly [ meeting to be held at Bluff.