BLUFF HARBOUR

Southland Times, Issue 20667, 24 April 1929, Page 10

BLUFF HARBOUR

meeting of board.

YEAR’S WORK CONCLUDED.

The last meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board, as it is at present constituted, was held at Bluff yesterday. Present: Mr A. H. Aitken (chairman), Messrs R. A. Anderson, J. R. Hamilton, C. S. Longuet, W. A. Ott, G. Wraytt, M. N. Hyndman, W. B. Dixou, W. J. A. McGregor, Peter Reid, E. Bowmar and W. Hinchey. The secretary of the Southland League, Mr J. S. Dick, made application for the board’s donation to the league for the year. —Usual grant of £2OO made. A pilotage exemption certificate was granted to Mr B. F. Fisher, mate of the s.s. Opihi, on the recommendation of the harbourmaster. Mr J. E. Hancox, mate of the s.s. Calm, was also granted exemption. Captain L. V. Wells, of the H.M.S. Diomede, wrote conveying his sincere appreciation of the courtesies shown by the Harbour Board during the visit to Bluff—Received.

The harbourmaster (Captain G. N. Lindsay) reported that the new lighted buoy marking the foul ground off Sterling Point had been placed in position. The light showed 40 red flashes per minute and was working very effectively. It was proving of great assistance to the navigation of the port at night, especially to outgoing vessels.—Adopted. The comparative statement of accounts showed that receipts for March amounted to £3373 18/3 as against £6672 6/2 for the same period last year. The drop was accounted for from the fact that £l4lO 2/was received from the wreck of the whaling steamer C. A. Larsen following on the disaster at Paterson Inlet. Bank balances as at April 22 stood at a credit of £785 2/- at Invercargill and at £1751 19/11 at Bluff, a total of £2537 1/11. The harbourmaster reported as under on the shipping at the port for the month of March: —Arrivals: 4 overseas steamers of 17,423 tons, 4 intercolonial steamers of 9344 tons, 40 coastal steamers of 9899 tons; total, 48 steamers of 36,666 tons. Also H.M.S. Diomede of 3815 tons, making a total of 49 vessels of 40,481 tons. Departures : 5 overseas steamers of 24,479 tons, 3 intercolonial steamers of 7485 tons, 41 coastal steamers of 10,895 tons. Also H.M.S. Diomede of 3815 tons, a total of 50 vessels of 46,674 tons, being a decrease inward of 31 vessels and 15,825 tons, and outward of 26 vessels and an increase of 2621 tons, compared with the figures for March, 1928. The prevalence of timber and coal strikes in Australia accounts for the decline of the intercolonial figures. Two Canadian steamers arrived during the month. The Shaw Savill liner Zealandic arrived on March 5, direct from Falmouth. Her steaming time was 31 days 8 hours, and she averaged 15.17 knots. The T.M.V. Southland made 12 trips to Stewart Island during the month. The s.s. Theresa Ward arrived back at headquarters on March 22 after overhaul at Port Chalmers. Captain 11. Falconer, newly-appointed second pilot, took up his duties on March 29.

Accounts amounting to £3OBl 11/3 were passed for payment.

An Appointment.

The chairman stated that another appointment as Government nominee had been announced, and this would be the last meeting attended by Mr J. R. Hamilton in that capacity. He moved that the board record its appreciation of the valuable service rendered by Mr Hamilton during his term as a member of the board. The Stewart Island community in particular should be grateful to him for the assiduous manner in which be had looked after their interests. The motion was seconded by Mr McGregor. Mr Hamilton said that he would like to thank the members of the board for their eulogistic references to his work as a member of the board. He was sorry that this was to be his last meeting, but he was not disappointed as “a straw shows in which direction the current is flowing.” It had been a great pleasure to be a member of the board. The business was important and it seemed to take some years before matters could be thoroughly understood. After six years he had begun to feel he knew a little about it. There was a feeling abroad at Bluff that it should supply most of the members, but the producers were the people who kept the port open, in fact they shipped about 90 per cent, of the exports. Yet the producers had but a small representation on the board and he thought they should have a fair share. However, he felt that the affairs of the port could safely be left in their hands and he was satisfied they would be dealt with in a fair manner and that everyone would get a fair deal. His connection with the board had been most pleasurable and he thanked them all.