HARBOUR BOARD.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 6, 4 May 1912, Page 5

HARBOUR BOARD.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. The annual meeting of the Now Plymouth Harbour Hoard for the election of a chairman was held yesterday morning. The members present were the retiring chairman (Mr J. B. Connett) and Messrs E. Maxwell, Newton King, C. A. Wilkinson, E. Dockrill, W. Swadling and I). J. Hughes. in proposing Mr Connett as chairman for the ensuing year, Mr Wilkinson described him as the best man for the position, and one who had always pleased members of the Board. As there were no other nominations, that of the retiring chairman, which was

seconded by Mr Swadling, was put in the form of a motion and carried unanimously.

Returning thanks, Mr Connett expressed pleasure at this renewed expression of confidence oif the part of members. He briefly reviewed the operations of the past year, and remarked that he thought the Board ought to be congratulated upon the amount of satisfactory work carried out during that term. Through various unavoidable delays it had not done rjnite as much as was anticipated, hut everything was working satisfactorily, and ho hoped to push on the harbour improvement scheme during Ids ensuing term of office. Touching on the dredging operations ,the chairman recalled how originally the intention was to dredge 30ft. all along the wharf, hut subsequently, on the suggestion of the superintend; - !'!- ot

the shipping companies, it had been decided to increase this depth to 33ft. The additional 33ft. was very difficult to dredge, owing to the hard nature of the material excavated. He had no doubt, however, that the Board would carry out the work satisfactorily with the money in hand, even though it would take longer than anticipated. Local Government Gill. > A copy of the Local Government Pill was laid upon the table. In view of the vital changes it proposed to introduce, Mr Maxwell held that local bodies should have larger representation on the forthcoming conference to consider the questions involved. As it was, two representatives would have to represent a multitude of bodies, in the affairs of which they could not hope to he sufficiently well versed. He accordingly moved the following motion: “That while the Harbour Board recognises that it would be undesirable to expect that each individual local body should have representation at the proposed conference on the Local Government Bill, the Board considers it essential that each district should have separate representation, and that the proposed alteration would make the conference more thoroughly representative.” The motion was carried and the Board decided to forward copies, of it to the various local bodies in the Taranaki hospital district, for their endorsement. Harbourmasters Report. The Harbourmaster (Captain G. Holford) reported that during the two weeks ending Saturday, April 27, 15 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 15,094 tons, had worked the port inwards and outwards. The total imports for that period were 2537 tons of general merchandise, including 346 tons of coal. The exports, which comprised produce and sundries, amounted to 297 tons. Captain Holford also submitted another report, to the effect that the weather for the past ton days (prior to April 30) had been exceptionally bad. In con sequence a heavy sea had been thrown over the breakwater, causing a great quantity of sand to accumulate inside the wall. The had weather had prevented the small dredge from removing the accumulation. Owing to the prevalence of bad weather soundings had not been taken since last report, and ho anticipated a somewhat heavy shoaling in several places. Captain Holford also intimated that he was submitting a rough plan of berthage, which he hoped would meet with the members’ consideration after the extension of the wharf had been completed. Superintendent’s Report. In a report on the works for the two weeks ending Saturday, April 27, the superintendent of works (Air F. Henderson) mentioned that the Parity tu had dredged on seven days. The not time occupied was Gsi hours, the spoil removed amounting to 17 loads and equalling 6800 tons. The quarterly boiler cleaning on the dredge took up three days from April 22nd to 24th. Dredging was .resumed on April 25th, but after taking out two loads - the buckets slipped off the. bottom ; tumbler, and it took two days to disconnect and place them on the ladder. Tins accident, remarked the superintendent, was liable to occur whilst dredging amongst boulders, especially at high water, when the ladder jvas at a steep elevation. When the present work of re-bushing the connecting links was completed, the chain of buckets would be shortened by at least twelve inches, and would be less liable to slip off. ’The report continued that the Thomas King dredged on 8J- days, removing 62 loads of spoil, equal to 4960 tons. Three and a half days were lost through bad weather. In connection with wharf widening, the superintendent reported that the remaining three poles had been driven. The decking was now laid to pile 38, and other parts of the work wei’e well forward. General. The tender of Alessrs West and Sons was accepted for effecting certain improvements to the harbourmaster’s house. The superintendent of works was instructed to prepare plans and a full report on the suggested erection of a concrete parapet along the breakwater. When it is compiled the data will be forwarded to the engineer for his consideration.—‘News.”