HARBOUR BOARD

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6597, 9 May 1925, Page 8

HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING WQRK THE PERIOD The Thames Harbour Board met-.on Tuesday -evening, Mr , (chairman)' over an attendance of Messrs S. Laughlin,-E. Ed-, wards, F. W. Hetherington* E. N. Miller, J. Danby, A. A. Wagstaff, D. G. McMillan. Messrs Brown and Bruce were granted leave of absence. The secretary notified that the election of chairman would be necessary for this meeting, and also at the annual meeting to be held next month.

Mr Miller moved that Mr Coulter take the chair for this meeting. Mr McMillan seconded and the motion was carried unanimously.

The chairman* extended a hearty welcome .to themew-members, Messrs Hetherington and- '.'-Edwards. They were joining the Board 4t a very interesting time indeed, and he hoped they would have a most interesting term. The Board had pulled very well together during the past term, and he hoped .that the * new Board would work as-well. He said they all. regretted the loss of the old members who had done good service, and he moved the following resolution, which Mr Loughlin seconded: “That this Board sincerely regrets losing the services of Messrs D. Donaldson and S. A. Hetherington as members, and desires to place on record its keen appreciation of their wholehearted and loyal co-operation in the conduct of the Board’s affairs during, their term of office; more especially is the Board grateful on behalf of the community generally, who have been so well and faithfully served by these gentlemen during the past four years.” The chairman, stated he had tele-graphed-the Board’s sympathy with Mr Massey in his illness. ENGINEER’S REPORT The engineer’s report read as follows: -V' The present position of the harbour improvement works is that the wharf only is in progress of construction. Practically nothing has been done in regard to the other main features of the scheme. To proceed with these it has been necessary to await the arrival of, or some very definite news of, the dredging machinery. I have pleasure in reporting that the drawings of the plant by Gwynne’s, engineers, London, came t.o hahd on Tuesday last, having been forwarded through Messrs J. J. Niven and Co., Ltd., the Board’s contractors for supply. The fact that an alteration in the lay-out requires me to make a complete new set of drawings for the pontoon will make a slight delay in calling tenders for the construction of same. As soon as there is definite word of the machinery itself I recommend the following course of action: —

(1) Call for applications for the position of dredgemaster, from men with suction dredging and machinery installing experience. The dredgemaster to instal the plant. Failing a suitable man with the above experience, then the plant to be installed by arrangement with a' firm of engineers, the dredgemaster assisting. (2) Proceed with the rubble walls construction, both by carting and tramway in the earlier stages,- and by tramway later; in each case letting the work on contract, the locomotive to be in charge of an employee of the Board.

Railway Connection: The further particulars required by the Marine Engineer have been forwarded to the Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington, and a decision should be shortly available.

Burke Street Wharf: The construction work is now within thirty feet of the end, where a connection will be made with the present seaward structure before returning with the final half of the wharf.

The timber borrowed from the loan stock to facilitate Kopu wharf repairs has now been replaced by the West Australian timber, which arrived for Kopu. The additional timber for Kopu, which had to be purchased locally, has been put in loan stock. . Mr Danby asked if the consent of the Minister had been obtained regarding the top portion of the wharf for the railway siding. The engineer explained that new drawings and specifications had been forwarded.

Mr Miller asked how soon would a dredgemaster’s services be required.

Mr Adams said the dredge may arrive any time, and directly they had word applications would be called for.

Mr Miller moved and Mr Danby seconded that the engineer’s report be accepted.

Mr Wagstaff asked if the dredge-

master would be capable of erecting the plant. Mr Adams stated that it may be possible to got a man to do that work but if not, a firm of engineers could be employed to assemble the parts, the dredgemaster assisting.

The motion was carried. The engineer reported that the repairs to Kopu wharf,were nearly completed, as the new piles and timbers are in place, wanting only the iron work. The tramway has been re-laid on the longitudinal timbers and the worst of the' 1 hand-railing replaced with new. It, would be possible to continue repairs until a new structure eventuated. What had been done should hold the wharf for two or three years until the Board comes to a decision as to the future value of a new wharf in this locality. The report was adopted.