NELSON HARBOR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume XLVI, Issue 10708, 4 May 1903, Page 3

NELSON HARBOR BOARD.

- s The monthly meeting of the Harbo J ' Board was held on Saturday after 10 • noon last. Present— Mr J. Graham ■ c . M.H.R. (chairman), Messrs Finney , c Talbot, G, Field, Franklyn, Webster • Hauby, P. Best, R. McKenize c M.H.R., and Hon. F. Trask. ' The minutes of the previous meet 1 ing were read and confirmed. . The Chairman reported that vvhih s in Wellington he made enquiries ai s the Marine Department as to whai r rule had been followed with regard tc boatmen's holidays, and he learned " that there was no rule, but for the 1 last few years there had been s 3 custom of giving a week's annua] I holiday, with pay, and the men were permitted to take a furthei 9 , period if desired, they to provide their own substitutes. In excep- \ tional cases of long service, men in isolated parts a fortnight on full pay I was given. In the case of the Nelfc son boatmen, in 1898 the Department ? refused an application for an annual } holiday, but replied that any special application would receive consideration. . After some consideration it was unanimously decided that one week's I pay be granted the men, and that I they be permitted to take a further 5 seven days on providing satisfactory ; substitutes. (The Board had already decided that the men should have holidays at times convenient to the Pilot. ) The Chairman reported that there was a credit balance on current account of £4,201 5s lOd, which in- • eluded £1,000 of debentures taken up by the public. There was also £5,545 - on fixed deposit. The receipts for 5 the month of April for harbor dues ! amounted to £173 Is lid. ' A number of applications for em- • ployment were ordered to be filed for reference. The Marine Department advised ' with regard to the letter from the Acetylene Gas Cmpany, that it was not intended to make any alteration with regard to the lighting of the coast between Nelson and Picton. The Marine Department advised i that £131 5s 9d, balance of subsidy for the year ending 31st March, would be placed to the Board's credit. — Resolved to place this amount on fixed deposit. Resolved, that the Chairman and Secretary supply official information for the nautical Almanac for 1903. The Marine Department advised that the Commissioner of Crown Lands had been instructed to proceed by summons for the arrears of rent for foreshore leases, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote asking the Board to pass a resolution giving him authority to sue. A long discussion followed, Mr McKenzie contending that the Board had no power to instruct the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who could proceed on the authority given by the Marine Department. The Chairman explained that of £65 of arrears about £55 was to come to the Board, and awaiting the collection of this amount the Board was kept out of about £700 rents and subsidy. Eventually it was resolved to give the Commissioner of Lands an authority to sue, together with an intimation that the Board was prepared to accept £40 as its share of the amount due by Mr Lukins. Messrs McKenzie and Best voted "no" on a division. It was explained that Mr Lukins believed that he was entitled to a rebate on his lease for certain years, which led to the arrears being as large as stated. It was resolved to have the platform from the Lighthouse to the signal staff repaired. The Chairman stated that the seven-ton cranes had arrived. Mr Leslie Reynolds reported that he had inspected the cranes, as far as possible, Without wholly unpacking, and found that they had evidently ' been under steam. The workmanship was first-class, and he would not recommend setting up a crane simply for the purpose of testing (the cost would be £15), and the name of the makers, Messrs Stoddart and Pitt, was sufficient guarantee. The Engineer stated that he had arranged with Messrs Ritchie and Co. to place chafing straps on the barges, at a cost of £9 17s. Mr Leslie Reynolds also wrote on the subject of the tug Gordon, this being in reply to the Board's resolution of the previous meeting, and denied that he had recommended the purchase of the tug Gordon. A letter written by Mr Reynolds on October 24th last, in which he expressed the opinion that the Gordon was capable, as she then was to_ do the tug work required in connection with the barges, but in order to offer less surface to the wind in rough weather, he could recommend the substitution of open work for the close boarded bulwarks. Mr Reynolds, who was at the Port, was then asked to meet the Board, and did so. The Board then went into Committee, and had a long interview with Mr Reynolds. It was resolved to grant Mes3rs J. McGregor and Co. extension of time to the 31st. May on the dredge contract. Mr. Reynolds said that Mr McGregor waa making a very fine job of the dredge, he also expressed the opinion that the harbor works could be completed within about sixteen months from the present time. Resolved to ask the Engineer-in - Chief to consent to a modification of the line of proposed wall inside the harbor to the south of the cut. (The Engineer-in-Chief advised the line as represented on Mr Reynolds' plan to be somewhat straightened, but Mr Reynolds finds that this will circumscribe the area available for the reception of dredge spoil in cutting through the bank. The matter is one of detail only, but the consent of the Engineer-in-Chief is necessary to tte smallest deviation from the plan approved. ) Resolved, that the'Engineer arrange to have a trial made of the tug Gordon with loaded barges as nearly as possible to what would be required of the vessel in actual work. (This course was recommended by Mr Reynolds. ) Accounts were passed for payment on general account amounting to £49 2s 6d; on loan account, etc. (contracts, etc.) £1182 11s Id;, and on contractors' deposits £2. Total, £1284 lls Id. The question of appointing a foreman of works, and of dealing with tenders for the construction of landing stages on Boulder Bank were deferred, and it was resolved to hold a special meeting of the Board on Wednesday next, at one o'clock. The Board rose at 6.15 p.m.