NELSON HARBOUR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13381, 2 April 1912, Page 2

NELSON HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the- Nelson Harbour Board was hold yesterday. Present-:- Messrs. G. Macmahan (chairman), E. E. Trask, W. N. Franklyn, P. Host, W. Lock, H. It. Duncan, W. Coloman, and Captain Macnab. Mr. J. C. Merce-r was excused from attendance. FINANCE. Tho bank pass book showed tho following balances : —Cr.: General account, £8(34 13s Id; dr., loan, account, £729 8s Id;, bunk balance, £135 ss. .Receipts:, Pilotage, £4-81 0s Bd, as against £510 19s sd; since- Anril Ist, £5067 ss, as against £5049 "is 7d; monthly average, £422 5s sd, as against £420 15s 2d. Accounts amounting to £245 5s wore passed for payment. COBItESPONDENCE. Mr. W. Langlands, Gisborne, wrote with reference' to tho new tug.—lleceived: Mr. A. Everett, on bohalf of tho trustees of the- late E. Everett, wrote offering the site nojv occupied by a beacon at £4 per foot. —The offer was declined, as there ■is a probability of the beacon being removed. The Oamaru Harbour Board wrote asking for information as to the duties etc., of tho Harbourmaster a£ Nelson. —Resolved that the same be supplied. Mr. E. V. Johnson wrote asking for the loan of the Board's punts.—Resolved that the punts bo offered for hire at £1 per week each. Mr. J. Taylor wrote expressing his intention of waiting upon the Board to. explain his canal scheme for the improvement of Nelson harbour. •

Mr. Duncan said he did not think the Board should entertain aivy now scheme at the present. The Board was acting upon tho advice of tho Engineor-in-Cliief' in regard to further improvements, which was as much as they could consider. He moved that the letter bo received. Mr. Lock said the'improvements contemplated by the Board would be sufficient for the next ten years, It would be unwiso to.entertain another scheme at tho, present time, because* there was no necessity for it. He seconded the motion, which was carried CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. Tho Chairman reported that Captain Macnab and himself, who had been appointed a committee to consider tho matter, had decided that it would be nnwise to deposit any furthor spoil from dredging in the harbour. Ho also reported that Mr. Lock, Captain Collins, and himself, together with Mr. Best and Mr. James Hunt (Mayor of Richmond), waited upon the Minister for Railways in Wellington in reference to dredging the berthage accommodation at the wharf. Tho Minister "soomed to think that tho request was a reasonable one, and promised to leave a memo.' for his successor recommending him to attand to tho matter. The Minister again suggested that the Board should 'purchase the wharves, the price being 3A per cent, capitalised. Mr. Lock pointed out that if the Board purchased the wharves, the railway lares and freights would have to bo increased to meet the loss of revenue, because the railway without the wharves only paid 1£ per cent. Mr. Lock thought, however, that the Board should take over the wharves. Mr. Duncan said that if the volnmo .-:[' business increased tho fares and i'lviglits. would be reduced. '''!?:■> Ch:•.;•.• man did not see tho sonso of ira'd^g' it ;:pj/oar that the railway was paying, whon it was only paying at tho expense of tho wharf. Mr. Dtr.H.in said that .the most satisf::cli)vv v.-;:v for the Board to" purchase th:> ■■'.!;■•;." would be to pay tho Govern-nv.'-sit i:lores':, on tho capital amount. Tv woul:! r-re having to raise a loan for ;-::, s pi'rposo. Mr. M::!n;:!> said the Board should asec:-■•■-.i:i what tho revenue from tho \vlt;-rv<>.'; ;r.!HVunted to, and how much it vu>i to run. them. Mr. Duncan said if the railway only paid li per cent, the wharves must be making a profit of two per cent, if the section was paying 3k per cent. Mr. Franklyn agreed that the Board should ascertain what the department valued the wharves at. He hoped with a change of Ministers the Board wo\ild not lose sight of the fact that the department, morally, owed the Board £1400 for dredging done at the wharf. Mr. Lock said the Minister informed the deputation that he was not going to pay for work done without authority, work which was for the Board's own benefit. Mr. Duncan moved that a letter be sent to the Minister for Railways, asking him if the department will sell the wharves, and at what price, also reminding him of the promise- madti by tho late Minister in regard to the dredging at the wharf. Mr. Colomaiv seconded the motion, which was carried. HARBOURMASTER'S REPORT. The- Harbourmaster (Captain Collins) reported that 162 vessels entered and left tho port during the month (including one ocean going steamer), made up as follows: —36 Union Steam Ship Company's steamers, 89 small steamers, and 36 sailing vessels, with a total of 36,003 tons register.—Adopted. DREDGEMASTER'S REPORT. Tho Dredgemaster (Mr. J. Mcllarg) reported that during tho month ending 31st March four new wire- ropes had been put on to tho winches of the 4 dredge to replace the' old wire <ropes carried away by the southerly sale on March 3rd. On 11th March the dredge was towed from the wharf to moorings at Ha-ulashore Island with the newtug boat (Jrordon. The tug boat, although not trimmed for to win g, towed better and had more command of the dredge, also .excelled in; quick manoeuvring over the old Gordon., and was much more suited for the work required of it.—Adopted. NOTICES OF MOTION. In accordance with notice given Captain Macnab moved that the services of the dredging staff bo dispensed with, and that the Board place on re- | cord its high appreciation of the good ! and faithful service rendered by the Dredgemaster (Mr. J. McHarg)" during the past 8i years. Captain Macnab said that the reason he moved the motion was that the dredge was about to be. laid up,- and there would be no further use for the services of a dredgemaster. Mr. Lock seconded the motion, which was carried, t On the motion "of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Franklyn. tho day of meeting was altered from 10 a.m. on the first—Monday in the month until 2 ! p.m. on the first Tuesday in the month. The Board rose ?.t 11.45 a.m.