NELSON HARBOUR BOARD.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13745, 7 April 1915, Page 3

NELSON HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

. Tho monthly meeting of. the Nelßon Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon. Present: Messrs. H. R. Duncan (chairman), A. P. Allport, W. W. Snodgrass, G. Bishop, G. Macmahon, and T. Bell. , Captain Macnab was excused from attendance. FINANCE. The bank, pass book showed the following balances:—Cr.: General account, £847 Os 8d; fixed deposit, £1500. Receipts for month of March, £409 10s 9d (March, 1914, £437 12s 9d); since Ist April, £4011 8s 6d, as against £4518 14s 3d for corresponding period last year; monthly avarage, £334 5s Bd, as against £376 11s 2d. Payments amounting to £180 18s 4d were authorised. CORRESPONDENCE. - Mr. Pepperell, stationmaster, Nelson, in replying to the Board's letter, said h&> had been to look at the cattle yards at the wharf and had also made ■ inquiries, and so far as he could gather it would appear that they were ample for present requirements. It was resolved that a deputation, consisting of the chairman, Messrs. Bell and Macmahon, wait upon the stationmaster in connection with this matter. ,'•■'•

• The Engineer, Wellington Harbour" Board, wrote to the effect that his board would favourably consider the question of hiring the dredge to the Nelson Board.—lt was resolved to thank the Engineer for his letter, and point out that the Board was not doing anything at present, pending the result of the poll on the loan proposals. Mr. F. A. Thompson, Commissioner of Crown Lands, wrote that he was not aware of any considerable quantity of Crown land in the neighbourhood of the Dun Mountain the exploitation of .which would in any material degree assist commercially ' the Nelson' district.

It was resolved to write to the Com•mssioner of Crown Lands, Marlborough, on the subject, and that on the receipt of the reply a deputation, consisting of the chairman, Messrs. Snodgrass and Bishop, wait upon the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Nelson.

The secretary of the Nelson Yacht Club (Mr. J. Glasgow) asked permission to erect bottom section of stepa at their sheds in concrete. —Resolved to inform the writer that the Board had no jurisdiction, as the foreshore was under the control of the Railway Department. HARBOURMASTER'S REPORT. The Harbourmaster (Captain Collins) reported as follows for the month:— The trade of the port for the month ending 31st March has been well maintained for this period of the season.j During the month 162 vessels entered and left the port, including one oceangoing steamer and one intercolonial

sailing vessel, viz.,. 25 Union Steam j Ship Company's steamers, 110 small steamers, and 27 sailing vessels, having a total of 30,990 tons register. On Fnday last, April 2nd, at about 8 a.m., during a nor'-west gale and heavy sea, the whole of the piling marking the north side of the new entrance was carried away into the channel by the heavy sea that was runniug in the bay. All the woodwork was secured and taken to a place of safety fct the back of the Government wharf. As it will be necessary to have something to mark the north side of the entrance at high Water, I would respectifully suggest that six or eight piles be driven and securely tied with railway, iron, so as to give the piles more resisting power against the heavy seas that sometimes sweep across the bank j during heavy westerly weather. I have j also to report that the mole from the] gauge beacons 1o the wharf is con-; tinually subsiding into the channel, leaving exposed for a depth of three, to four feet the shingle .that was de-! posited at the back of the large stone. J At least some 300 or 400 tons of Astrolabe stone will be required to' build the mole up to its proper height, j All routine duties have "been regularly attended to.

Replying to Mr. Bell, the Harbourmaster said that the subsidence of the mole was due to the scour.

On the motion of Mr. Belt, seconded by Mr. Bishop, it was resolved that the town committee make arrangements to hire a scow for the conveyance of stone for repairs to the mole.

It was resolved on Mr. Allport's motion that the Harbourmaster be authorised to erect posts to replace the fence washed away on the north side of the mole.

The chairman stated that there was a certain amount of silting taking place inside the harbotv, which sooner or later would require to be removed. The depth outside the harbour had increased. Nothing required to be done immediately. , On Mr. Snodgrass's motion it was resolved that the Harbourmaster take soundings of the harbour before next" jjmeeting.-..' ■■'■• -•' ; I The Board rose at 3j).m.