HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 242, 18 February 1911, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of tlie Board held yesterday was attended by the following: Messrs J. B. Connet (chairman), Newton King, J. McCluggage, E. Maxwell. E. Dockrill, \V. T. Wells, D. Hughes and R. Price. THE PARITUTU. Messrs. Fleming and Ferguson, Ltd., Paisley, wrote acknowledging order for ten new buckets for the dredge. The price delivered at Wellington, exclusive of duty, would be £25 each. THE THOMAS KING. The secretary to the Patea Harbor Hoard wrote asking if the Board would be willing if found suitable to hire the dredge, Thomas King, for a time with a staff to work it; and also enquiring as to the capacity and draft, and if it could readily steam down to Patea port. The Board could not spare the dredgn at present as it would seriously hamper operations, and it was resolved to reply expressing regret at their inability to agree to the proposal. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT.

The harbormaster (Captain Newton) reported that during the five weeks ending 11th hist. 31 steamers had worked the port inwards and outwards of the aggregate tonnage of. 28,321 tons'. The total imports amounted to 4213 tons, of which 770 tons were coal, 160 tons for the railway and 010 tons for private use. The exports for the same period amounted to 1647 tons of produce. The greater portion of the approach to the harbor had been searched for unknown dangers to a depth of 30 feet at low water spring tide on the line of the suggested alteration to beacons, and so far as they had done was clear. Owing to the smoke of late, they had had to suspend further work till there had been rain, which would clear the atmosphere, ,^,^3* SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. Mr. F. Henderson, superintendent oi works reported as follows: Paritutu.—l beg to report that the Paritutu dredged with the buckets alongside the .wharf on 21 days, time 204 hours, and removed 34 loads; equal to 13,000 tons, and 89 large boulden. During the month the 33 feet cut has been advanced 170 feet and the 21 feet and 16 feet each 40 feet. The present position of the dredging is that from the end of the wharf inshore to pile 21 a length of 500 feet by a width of 130 feet has been dredged to 21 feet. From the end of the wharf to pile 33 over the same ground a length of 200 feet by a width of 90 feet has been further deepened to 33 feet, and from pile 21 inshore to pile 10 a length of 220 feet I by a width of 100 feet has been dredged to a depth of 10 feet. Details of dredging for the month are as follows:—At the outer berth (33 feet dredging) on 15 days, removing 24 loads, average dredging time 3 hours and 41 minutes. At mid-wharf (21 feet d'-edgmg) on three days removing 7 load?, aveiage loading time 3 hours 3 minuter At the inshore berth (10 feet dredging) on three days, removing tiir.'e loads, "kvtrage loading time 7 ho;irs 4D ln.'ni tc-s. The dredge was stopped for one (lay for repairs to a steam pipe, for anetlcr day in changing six. of tin bucktts, and for part of a day in coiling. Thomas King'.— The Thomas King dredged on 22 days, time 270 hours, end removed 200 loads of S'ind, c"ual to 10,00 tons, of which 1360 tons were taken from the inshore berth, where useful work has Irjjn done by this dredge in removing Mie surface sand and exposing the bouUbrs 50 t!>at iully 1000 tons, of which 1300 tons were pulled up to the wharf by the crane. The subsequent bUscing has proved ve/y effective, so the Paritutu is now loading more easily and more quickly at the inshore berth.

| Wharf Wideulnr—Tae detp Lcith dredging is low sufficiently advanced, but further loasiivato.-i .-light to be given to tlw quesuon of how the warning from the outer end is goicg tc iflect the carrying out of rhe' u,nc, Ihe accommodation 01 tii'. ji:i,)>n" «n.l itc working of <he <i'edgo. As t oon us riledriving is began the:; will be- * jjiojection of 20 feet of loose piling, which will interfere greatly with the, dredge in leaving ami approaching the wharf particularly during easterly weather, and that to accommodate shipping the middle berth of the wharf will be so frequently required, that serious delay will be caused to the dredging. I am confident that the present method of dealing with the inshore dredging will be successful; that is, by pumping off the sand, removing the surface boulders, and then blasting. The dredging will then be very similar to other parts alongside the wharf. By starting from the shore end every 250 feet piled will give a berth which could be safely used by shipping, and easily approached by the railway, while the outer berth could be left open to the east. I beg to suggest starting pile-driving at once ac piles one or two (as per accompanying plan), and working shorewartla to fill in the V piece adjoining the breakwater; by the time this is completed the dredge 'will probably have worked in to this point, and then the widening can be carried outwards without interruption. Resolved, on ihe motion of the chairman, that the superintendent be instructed to proceed with work recommended, and that the commencement of wharf widening be postponed for another month. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1289 12s 7d were passed for payment.