HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 281, 19 April 1913, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

MOXTI-ILY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was held yesterday, there being present: Messrs ,1. B. Connett (chairman) and Messrs Newton King, E. Dockrill, C'. K. Bellringer, C. A. Wilkinson, D. J. Hughes, J. Marx and E. Maxwell. The returning oflicer at Stratford formally notified the appointment of Mr. C. A. Wilkinson as a member of the Board. WARP CHARGES. The master of the schooner Bendixsen wrote with regard to the charge of 28s a day for warps and mooring lines, suggesting that it was excessive, and that in the case of vessels of the schooner's class a sliding scale should be established I and the rate reduced after the first week.

The secretary stated that the charges amounted to £37, which was more than the value of the moorings. The vessel had made a stay of three weeks. After some discussion, in which it was stated that the New Plymouth charges compared favorably with those at other ports, Mr. Wilkinson moved—"That the ; Board considers its total charges very reasonable, and regrets that no reduction can be made." The motion was carried. Messrs Maxwell, Wilkinson and the chairman were appointed a special committee to go into the question of port charges, with a view to their general re- ! vision". CONTROLLING THE PUBLIC ON THE WHARF. The harbormaster wrote asking that the public should he debarred from crowding on the wharf while steamers were berthing. The suggestion was approved, and it was decided to erect two notice boards warning the public from frequenting the wharves while steamers were berthing.

GENERAL. It was decided to hold the annual meeting on Wednesday, May 7. The question of the visit of the battleship New Zealand was held over till next meeting. Accounts amounting to £IOO4 were passed for payment. SHED ACCOMMODATION. The question of shed accommodation on the wharf for sorting purposes was discussed, Mr. Maxwell protesting emphatically that t,I)C whole question was due to the dilatoriness and arbitrariness of the Railway Department. 'Mr. Hughes moved that a committee, consisting of the chairman and Messrs I Maxwell, King and Wilkinson, be appointed to enquire into the whole question and report.—Seconded by Mr. Bellringer and carried. HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. . The superintendent of works reported as follows; i Dredge Paritutu.—The Paritutu dredg- ' ed with the buckets off the end of the 1 wharf on 10 days and removed 20 loads, '.equal to. 10,400 tons. Work was stopj ped for three days for the Easter lioli- ) days and four days through rough wea--1 ther, during which time 14 and {l2 links were changed. About another J month's dredging will be required in this {locality.

Thomas King.—The Thomas King has been on the gridiron for a fortnight for overhaul and Government inspection. Dredging was resumed on March 25, and for 14 days' work 11 loads (equal to 8880 tons) have been removed from the breakwater bank.

General.—The lengthening of the wharf is completed and the hands, are now engaged in tarring and sanding the whole of the deck surface, and at the same time cleaning out the interstices between the planks. A new housing lias been built over the water rains. The spare timber has been re-sorted. The centre of the yard lias been cleared and the-space used for the storage of gravel; 390 yards have been lifted from the Mikotahi inlet, and the total quantity to hand is 058 yards. The breakwater lighttower has been, connected with the borough electric system by means of cables in wrought-iron pipes cemented into the breakwater. The light is now ready for use. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. The-harbormaster reported that during the four weeks ending April 12 33 steamers of' an aggregate tonnage of 30,049 tons,'worked the port inwards and 33 steamers and one sailing vessel worked the port outwards. ' The imports amounted to 05.1(1 tons, of which 1315 tons of e«al' jiiid 20 tons of coke were for private use, and 101)2 tons of coal for the Railway Department. The ex-, ports of produce'and sundries amounted to 1223 tons, making, a total of 7739 tons handled. The weather being favorable on April 10 and 11, harbor soundings were taken, and a plan was enclosed showing the results. The harbormaster (Captain Waller) reported that the light to mark the breakwater had been installed, and, with the concurrence of the Marine Department, would he exhibited on June 1. Ihe light was an electric one, and erected on an iron stand 40ft above hi"hwater mark and 100 ft from the breakwater end, It was visible for five miles in clear weather on the following bearings from seaward:-From S.E."bv S. round by north and east to S.W. bv S.S. This will talce a vessel well clear of all danger off Moturoa. There was not less than 20 feet of water-at low-water ordinary spring tide one cable on the breakwater end,