HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1918, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.4 The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was held yesterday. There were present: Messrs Newton j\ingt (chairman), C. E. Bellringer, J. McClugga*e, C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., D. J Hughes, J. S. Connett,' C. McGuinness, and E. Maxwell. HARBOR-MASTER'S REPORT. The harbor-master (Caprtain William ■Waller) reported that IV vessels had visited the port, of an aggregate tonnage of 15,875 tons. The imports were 0189 tons and exports 902 tons, and 105 tons of Government coal was landed. The schooner Albert Meyer arrived from San Francisco on November 18. She discharged 928 ton 3 of benzine, oil, and timber. She sailed on the 9th inst. for Nukualofa-

SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. Dredging—The Paritutu dredged at the west side of the fairway on 18J days, the net time being 150 hours. She removed 53 loads with the sand-pump and eight with tho bucket, 25,400 tons of spoil being lifted. Owing to the illness of the diver, no dredging w«i done in other parts of the harbor. The dredge was laid up for seven days on account of the illness of the captain and for three days on account of bad weather and one and a-half days for the armistice celebrations. During those intervals the iron decks had been chipped and asphalted and repairs, effected to steam pipes and tumbler bearings,. General works had ineliuled repairs, to moorings broken by tho Port Alma and the usual wharf repairs, je-flooring the electric switch room, partial dismantling of quarry crane, and the removal of the boiler for repairs. " The Borough Council had been supplied with 405 cubic yards of gravel from Mikotahi. Two men have been engaged throughout the month in repairing rail lines-

THE EMPOWERING 'BILL. The chairman, in referring to the Empowering Bill, congratulated the board on the tact that it had now become law The thanks of the board was due to the Mon. O. Samuel, M.L.C., and to Messrs Wilkinson and Smith, M.'sP., for the valuable assistance they had rendered while the Bill was before Parliament. Later a poll would have to be taken which he hoped would be successful. Members would have to undertake ths work of addressing meetings in the various centres before the poll was taken. Although a comproriise had been effected in'regard to the rating area which had caused the cutting out of the Waimate Plains district, he did not regard that as in any way serious. The session of Parliament had been extremely short, and had contention arisen in connectio with the matter the whole Bill would have bee jeopardised. He was perfectly satisfied with what had been done, and the public generally was pleased with the success already attained. It meant a great deal not only to New Plymouth, but to, the whole of Taranaki. He moved, therefore: "That the board ratify tiie action of its delegates in' agreeing to the slight alteration in boundaries, and thus enabling the Bill to become law, and that Messrs Wilkinson, Bellringer, Connett, and Hughes be thanked for their invaluable services"

Mr. Maxwell seconded the motion, which was carried.

Mr. Bellringer, in replying, detailed the work done by the board members while in Wellington, and said the board should consider itself fortunate in having the measure passed into law during the closing day of the session. He spoke In terms of high appreciation of the services of members of Parliament and the Local Bills Committee.

'Mr, Hughes explained his position regarding the exclusion of the area he represented from the scope of the Bill. His property would escape liability; but he had done his best in the interests of the ratepayers in accepting the compromise, especially in dew of the fact that if there had been ro loan a rate would have to he struck. ,

Mr. Wilkinson, in returning thanks for the vote passed, assured the board that his services were always at the board'? disposal. He considered tlie interests-of Taranaki as a whole were bound up inseparably with the development of a port for ocean-going boats, and he would always work with that end in view, believing it to ibe in the best interests of the district.

The following resolution was then passed, on the motion of Messrs Bellringer and Maxwell"That the thanks of the board be tendered to the Hon. 0. Samuel and Messrs Wilkinson-and Smith, M.'sP., for their services in connection with the passage of the New Plymouth Harbor Board Empowering Bill."

"SOMETHING LIKE' A SHIFT." Really it was. I have always ; ssociated moving with real worry. Well, I was spared all possible trouble by the New Zealand Express Co. The men sent knew their business, you can take it from me, and that's half the battle; saves bumps, scratches, breakages; time, too. The wife was del;»hted at the fine work done. I realised as never before what a difference experts make.