TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1996, 18 January 1890, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board was held on Wednesday Present Messrs E. Acton (chairman), Morns, and Manchester, and Captains Woollconnbe and Sutter. Correspondence was read From Mr U. Todd, Napier, Marine -Snpenn'endent of the Colonial Union S.S. Company, asking for-a corrected plan'of tha uarbor, showing extent of North Mole and any increased depth of water at the deep loading berth and its approaches—information sent. From Mr John Darling, Glasgow, respecting the new tug, the construction of which was progressing slowly From Messrs Pal User and Jones, offari 3 cr to dnve 28 pUes for the head of the North Mole, tt« Board to provide all material and carruge for £l6O. -Offer accepted beam the Harbormaster, Dunedin, asking pneo of old coir rope, for making fender*, manila being no U 3,» _R eD iy sent that price would ba 10s per cwt On the motion of Captah, Sutter, the resolution passed by the Board, limiting the_ places and time for bathing, was escinded. "' The harbor-master reported the arrival of 24: steam and 7 sailing vessels, aggregating 9903 tons, and the departure of 24 I steam and § sailing vessels, total 9332 < tons, during December. The weather during that month was favorable. He also reported that on Jan. Jo:,h, on account of the roughness of the sea, he did not tlaink it prudent to allow the s.a. Hauroto to enter, and ordered her "to" proceed. The engineer reported that no tenders were received tor lifting the random blocks from the south side of tho breakwater. The extension of the slipway was laid and connected on to the original work. Since last meeting the Taniwha had dredged and discharged 1420 tons of spoil and 80 tons of rocks and boulders in 15 working days. The total amount of work esepiifed during the past year was 21,440 tons of spoil and 82$ tons of rocks and boulders, a very large propomon of which was removed from the main wlmf berth extension in extremely hard and ■ tony soil.

The Bank of New Zealand advised the transfer of £750, with interest, total £786 lis Id, from deposit to current *ccount.

It was stated jfchafc so far £BOQ had been collected for the harbor rate, from 1000 ratepayers. The wharfage return for the four weeks to December 7th was £485 4s 6d. The total income for 1889 was reported to be about £I3OO more than last vear • wharfage being about £IOOO more", the balance being from shipy ? "charges. Accounts amounting to £1446 14a 7d were passed for payment and tho board rose.

WATER-SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE FOR TEMUKA.

A public meeting waa hold lust Thursday evening in the Volunteer Hall, Teinuka, to consider the Town Board's proposal to borrow money for the purposes ?r a r . w " ,er - B "PP'y nnd drainage scheme. MriV. F. Gray, Chairman of the Town Board, pressed. The attendants was not large.

The chairman said h e regretted there were not moro present to consider so important n question. The ncn-attendance was possibly attributable to people being busy with the harvest, and to many being absent in Duuedin. Still he thought the meeting ought to have been larger. A few years ago this question had been brought prominently before the citizens of Temuka, and it was then thought that unless something was done for drainijg the town most of them would be in their graves before long. The town of Temuka was very flat, aud the water which people threw out on their back sections percolated through the soil down to the water, which was pumped up for drinking purposes, and u must be admitted thut that wis very dangerouH. Temuka kept pace with other places very well in most matters, but with regard to droiuagi it wis-behind hand. ■Lbe board had now a report on the subject from Me--srs Meaion and Marchant, and it had been published in the Tbmuka Lkader, No doubt they all saw it, and po f..r be had not heard of any opposition to it. The fact that thtre was no opposition to it -Bay b« taken as an explanation of so few being presanl that evening. The meeting had bean called to hava >-, talk over the matter, and they were there to answer any question which ratepayers might desire to ask. Messrs Meason and Marchant were also present to give any information which might be required, and all he regretted was that so few were present. (The chairman then read the report as published in this paper on the 16th November last). Mr Storey atked what rate of interest could the money be borrowed at? The chairman said he thought it sould be borrowed at about 5£ per cent, Mr Marchant: The County Council borrows at 7 per cent. Mr Preddy wanted to know how many hooseholdora % era in the district. The chairman cou'd not tell him, but ha might say there were as many as there wero within the town boundary. Mr Storey wished to koow if the owners of the few acres which would have to be bought could charge what tbey liked for land ; and what arrangements could be made with Mr McGaHum? The chairman said the land could be taken under the Public Works Act for valuation. No one could put a fancy price on it. Mr Story aeked whether that was within Ihe town. The chairman siidyes, and outsidt of it. Ihero was no diflhul'y in the way of the proposal. Mr Twouoay said that with regarl to the rate of interest it used to be 5 ;;pr o-nr Formerly, under " The Roads and bridges Construction Act " it was 9 per cent, and tlvit wiped out principal and interest in 15 years. This was altered by Sir Julius Vogel, so that local bodies might borrow at 6 per cent, which would wipe out tha principal in 25 years. Sir Hairy Atkinson had raiVd the percentage Hinoe, and if, ftßj Mr Marchant said, the County Council borrowed now at 7 par cent, that would be the amount they would have to pay. He h>.d calculated how it would affect himself, and he found that he would have to pay about as much again as he paid at present in rates, that was ; supposing he paid £1 now bo would have to pay another £1 for tha drainage and water scheme. He thought it was much batter to pay is in rates than p»y it in doctor's bills, and run the risk of having to pay an undertaker into the bargain. He at any rate would vote for the proposal.

Mr G.4Z9 asked wlut it would cost to get a supply that would give them power. Mr Marchant said he bad not gone into the question, but he felt sure it would bo more .expensive than the town could well afford. It was better to ci rry out the proposed schema, and at any future occasion the same course raigbt be utilised to get power if daemed neoassary.

Mr Qazt wished to know what provisions had been made to get assistanca from persons benefited by the water outside the Town District. Some of these people would derive great benefit from tha water, and he thought the echoine «hould be so formulated that they could be made to contribute something towards

Mr Marchant said the water would come along the pub'ic road, aisd if any of tha people in the neighborhood desired to get watsr they could b* given a cut in, and made pay for it.* If they did not pay the water could be taken « wa y from them the same thing had been doae by the iimaru Borough Council. The chairman said he had no doubt the iown Board would use its judgment in the matter. It was a matter of detail, and would doubtless be attended to. Mr Storey said some sections were valued too low altogether, and caused a great deal of dissatisfaction.

Mr Gray said the rates had been increased on the sections referred to as hieh as they could. h

Mr Twomey said the Town Board had not power to assess the rateable value of the eeetions ; that was done by the Property Tax Commissioner.

Mr Frauks would like to know something abput the levels, and whether it was absolutely necessary to go on private property (0 get the water, The plan was shown to Mr Franks, and a satisfactory explanation given bv Mr Marchant. J

Mr Palmer wanted to koow why water could not bo brought in by electricity ( Laughter j. J

The chairman said ha thought tht-e ■were swue- difficulties ,„ the war (Laughter;. J * Mr E. Loe said that although he was not living m Temuka now he still felt au interest in it. He had lost six children in six weeks through bad drains in Tetnuka, and it cost him £3OO besides Ibat would have paid his rates for 8 y er v long t.m 9; There were five syraotic diseases caused by swampy land and bad dr.myge, and if people continued throwing dirty water on their back sections they must expect to breed di ße « SBs . H e h*d a sad experience of it, and he warned the poor men of the town that this drainage -scheme vas more of their busings than of any one else. If a poor man lost his health he lost his capital and hia all

and he had nothing but charitable aid to fall back on. The rich man could look aflar himself, but the poor man could not if he lost his health. The scheme was therefore essentially a poor min's scheme. Ha belieyed the first law was sanitary law, arid it was proved when Loadon had been made one of the hea'thiost places in the world owing to its splendid system of drainage. The rata would be very small compared witb what it would cost them if they wanted a doctor. The doetor «ou'd only cooao twice for a sovereign, and then perhips they would have to p a y a nursp. Let them look at Melbourne and see. what they had to pay for hiving neglected sanitary laws. The best thing was to keep the disease away, and not to try and fight it when it came. Taking the principal block, the business block, in which the Bank of New Zealand, and all along there, stood, it was a disgrace to civilizition (hear, bear)—and the sooner something was done the belter. He would move " That this meeting approves of the waterFupply and drainage scheme, and authorises the Town Board to proceed with the necessary steps for giving effect to it."

Mr H. T. Clinch seconded the raotioD. Mr Vallender thought ss Mr Oaa was not a ratepayer of Temuka now it wonld be better for soma one else to move the resolution.

Mr Clinch said be would move it, and it was seconded by Mr Vallender.

The motion oh being put was carried unanimously amidst great applause. On the motion of Mr Coira a vote of thanks to the chairman was carried by acclamation.

On the suggestion of the chairman a vote of lhanka to Messrs Meaaon and Marchant was also carried, and the meeting terminated.