HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 9288, 14 January 1892, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Harbonr Board was hold on Wednesday. Present : Messrs T. King (chairman), Shuttleworth, Corkill, Kyngdon, Bewley, Smith, Sarten, Gane, and Connett. Fencing Claim. — Mr J. F. Hooker again wrote with reference to an allowance ho shoull get for fencing at Moturoa. He objected to the overseer's valuation, and claimed £3 17s 6d for wire and nails. - —In andwer to Mr Gane, the secretary stated that the overseor valued the ' allowance due to Mr Hooker at £2 12a 6d. — Tho overseer's report was rea<l. — Tho Overseer Baid that his valuation of the wire • and nails used was correct — Tho Chairman : That settles it, then. ?' Complaint. — Under date Janudty 12, Mr J. F. Hooker wrote complaining to the Board about a portion of »■». report of the Board's last mooting which appeared in the Auckland Weekly -Kern. He stated that tho portion o£ *tho .report referred to was calculated to injure him aB a business mao . — The Chairman road the portion of tho newspaper report referred to. — Af ter some discussion it was decided on Mr Corkill's motion to inform Mr Hooker that the Board was not responsible for tho report. Contra Accunt. — A long discussion took place on Mr Hooker's coptra yiesount for wire, ' nails, and cab hire .-£lt^ wot' agreed that it was advisable to Battle the account a" soon as possible.— Mr* 'BlSWLEY stated that whoa the accounts wero being passed he would move to refer the account for wire and nails back, as it was not in accordance with the overseer's valuation, but finally it was agreed that it should bo left for the Secretary to Bettle with Mr . Hooker. . - ' iT Sand Grass. — Mr Wilcocks, of Patea, wrote asking if the Board would forward him a ton of sand grass in June. "-Mr Coxnett said that Mr W. J. Footo, -of Fitzroy, cultivated the grass, and hod sold a'gooddealof it. Tho Board might got liis price per ton and charge tho same. — Mr GoRKiLL said that the grass was .valuable. — Mr Smith said that £9 a ton , was got for the grass by Wanganui growers.-— The matter was finally referred to the „, Chairman to settle. ML .Eliot Reserve. — Mr James Nicoll wrote asking on what terms tho Board «v« v would lease a section of land fronting "• Brongham-strcet in Mt. Eliot reserve. — After discussion the Board decided to allow the question of letting the Mt. Eliot sections stand over for a month. - , Foreman's Report. — Tho foreman reported that tho dredge hnd lifted and, taken to sea 2450 cubic yards of sand ; that . slight damage had been done tothec^redgo, but it had been repaired ; that the heavy Boa on - Jannary 4 and 5, washed two top block of ' the section that was damaged in October last, and- ho was repairing railroad on tho bieakwater to enable the big crane to be taken down to repair tho section ; and that he was giving tho 3 ton cargo crane an overhauling.' " ' ' •.- ■ Diving Apparatus.— Hr W. Pinches, of Wanganui; enquired if the B6ard ! haff a^ diving- apparatus with dress for Bale'br? ! hire. — It was decided to inform applicant that the Board had not. ■ •-■ ■ " The Girders Question .—Mr Blow, Secretary for Public Works; w*rote under date December 22nd, in reply to tho Board's * letter to appoint valuators to value tho girders at tho breakwater. The UfaderSecretary stated that the Minister would be glad if the Board would appoint their valuator to act in conjunction with Mr E. f M. Smith, M.H R.^ the Government's ap-^, pointee..' Tho Minister thought that a 1 roughly approximate value would be sufficient, aa there was probably no doubt that , the work proposed to bo undertaken by tho Government as payment for the girdere, in the way of removing sand from the harbor, would considerably exceed the value ot the girders. When the valuation had heen made tbo Minister desired particulars pre-, yiously asked for, when the Minister would irform the Board aB to the person or local body to whom they should bo handed over. The writer added that the Minister nnderinkes (at his option) to cither pay for tho girders in cash, or by doing dredging work at the .harbor to at least an equivalent value. — The Chairman etated that he had appointed Mr Snowball to arbitrate for ihe Board, and that gentleman had met Mr Smith and valned the girders. — The roport of tho valuators put tho value of the six girders and two crossbeams down at £80. —^-^ The Chairman stated that ho would prefer the Government paying tho amount in cash, as suggested in the letter from the Minister of Public Works, as fur as ho poreonally was concerned. — Mr Smith said that Mr G. F. Robinson, who had all in for • ination about tho proposod Tikorangi bridge, for which the girders wero wanted, would forward all particulars required by tho Miuißtcr. — Tho discussion ceased. Accounts were passed, and tho Board adjourned.