HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11719, 20 July 1901, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

((Jditinuedfromycttmbm.') Th i B >ard resumed at z o'clock. ' 'j ua Town Clerk of Stratford fof^ warde \ a resolution passed "by the Borough Council, asking the Railway Department to establish a daUyjseryieo between Wellington and New Plymouth, and asking the Board to co-.operate.~At the Government had, decided on a daily service,. no action waif taken on the resolution T^V-CUairman broaghfc up ! the question ofnaying some iidur fixed for berthing steamer*. Captain Hood said . that After the steamer . left at night for the North the men cleared tip/and did not finish the work till 11 o'clock. The. 'msn were then required to get 1ml; of bed at 2 o'clock sometimes to attend to' incoming steamers. ' It was decided no vessel be berthed before 6 turn.; The New' Zealand Mines Department forwarded analysis of waters sent down by the Harbour Board.. i The report concluded : " The waters may be Classed a* rery giod for boiler put poses, and of fair quality when considered -as potable waters." The Chairman thought the report was excellent.. Mr Hlgnett: How mubh did the repoit cost ? Mr Rennell: £3 3s. It was decided to forward a copy of the report to the Union and Northern S.S. Companies. Mr Marchant, writing from Timaru on ' July 15, with reference to damage to the sand pump, said there was no particular amount of work involved in unbolting i the front of the pump and renewing the. ring, which had been worn out. He> also asked that he should have a fortnight's adyica of Mr Napier Bell's proposed visit. In conclusion Mr Marchant referred to the windmill *snt up by Messrs Reid & Gray, which was not according to his instructions. — He forwarded a copy of a letter he had sent to Messrs Reid ' & Gray. — The Chairman said that Mr Marchant's action had had a. beneficial effect, as the plant had cameto hand, and appeared to be, alright now. " A resjlution'was passed that Mr Napier Bell ba written to asking him to make his own arrangements about meeting Mr Marchant to consult. "* ~'-~ The Chairman, referred to the question of the RailwaMpepartment not taking away RUihVicnt earth from Mount Eliot - reserve. The Department agreed to tike so much earth if they were allowed so . mnoh st me from the quarries. Mr Ward: . Where would ,ihe Department take the earth rom now?— The Chairman : Fiota the reserve on the other side of the street. —Mr Connett also sf&jfe&on the matter. . It was decided, in viewmpjche large quantity of stone taken by "(he Department, " that the Department, be asked .to shift the earth on the fbth^r 'side of the reserve. 1 Mr Connett pointed out that a vrall tint fronted the reclaimed land at the: end of Currie streot ;was beings covered oyer with eirth, which be considered ay pity. He hoped the Board would takeup the wall and sell the stone. The> Chairman: Have we any power? Mr Connett: Yes; the- Board put the wall there. Mr Connett continued that th<* wall was put there during the Hon. T. Kelly's chairmanship of the Board, »n«t at tho time t' ere was a protest againstr spending the Hirb >ur Board moneys in that w: y. Mr Rennell, the ftccretary, * said the *all coat £1997. Tbe Chairman and ft] r Connett were appointed to enquire < into thematter, and see if the wall could . be disposed ot. " '"^ "'" The Chairman gave an explanation a» to an inteir jw he had with t^e ValuerGeneral in r sard to the Valuation Dv porlment's caargaof . L 323 8s for revising >h> Bourd's rolls. The Ohaivmaa

' said he got dear details of what the charge was for. He now recommended the Board to offer the Department £86 in full satiation of the claim. After some discussion the Chairman's recom- 1 mendsftion was adopted. It was decided to ensure the employees with che New Zealand Accident Office. ' The By-law Revision Cotiimittee was granted time till next meeting to bring down their report. . The Board decided to instruct thensolicitor to take action against Mr Kyugdon for removing stone off the beacbr without permission and against the resolution of the Board. The question of an application by the Kailway Department asking the Board to put strengthening beams under the wharf was brought' up, having been deferred from last meeting. Ihe Board decided that there ,was no reason for the Board to alter their previous decision in the, matter. Mr Sarten was the only one who voted against the motion. • ■ Accounts amounting to L 492 Os od, were passed for payment. . ■ • a Mr garten, pursuant to notice of motion, moved, That .» shelter, house. ba erected on the wharf for the accommodation of passengers. He pointed out the n«d there was for the house. Mr Ward seconded. Mr Hignett said there wag an important omission in the motion, namely, what was the estimate, and was it proposed to ask the Railway Department to bear the cost? Mr. Sarten : No: I propose the Harbour Board bear thoemetoWMr Ward said * shelter house Was needed. ..The Chairman opposed the motion on the ground that it was not needed. If each accommodation Was needed near the harbour the Railway Department alfould erec'i a station house. The Bailway'Department had almost absolute use of the wharf, and therefore it was for that Department to erect a railway station. Mr Connett supported the motion, as such protection was necessary. If money was requirecT'the.aulway Department could bY asked to contribute a share. The Chairman, continued "Mr Connett, always cried out there was no money available when a necessary matter like this wtfFbrdught up, and did tMrtmeet the Chairman's views; yet the Chairmanfound thousands of, pounds to throw away on his pet 'liobby, the sand pnmp. He looked on that expenditure as ap absolute wa?te of money/ He considered the sand bump a "white elephant. .; Mr Hiimett '.—lfou vpted for it. Mr Connett:—Yes*; I voted for it simply because I had been twitted with voting , agfeinst anything brought forward by any of you gentlemen. You had your way, and now we have to pay for it. Mr McLean opposed the motion. Mr Price, favoured It In answer to Mr Ward, Captain Hood said that passengers had. been de- * layed at the wharf without shelter owing to iiuforeseen^ircum»tances,Buch as ade- 1 lay to steamers! Napier had a shelter house for ladies only. Mr Sarten replied, and said the Chairman. was always, against any improvement at 'the/ harbour. .The voting was a-tie, Messrs\ Connett, Price, Ward^and Sarten for, and the Chairman, Messrs McLean, Hignett, and Balfe against. The Chairman gave^ his casting vote against the motion. Mr Hignett, pursuant to notice of motion, movad that > the harbour be lighted by electric light. He did so because, he. believed the present system of lighting was interfered with by rain. The Chairman seconded the motion, and renjarfied^hat the Bailway Department should be asked to bear a share of the cost. Mr Connett said he was glad the Chairman and Mr Hignett admitted that the Board should do some work .. at the Wharf. Mr Ward supported the motion, which was pnt and carried. Mr McLean's motion to set up a Committee to enquire as to cost, etci^arid call for tenders was carried. ' A. resolution waa_passed asking the Bailway Department to contribute part of the cost. It was deciaea to caU for, applications for a mechanic, to work under Captain Hood, at a salary of £3 a week, . . The Chairman^ in referring to the berthage rates, said the Board charged a small registered tonnage rate, and theq adde4 a charge oa the l cargo, or on the passengers that steamers brought here. "People had called the berthage oh steamers in respect to passengers as" a . toll " and " a passenger tax." It was no . such thing, lint a.berthago charge; it was •.purely trade taxi He wassprry to see local newspapers, steamship, "companies, aod even members ,of the' Board refer, to the tax as a pasaeiagerjtax. ,If the steamship companies persisted in calling the berthage charge"Hby^an> obnoxious name the Board, would have to consider the abolition, .of that charge, and make up the revenue in some other "way. Tie.noticed the tJnion Co. hail tbisline.in their time-, table, " Fares, including landipg and embarking tolls, .charged ( by TarinaHHarl>our Board"; and also had reference to same in their tickets- _ H the companies would remove these obnoxious terms, and treat the matter as a berthage rate which it really was, there woultf^probably be no need for him to bring on his motion. The Chairman's motion read, Tia,t the bylaws affecting the berthage charges be amende* ap .follows ; (1) The berthage charge on passengers be discontinued ; the Tegisierict' iOHnage berthage charge be. 2*d per ton in -place of Jd ; (3) the berthage charge and cargo be 3idper ton on cargo landed and cargo shipped. In no case shall the berthage charge for one berthage be less than £5,. or more with, combmed charges than equal to 3d per ton on the registered tonnage. Ihe motion was. held over till, next meeting. The Harbourmaster's report was read \ also the report of the Foreman. Ihe Harbourmaster forwarded plan of survey of the sheltered area at the barboor. . . . The Chairman's notice of motion to readjust the boundaries. of the electoral wards so as to have them on a basis of representation on taxation was called on. At Mr Sarten's .suggestion the •Chairman jead the motion. Mr. Sarten aaid he could see through the Chairman's * intention in. bringing forward the, motion: finally it w*» decided to adjourn the debate on the motion till next meeting. ! Mr Hignett gave notice of motion, That uhless*the Harbour Board's offer of today's date to give 6000 yards of stone, under conditions specified, for the repair and maintenance of the Breakwater Eoad , be not accepted by the Taranaki County | ■Council by the next meeting of the Hartbonr Bosrd^the resolution of July 19tH ibe re'cindea. The Board rose.