HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13479, 19 July 1907, Page 7

HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board met this morning. Present: Messrs J. B. Connett (chairman), Newton King, J. Thompson, R. Price, J. Ward, J. Hine, jun.. E. Maxwell, G. McLean, and D. Hughes. HARBOURS ASSOCIATION. The secretary of the Harbours Association (Mr Louis Cachemaille) wtote stating that it.wotild not be prudent to make any definite arrangements as to the date of holding the conference. He forwarded a copy of the order paper so far as it went. This was considered, and several recommendations made to the delegates from the Board. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS. The secretary of the Marine Department (Mr G. Allport) informed the Board that His Excellency the Governor had appointed Messrs. Daniel J. llughes, R. Price, and J. Ward members of the Board. WHARF TIMBER. Mr F. W. Marchant wrote that^ he had drawn up specification for . jarrah and ironbark timber and quite approved the foreman's suggestion that irpnbark should be . used for the deck stringers as it was a stronger timber than jarrah, : * A PROTEST. The Eltham County Council forwarded a copy of the following resolution passed at a special meeting of the Council held on the 29th nit. : —"That this Council enters its emphatic protest against any further attempt at. borrowing for the New Plymouth Harbour improvements." . MOLESWORTH ST. EXTENSION. The Towt Clerk (Mr T F. T.. Bellringer) forwarded copy of the resolutions .passed by 4fe« 011^ Council re MolesworthT Street extension, together . with a- letter- from the General Manager of the New Zealand Railways. The -Chairman proposed: "Thait order to facilitate the completion of a new street connecting St. Aubyn St. and Molesworth $t., and on that condition and for that purpose only this Board ' undertakes when, required to dedicate for the purpose of such road a Btrip of land gift, wide on the northern boundary of the Kawau Reserve, and so much of the corner of sub-allotment, No. 1, of the same reserve, as is required to, make the new street 66ft. wide." The motion ty as 'carried. HA&BQU&KASTER'S REPORT. The, Harbormaster (Captain Hood) reported tha.t -during the four weeks .ending JulyKth, 39 steamers and one sailing vessel berthed at the wharf, the .aggregate' gross tonnage amounting to 32,418 tons. The imports* for the period' amounted to 4025 tons, including 566 tons of railway coal and 624 tons of coal for local consumption. Exports were 784 tons, making a total of 4809 tons of' cargo handled. During the-. four weeks they had experienced fresh westerly rad^outh-westerly winds ■with high seas, "causing* 9elay to shipping atTOnehunga. The; dredge .worked 17 djiyjj^ making JBB* trips £ad removing 11,280 cubic yards of s£nd from the spit inside, the. breakwater. Since jfclie lOthi inst. he had direoted me <lredgemastieF*t6 deposit the sand near the old dumping;. grpund, ; By doing so he was getting on an average three loads more per '"day removed. They would- oqtice- by the chart forwarded that *a large quantity of Sand had come rotind ' thjpt end,. of ' the * breakwater and the dredge; was now fully employed removing it.- ' The- contractors for the electric light were still at work on the wharf lighjbg. They had finished the two port leading lights. These were a great improvement on the oil lamps. The .Chairman mentioned that the lamps' weW of only half the power originally intended. In reply to Mr Maxwell, lie explained that other lamps ftrere not to hand. Captain Hood suggested that the lamps now erected should be allowed to remain. The light was very satisfactory, and the. extra current could then be used along the wharf. No -objection was offered to this courses-being adopted. ~ FOREMAN'S REPORT. The foreman '(Mil F. Henderson) reported as.foUows; — Breakwater extenBion— Sixteen concrete blocks had been made, thef^wmbsf sow q& hand being 89. Seven hundred, and sixty-six tons of s4fone Kad Been tipped at the end of the hr^kwflter and one section of 12ft. had .bje^ Jcompleted, bringing up the total length of .the extension to 307 ft. Wharf* widening — At the widening of tke^Ju«lwi&*Bte constituting 5 bays had been driven ; the deck walings and stringers had s beeir fitted in and a length of 50 feet had been decked. Tfte number of piles driven to date was 27. Twenty-one remained to . be driven to complete 170 ft. "Beach line to fishing rock. — During the recent rough weather the hands had been employed in forming the beach line to the fishing rock quarry, the rough formation being completed, and about half the sleepers and rails laid. Repairs to machinery. — A new revolving barrel had been fitted ■ into the concrete mixer and a duplicate jaw fitted into the crusher. Both machines were now working considerably better. The old five ton crane was at present under repairs preparatory to being placed in the fishing rock quarry. NEW RATE. The Chairman gave notice of motion to be submitted to next meeting that a rate of id in the £ be struck for the ensuing year. It was mentioned that this route was the same as last year. THE HARBOUR LOAN. Mr King's letter notifying his intention to withdraw his proposal in regard to the loan was read. Mr King said he had not been awaro of the alterations in the Standing Orders and this- had thrown him out in his calculations. Some delay had occurred in getting definite information, but immediately it came to hand from the authorities in Wellington he had communicated with Messrs McLean and Maxwell, who had called meetings of ratepayers. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1262 Is 8d were passed for payment.