HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 143671, 15 December 1911, Page 7

HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MELTING. The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth iiarbtmr Board was held today. Present: Messrs. J. B. Connote (in the chair), Newton King, E. Hocknil, C. E. Bellringer, C. A. Wilkinson, VV. Swacllingj and E. Maxwell. SHIPPING. The Harbourmaster (Captain Nowtog) reported that during the four weeks ending the Uth instant ‘24 vessels had worked the port inwards and outward:.;, ol the aggregate tonnage of 21,083 cons. The total imports lor that pm iod amounted to 55-11 tons, of which 8i24 tons were coal, BIS tons for railway and 1006 tons for private use. The exports amounted to 1307 tons of produce and sundries. HAP BO UK WORKS. The Superintendent ol Works cMr. F. reported for the lour weeks ending Saturday, OiU in ifcam, as follows: Paritutu.— The Paritutu dredged with the buckets on *2l day*:, not time 180 hours, and removed 32 loads, equal to 12,800 ions, also 132 bouluera. Thu second cut has now teen carried in to pile 24 by JoOft. for the four weeks’ drudging, and a total Vngui of 440 ft. from Urn end ol .‘•he whaH. Boulders are becoming more ?.irne:*«ius, but a depth of 21ft. is still being inn ncainod witii very little blasting. Dredge Thomas King.—Uwing to the rough weather experienced uurughout the mouth and to xho absence ol Pat teison, the master, through lihuTS, iho Thomas King has only worked un 'tar days, and has recovered ’j lends, amounting to 2000 tons. Nearly il.o whole of the idle time has been occui.iod in fitting a new runner, rclining the sand pump, and overhauling the deck crane, tin* base casting oi which Kao been cracked for some lime. It is expected to have everything in working order again early next wtek. "Wharf-widening.—The eight remaining piles in the second see-cion of the wharf-widening have been drive Every effort has been made ! <> advance Urn other work as pufkly as p»:r.ime, but the exceptionally wet weather mis caused great delay. Cup waTrigs and deck beams are all fitted, also nu-vo sets ol lower walings and braces. Time arc thirteen sots yet to fit. and 'he section will hardly be completed by ike end of the year, ;is 1 oxp.a-.ed. Cement.—The cement shoo'd now bo ordered for the foundation of the Im-aT-water light. About 120 barrels will be required tor this purpose, and at least an additional 400 barrels will be required to make blocks in siiu for the protection of the end and seaward corner of the breakwater. , 'Die Chairman said he considered the work that had boon accomplished by the Paritutu was very satisfactory, and it was proposed to continue this work until the vessel vent to Wellington. He mentioned that it mav not be necessary to go right in with dredging to the full tOOit as originally intended. Mr. Wilkinson moved, that *s the cement was not required for work affecting the permanancy of tho breakwater, the board should order local cement. Mr. .Maxwell seconded the motion, which was carried. DREDGE PARITUTU. Corrospoudtu.ee was received from several insurance companies with icgard to the insurance of the ‘hmtutu on her trip to ■Wellington, and as the rates were considered excessive, the board decided not to effect any insurance. It transpired that it would v/ist- the board about LOGO to onect insurances for the trip. CONSULTING ENGINEER. Mr. E. W. March.mt, the board’s consulting engineer, wrote : Re mooring blocks.—i have had Inigo experience with screw an<T other moorings. It took a vertical pull of 80 tons to draw out a screw mooring. 3ft in diameter, after digging away all the soil we could. Possibly there might have been one or two feet of ground on top of it. 1 think the explanation of the removal of the Pnritnm s mooring block is that the block was simply sunk in the hole and rot buried, as I specified .should be done in the case of sliu moorings. I do not at present see how it can bo any Improvement to attach the chain to the side of the block. 1 have no doubt whatever that if the ships’ mooring blocks arc sunk in a hole and filled in with sand, as I specified should be done in my letter to the superintendent of works, that nothing could possibly shift them. They could only bo removed by dredging them out; ro chain null could move them. Please let me know immediately you settle when the Paritutu is to go to Wellington for overhaul. I have to bo there, and want to make my engagements fit in. I propose to visit Now Plymouth to attend your February meeting. 1 shall bo leaving Wellington for England on March 7. " IRONSAND. Mr. H. Kcuolc, Hobart, Bucks, England, wiote time ho understood from tUo New Zealand Government oluce in London that the Board had tho lease ul the New Plymouth irousund. He had invented a process by which the irousami could be treated m its natural irtaie and smelted into pig iron at a cost which could compete with any blast lurnace lor smelling ordinary ironstone. lie may say that the process was not merely theoretical, but lie hud actually smelted the irousand and put it in such a form that it could be easily purilied ior commercial purposes. Tho process was patented and provisionally covered in almost every country in the world, and he was now in a position to make arrangements for developing it commercially. If the board thought it would be oi any interest to them he would be glad to hear from them, or if the board had any representative in England he would bo glad to moot him. The board decided to inform Mr. Keeblo that it was prepared to lease ironsand beach. HARBOURMASTER'S RESIGNATION. Captain Newton forwarded his resignation as harbourmaster, the same to take effect at tho end of February next. Members expressed choir regret that Captain Newton was leaving the board. The Chairman mentioned that the resignation was not brought about owing to any dissalhsi action on the part of tho harbourmaster, but purely lo personal reasons. Tho resignation was accepted with regret. It was decided to call for fresh applications ior the position of harbourmaster at a salary of £3OO a year and free house. A MISUNDERSTANDING. Messrs. Masters and Son, of Stratford, were allowed to withdraw their tender for explosives owing to some misunderstanding that had since arisen, and that of Messrs. Ward and Co., of New Plymouth, was accepted.