HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144709, 18 June 1915, Page 7

HARBOUR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of tho Now Plymouth Harbour Board was held this morning, when there were present; Messrs. J. B. Connott (ohairmnn), Newton King, E. Maxwell, C. A. Wilkinson, D. J. Hughes. J. B. Marx, £. B®ckrill, and C. E. Bellringer. The harbour master (Captain Wm. Waller) reported that tho arrivals at tho port of New Plymouth for the five weeks ending on June 12 consisted of 26 steamships, aggregating 25,822 tons. The imports amounted to 7187 tons, including 1686 tons of coal, 1251 tons of which was for private nso and 435 tons for ,the Railway ißonartrnent. The exports for the same period amounted to 1221 tons, making a total of 8408 tons handled. The harbour was sounded on June 7 under favourable weather conditions. As would bo seen from the accompanying plan, reduced ' to Ij.W.S.T,. there was good water at the wharf and the approaches to it. Tho superintendent of works (Mr. F. Henderson) reported for the five weeks ending Juno 12 as.follows:— Dredge Paritutn.—With the exception of throe rough days, the sea has been unusually calm throughout the nionth, consequently tho Pnritutu ha? been engaged with tho buckets nearly the whole of the working time at the eastern fairway cut. For 22 days’ work 50 loads, equal to 20,000 tons, were removed, the net time being 1981 hours. Four and a-half hours were occupied in lifting one load of 400 tons from the third basin cut. Tho accompanying plan and summary showed the locality and progress of the dredging. Three days were lost through rough weather, and four days wore lost through tho breaking of the forward winch shaft; a new shaft was supplied and fitted by Messrs. Okcy and Rollo. The greater part of the area dredged for the month had been previously dredged to 2oft., and was now found to consist of a liquid silt easily dredged, but not fully retained in the hopper. Tho outer part not previously dredged consists of a coarser sand with one to two feet of a stiff white clay bottom, but no stones. The third basin cut is still very difficult to dredge, owing to closely intersected boulders, some of which are of considerable size. Dredge Thomas King.—Tho Thomas Kmg worked on 25 days, the net time being 247 hours; 190 loads of sand, equal to 15,200 tons, were removed from the breakwater bank, and eleven boulders were lifted from the third basin cut with the assistance of tho diver. General.—Tho western corner of the wharf damaged by the Ngabero on April 23 last lias been repaired by driving an additional pile, and an extra mooring pile has been driven at the eastern corner, at the request of tho harbour master. The borough water has been laid on to the wharf; the service has been much improved by laying a pipe lino along each side of tho wharf, instead of tho single central pipo, and by increasing tho number of hydrants from 11 to 21. The Pinus Insignia trees for ships’ fenders have been cut down at the Morshead Nursery, but owing to the bad condition of the roads, only two have yet been carted to the works. Accounts amounting to £1686 7s 3d wore passed for payment.