TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2746, 12 July 1883, Page 8

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary monthly meeting of this Board was held on June 14th. MBMBEBS PRKBRNT. Messr* W. Moody (Chairman), M. Jona», K. F. Gray, J. H. Butter, K. Acton, J. 8. Gibson, J. Kelland, J. Talbot, B, Elworthy and A. Hayes. MINUTES. The minutes of the last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. COBRKSPONDRNCB. The following correspondence was read and considered :— From the Bailway Department, m reply to a leltor from the Harbor Board advising of its wish to reclaim a porlion of the foreshore, stating the Department would give the matter its consideration. The Chairman said he thought the matter would be settled all right. From Lieutenant Jackson, of the Tiraaru Rocket Brigade, m reference to pluns of a new rocket gun and other apparatus, asking the Board to obtain full particulars as to their cost and the style of working them. It was resolved to write Home for the necessary information. From tbo Railway Department, stating they had paid £198 5s 5d into the Board's account, being wharfage receipts fur the four weeks endod 20th April, 1883. From the Auitralian Union Mercantile Insurance Company, asking for a share of the risk on the Board's premises. The Secretary explained the insurances were at present divided among several colonial offices. Mr Gibson spoke strongly m favor of this Company getting some of the Board's insurance, as it had done a great deal of good m the past m getting the rates roduced. He had every confidence m the Company. Mr Sutter said the Company had only Is per share paid up, and that was not a f ufficient guarantee for the public. It offered no better inducements than other Companies, oxcept where there was a heavy head of water. Mr Gray endorsed what Mr Sutler had ■aid. Mr Elworthy would be glad to see some of their insurance given to tbo Company. Mr Jonas raid these new companies eventually fell m with other and older ones . The Chairman road a list of the Board's insurances. On the motion of Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Acton, it was resolvod — " That the Mercantile Union Insurance Company receive a share of this Board's business, and that the policy falling due for £1000 m the Standard office ba placed m tho Mercantile." A letter was read from the Bank of New Zealand m reference to the loan, and after some opposition by Mr Elworthy, the Board went into Committee to consider it. On coming out of Committee, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Elworthy, seconded by Mr Hayei — " That the Board is of opinion that considering the security pledged, the loan ought m a short time to be placed at tho minimum fixed, and must decline to make any reduction." From Mr Ebenezer Smith, m reference to Mr Sutter's proposal to increase the rales on landing and shipping to vessels at the outer anchorage, and strongly expressing the opinion it would be a great mistake, as merchants were already greatly hampered m getting vessels forTiraaru. LANDING BBEVIOK BBEOBT. The report for the month was read as follows : — " Sir, — I have the honor to report that the gross earnings for the month are £431 16a, and the net £138 10s 3d, the total cargo landed and shipped being 2592 tons. (Signed) "8. K. Gbahaii, " Manager." EABBOB HASIBB's BEPOBT. Captain Bascand reported as follows :— " I have the honor to report tbat during ths month of May there have been 21 vessels arrived and 24 departures, of the following aggregate net registered tonnage : — lnward, 4007 tons ; outward, 5739 tons, out of which four Teasels were despatched with grain to the United Kingdom, and two to the Australian colonies. " The soundings of the harbor were taken on three different occasions — the 6th, 7th and 11th inst., partly for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of improvement m the depth of water at the wharf since the Priestman dredger oommenced to work. " I have to refer you to the book of soundings herewith containing the soundings for the above dates, and computed for low water spring tideß. The soundings at the wharf will bo found very irregular, but the depth of w.'.ter considerably increased where the dredger has been employed — m fact showing very good results for the short time that it has been working. Beyond 60 feet from the wharf and where the vessels lie at tbo moorings the soundings have been found very regular, and no perceptible difference m the depth of water anywhere has occurred." (Signed) " C. 8 Bascand, "Harbor Master." ehginbbb's bbtobt. The Engineer's 'report was read as follow*:— "Sir, — I have the honor to report that during last month, on account of the continued heavy teas, tho progress of the Breakwater has been slow. One additional length of monolith was completed, making a total of 860 ft 6in of the contract. The remaining lengths of monoliths to complete must necessarily be slow work, on account of tho disturbed state of tbo outer blocks, which have to be replaced before tbo superstructure can be built. The wharf widening contract has been proceeded with rapidly during the month, and will be out of contractors' hands by next meeting of the Board. " In accordance with instructions, the Priestman's dredge has been placed on the wharf, and since the 26th ult. it has done steady work with a modified sludge bucket, lifting abont 100 tons a day ; better results, bowever, have been obtained by using the grab buoket, lined with thin boilor plate, and the amount now lifted is about 240 tons a day of eight hours, at a cost for lifting and labor for putting dredgings on south side, of about 4d per ton. The method of getting rid of the sand is merely temporary, and has been adopted to save the great expense attending the transit of it m surf boats to sea or by trucks to land. The best means of getting rid of the dredgings will no doubt be to use it for reclamation, a toheme for which is herewith submitted, m connection with a wharf, from which surf boats may bs loaded and unloaded. The proposal is to extend a wharf 82ft wide at right angles from the present wharf at one and a half fathoms depth at (prirjg low tides This line would be suitable for the future line of reclamation. Length of proposed wharf 140 ft. Along the inner edga of the wharf a lesgth of 60ft> is to be sheet pilod, and random rubble is to be deposited on eaoh side at the sheet piling. The sheet piling and rubble mound may thus be turned towards the shore, as shown on tho plan, or be carried along the proposed wharf. It may not be advisable to extend tho sea wall along the proposed wharf further than shown, until the kant is somewhat advanced, as the back-wash from a long wall may interfere with the shipping along the existing wharf. The dredgiogs would be well utilised by being deposited between tbe proposed sea wall and the Breakwater, and tbe sea wall could be extended from time to time at required. " Although the altered grab buoket is doing good work, I would recommend the procuring a bucket that has been designed by Priestman Brothers, specially for lifting sand. One of the sludgo buckets now m possession of tho Board should also be altered for that purpose. "Plans and estimates for extension of wharf 300 ft are herewith submitted for approval. (Signed) "John Goodaix, " Engineer Timaru Harbor Board." BBronr of committee. The Committee appointed to consider tender* for crane, and report on dredging and on wharf widening oontraot, reported as follows :— " Your Committee have tbe honor to report that wharf widening contract No. 5 has been puabed on with more satisfactorily, and that they havo not deemed it necessary to dederminethe contraot. " Tbe Priestman'e dredger has been erepted on tbe wharf, and the work of dredging prooeeded with. Since the stone bucket has been adapted for liftiDg sand, admirable) work has been done, an average of 240 ton* per day of eight hoar* having been lifted. The Hogiueer dm disposed of the silt by throwing

it over to the south of the Breakwater, at a cost since th« maximum work of the dredge has been reached, of not exceeding 4d per ton. The Engineer has been instructed to submit a scheme which will dispose of the silt m a different and more reproductive way. Correspondence has been opened with the Government, asking them if they will boar their sharo of reclamation between the Landing Service and the Breakwater lie crane. The Committee advice the Board to accept the tender of Messrs Kincaid end McQueen, namely, £3450, fortbe construction of a second crane, subject to the amended conditions proposed by the tenderers as to time and penalty and mode of paymeot, but not to allow intereet on unpaid balances, and recommend that steel pinions be adopted instead of malleable cast-iron, at an extra cost of £45, m accordance with Messrs Kiocaid and McQueen's letters dated Bth Bnd lHh June, 1883. "The Engineer assures the Committee that only a small proportion of silt dropped to the south of the Breakwater will return round the Breakwater ; the bulk of it will be washed ashore or spread over the bottom south of the mole. (Signed) " W. Mood?, " J. 8. GIBSON, " B. Acton, " E, EIWOBTHY." MISCELLANEOUS. Proposed by Mr Jonas, seconded by Mr Gray, and carried — " That tenders be called for the storage of cement (including fire insurance), to bo m on July 11th." Mr Butter expressed tho opinion that the sand being thrown over on the south side of the Breakwater would all come back again between the blocks. Mr Jonas agreed with Captain Sutter, but what else was the Engineer to do with it ? Tho Chairman said it was simply a ctse of emergency, to deepen the water aa rapidly and economically as possible. Mr Klworthy was quite »uro the sand would come through again. He felt inclined to move that the Engineer be instructed to cease throwing the sand over the south side and bo instructed to find some other means of disposing of it. Mr Gibson maintained the sand Jwas not coming through the Breakwater, m fact it waß on impossibility, as it would have to go through the solid monolith. The Harbor Master, who was present, stated that he believo.i the light part of the sand now being dredged would eventually come round the Breakwater, but did not think it would get through between the blocks. The Engineer said there were no interstices going right through the Breakwater. The heavy scour on the south side swept the sand completely away from the face of the Breakwat«r, and spread it widely over tho bottom A very small proportion of it would ever find its way round the end. Mr Tolbot thought what had been done was quite right, but it was a question whether they might not do something else with the sand m future. Mr Hayes said tho sand thrown over was quite immaterial, as the Waitaki brought m more every time she came. It was proposed by Mr Hayes, seconded by MrElworthy, and carried — "That the Committee's repart re wharf dredging and acceptance of Kineaid tad McQueen's tender for crane be adopted." Mr Hsyes asked tho Engineer if he could not stop up the interstices. The Engineer did not think ho could, sor would it be advisable. Proposed by Mr Talbot, seconded by Mr Sutter, and carried — "That a Committee consisting of Me'srs Gibson, Acton, Gray, Sutter and Klworthy and the Chairman bo a Committee to enquire into the question of building a jetty ai recommended by the ■Engineer, with power to call for tenders." Proposed by Mr Elwortby, and ar o >nded by Mr Acton — "That the Engineer be instructed not to dispose of any further quantity of silt that may be lifted by the dredge m the manner that hs has hitherto done, ie., by depositing it to the southward of the Breakwater ; but that be find some other means of effectually clearing it out of the way previous to any work of reclamation being carried out." As an amendment, Mr Hayes moved and Mr Jonas seconded—" That the manner m which the Engineer is disposing of the silt dredged at present be continued until a more economical system be adopted." The amendment was carried. BniPPINO CHASSIS. Mr Sutter then moved as a resolution the following, of which he had given notice at iatt meeting : — "That after the Ist of Ootober next the charges for loading and discharging cargo outside the Breakwater be 60 per cent above the rates charged for the same work to ships lying under the Breakwater." The mover said be had no personal feeling m the matter, but he thought that suitable vessels could be procured to load inside tho Breakwater. The Chairman said the two largest shipping companies m the colony had not vessels small enough to come inside. He had just taken upon himself to arrange for the loading of the ship Bangitikei at the outer anchorage, because no other vessel could be got at present. He advised the matter should be postponed until the Board's revenue required additional charges. Mr Gibtoa was of opinion proper vessels oould be secured if merchants took the trouble at the proper time. They mutt make the port pay as well as make it popular. They must not work the port at a loss, especially as they were going m for a heavy loan. Mr Klworthy did not wish to see large vesiels excluded, at the same time he would Dot see them worked at a loss to the Board. The Secretary stated it cost about 3s 6d per ton to tender vessels at the outer anchorage. Mr Sutter said an additional la 6d per ton was not very much. He, however, would let hit resolution lie over till next meeting, so as to enable the Secretary to provide them with full information as to the cost of working vessels. WKABF EXTENSION. On the motion of Mr Sutter it was resolved — " That tenders be called for an extension of 150 feet of wbarf, lenders to be m by next meeting, with power to extend to 300 feet if considered necessary." advertising Br-Lvws. Proposed by Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Talbot, and carried — " That the Members for Gladstone and Timaru, Waimate and Geraldine, be requested to use their influence m the House to get the Harbor Act amended, m the direotion of preventing the necessity of publishing the Board's by-laws m full." Proposed by Mr Acton, seconded by Mr Sutter, aod carried—" 'Chat tbo question of the amendment of the by-laws remain over, pending an appeal as to cost made to the House." TBNDBE3. The following tenders for Newcastle coal were received : — E. Smith, 35s per ton ; John Jackson, 35s ; A. White, 34s 3d ; J. Melntosh 33s (accepted). ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £1241 6s 4d on general acoount, and £293 5s 9d on Landing Service account, were passed for payments IBAVB OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence during the session of Parliament was granted to Mr J. H. Suiter. MOTIOKB O* MOTION. Mr Kelland notified his intention to move — "That owing to the magnitude and importance of the works, it is desirable to obtain the service* of a consulting engineer to report fully upon tbe principle of construction and material used m the present and proposed future works." Mr Kelland said he did not mean this motion to be any reflection on the Engineer. Mr Gray gave notice of his intention to move— "That the plans prepared for jetty extension at an angle, be laid before the next meeting of the Board." Mr El worthy said this matter had already been reported on time after time. He hoped the Board would carefully consider expenditure on works of this sort, as they had so many proposed. He thought they should stick to the' main work, the extension of the Breakwater. , ADJOURNMENT. | The Board then adjourned.