TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 2919, 31 January 1884, Page 5

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board wus hold on Jan. 4 at their offices, Maclean and Stewart's buildings. MBMBBKS PBESBNT. Mr W. Moody (Chairman), and Meeira Gibion, Suttir, El worthy, Jonas, Kolland, Wilson, and Acton. Mr Kelland apologised for the absnnce of Mr Talbot, tbu latter gentleman having to attend a. meeting of the Board of Education. MIKDTBB. The minuteii of last ordinary meeting were read and con finned. COBBBaPONDENCB. Before reading the correspondence received, the Chairman informed the members of the Board that be had seen Mr Chisholcn, the local managnr of tbo Bank of New Zealand, who had told him that if the Board were particularly anxious about the loan ho would cable Home fcr particulars. He (the Chairniso), howeter, did not think it wai worth incurring an expense of about £20, and told Mr Oliisholm that the Board would wait for full information by mail. Members generally agreed with [the Chairman's action. Correspondence was then read as follows : — From Mr Merchant, Secretary to ths Mackenzio Count]' Council, saying that no change m the representation of the district on the Board would bo neceeiary through the formation of the new oonnty, a* the bound orion were the sam* as those of the lute Mount Cook Boad District. Thti letter mis acknowledged. From Mr McGregor, Kngineer to tho Oamaru Harbor Board, asking for tbe loan of 160 barrels of cement. Tho Chairtnnn sutd the cement had boon sent down to Onmuru. The Board had promised to rsturn it as soon as their cement came to hand, bat as the quantity was so small besuggusted that tho Oamaru Board be charged tho same rate as the Timaru Board got it at. Ibis was agreed to, and the Secretary was requested to inform the Oamaru Board of the same. ; From Mr Gulhrie, offering for sale two iron lighten capable of carrying 130 tone oAch. As they were rather too large for tbe Board's .pnrpipe, it was decided not to entertain the offor. Bpeaking of lighters, Mi' Jonae Mr Gibson, sad Mr Elworthy spoke strongly of the advisability of gelling the lighters made m the colony, if possible j find tbe Chairman, m endorsing their remarks, said it. bad ever been tbe feeling of the Board to get their plant made m the coloiy, provided the cost was not too muoh above Knglinh prico*. ' The Chairman undertook to write to tbo various laree engineering firms m tho colony 'and obtain estimates for iron lighters. From Patterson and Co., the contractor.) for iron-barl: piles, stating that tbo bnrqun Fnlaoe was expected to reaoh Timsru about the end of January with the piles for thu wharf. • THH DBPTH Otf THB RABBOB. The Chairman of the 1 Otago Marine Underwriters Association wrote, enclosing a paragraph which appeared m tho Otayo hail;/ Timeg of. the 14th December, with reference to the depth of water m the Timaru Harbor. The Chairfflnn added that an a portion of it. oonoirnnd hi] Association it hnd been placed before their Committee., who had re-olved as follow! :— " This Aisooiation has not f nrniahed the Bquitable Insurance Association with nnv information re the Timaru harbor ; nor is Captain Ruatcll our marino surveyor." Tn anoordance with n resolution of the Board, the Harbor Master roportod on this matter also, his report boing as follows : — "At Imtruitod, I beg to hand yon report ooncorning thnloAriing of the ship Wnimato at this port m iJuptetaher laft, as this appears to he the teasol reforrsd fo m the letc«r from Messrs Woo'lliombe and Glulce to the Timaru Harbor Board, Firstly— There hns been no deposit ef shinglo diroovered m the harbor, or any alteration m the depth of water where large voisels load, since my appointment here m August last. Secondly — The stevedore stowod the cargo of the Waimste to the satisfaction of the captain ; and the vesssl was not loaded deoper than utlowod by Lloyd's ruins or the rules of other rnorire insurance associations. Thirdly — The vessel oompteted loading on neap tides, when there is no less than 20ft of water m tho berth. At previous low water (8 p.cj.) on tlui llbit' flnpt, (;he Wai mate was drawing 16ft aft. nnd 17ft foirward, with 20ft of water aft and 2lffc of watdr forward. She wHi load»d tip on the rising ticfo (tho rise of water being 6ft) and left bofore fJMt quarter obb, which, oliowinrat lea(t'Bft6itl from low water 1 , will givo 23ft. 6in of wnter at tbe stern and 24ft 6in o): water at tho bows ot the ship ; the ship'n draught on leaving being 18fb Bin oven keel. I have ni'oivod » letter from Captiiin Bnsaeil, m reply, st»ting he has not report™! on tho Timaru Harbor for ynars j also, that thu Equitable 1 nsuranie ABSOoiation ant not hii omployere. As he bad no oonimuniea-

tion nitb them whatever, I therefore tendered him an apology for mentioning his name m the matter. I shall also request, as thß appointed Surveyor of the Canterbury Marino Underwriter! Association to have matters regarding the loading of ships at this port submitted to me for explanation before troubling the Harbor Board with unnecessary communications."

Tho Chairman (aid he had written tbe following lottcr to Messrs Woollcombe and Cluleo : — " I enclose reply from the Hnrbor Maiitor re enquiries from tbe Insurance Compuny you represent. It would be desirafelo m future for your Company, if they have any cau3e for complaint or enquiry, to have a sounder basis than the present, which has been the cause of an unfortunate and quite unnecessary misunderstanding." No further action wns taken m the matter, members agreeing that it vrould be bettor to let tbo subject drop. EKrOBTS, Thn Harbor Manter reported for December aa follows : — " I have the honor to report that during tbe month of December 26 vessels have urrived of the aggregate register tonnage of 6464 tons, and the departure of 24 vessels of. the aggregate register tonnage of 5981 tons. AH coastal and intercolonial vessels worked at tho wharf till the 24th instant, ; dui-ing the remainder of the month the weather has been very uceettled, with more or lesj range at tho wharf. As requested by tbe Board I hand m report of harbor, m r<jply to letter from Messrs Woollcombo and Oluleo." From the manager of the Landing Service, reporting that the repairs to the surf-boat ways, authorised by tho Board, had been completed, and that the ways which had been repaired were now stronger than ever tbey were. He bud shipped during the month 1789 tons, the- ps-oss earnings being £297 63 4d, and the net. £98 13s Bd.

Tha Clerk of Works, Mr John Hamilton, reported as follows : — " In the absenco and by direction of the Engineer, I hare the honor to report that daring the (hort period that haii elapsed since the date of last meeting but little progress hn« been made on the works generally, owing to the prevailing unsettled weather and the intervening holidays. The foundations of the Breakwater m the present conti'ict have now reached a distance of 48ft, and the monoliths on ttuß portion will be completed at the earliest opportunity, the blocks having sufficiently subsided to permit of this being done with safety. Wharf Contract No. 7 is still m the hands of the contractor. The extension of Wharf Contract No. 7 cannot be satisfactorily commenced until the arrival of the iroabark timber, which m expected by the Messrs Patterson to arrive m Timaru the latter end of this month." The reports were adopted. THE IF3CTBANOB QtT BB ' HtON - After some little conversation, Mr Elworthy moved, Mr Suiter seconded, and it was cai-riod unanimously — " That this Board is of opinion that the inequalities and drawbacks on marine insurance which are now m existence at this port should be removed, and the export of the district placed upon the same termii as other ports." ACCOUNT.B. After passing aecouuta amounting to £1373 16*9 ltd, the Board adjourned to the 81st innt.