TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3577, 18 March 1886, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

. . * • The ordinary monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday. ■; <; ., ■„.',_■, ■ MRMBBSB PBBBBHT. ' ' Messra J. H. Butter (Chairman), W. M". Sims, K. E\ Gray, E. Elwbrlhy,' JI Talbot, J . 1 Wilson, W. Mbody, and A. Hayes. Mr Jonas wrote stating ho ■was unable tq attMid. : ' '■:'.:■ '■' ir --

MIOTTE3. The minutes of the previous, meeting werf rend and confirmed. COEBBBPOroBNOB. Correspondence was read as follows :— Prom the Bank of New Zealand acknowledging tho receipt of a cheque) foi £2500 to meet the interest due on July lsl on loan. : ' . ' ' From the same, m reference to renewal ol deposits. '.:■."." ' In reply to a question the Secretary stated abont £9000 of the old loan was still to the credit of the Board, bat it would be absorbed " by contracts now in/hand, j . 'From Messrs Perry and Perry, giving notice that the' Colonial Bank had taken possession of Macleari arid Stewart's buildings, and that m future rent by the Board for the room they now ocenpied must, be paid to the Bank.: Some discussion took place on the matter, the Chairman suggesting that their own offices might be made available for Bpard work. ' , • 1 The question was referred to . the Finance Committee. ... > From the Bank of New Zealand, giving - particulars of the rate at whioh the new loan ; had been, floated. "... ; ' Members." considered' the loan had been - : placed on the market very successfully..; ! '■* From Mr F. Clarkson, applying for -the post of porter on the wharf. . '■- - ' The application was referred to the Finance Committee/ . . ■ ■ ■ -; ■ j .•.. I . THB HTTDSON CLAIM. The Chairman, reported that m connection with the. claim against the barque Hudson, the Finance Committee bad met Mr Ingles, agent of the vessel, and after some three houxa consultation, it wm arranged £30C should be paid as full satisfaction; the Board giving tip all the ropes used. The Committee he montipned, were unanimous m the decision come to. .-■■'■ M '-,-, -A : letter was then read from Mr Ingles, '. stating since ihe had met the Committee; he had found a number of the hawsers were of no value. ; It having been explained that Mr Ingles was quite, aware of what he was doing wpen ■ he mot the Committee, Mr Moody proposed, Mr Hlworthy seconded, and- it was carried — ' "That.the offer of £30d for the services' of ■ the tag at the stranding of the Hudson.' (including ; hawsers used) be accepted, and j;he Board attach their 'seal to the agreement • ■ which WM-coiijO to by the Committee.".; ' ,':..' ,i ; BBTUBHB. •; • ■ ; The revenue for' the tnonth was stated at I £78012a?di ! ■'t ■■:-■•■ The Seoretaryinformed the Board this was the beat month they had ever had.' . i: '-/I': BOPPLT O* STOBBB. ■ . MeSsifs'A, J. (Jiieich and, Company and Mr 1 W; Priest tendered for, the supply of stores, < the fortnerV,. tender being accepted, on the motion bi Mr. Moody, seconded ,by Mr Sims. .'," ' BKSipEHX BHGISBBB'S BBPOBT. ; Mr;F: W- Marohant, Resident Engineer, reported as follows : — .-■ Vil ' hove ' the honor to inform you that I entered upon the duties of my position on February; 2Atb, and took r oharge- _of the several works of construction, dredging, etc., then beirigsoarried on.by the" Board, on which ' Ihav.e,fo'reporta»-nnder:— = '■ i '.- . •' " Breakwiter,- Contract No.: 6— The contractors,: Mpssrs cPalh'ser anS , Jones, h'a|ve madpigood: progr.-ss^ith. block laying,- 46 UneaJfesfeoßbreWcwater'having been laid since t I lastißpSrdiineeting. They nro now at a .standstill ;in iso,:fajr ; ag blocklaying is concerned t there- being-no; more blocks of sufficientroge available for tho purpose. Block- ' making ha*, however,' been pushed on, and the;y»rdis;riow,'full. . Everything m connection rwi'bi'f'w: contract is m asatiafaotof'y : condition. Our stock of cement- has just run out. Ajtrongementßi; have, however, been made, for the immediate delivery of 1000 'casks whiqh we 'expect everyday. :■■■■•'." ;. I . ';' I would ask; the Board's- authority to }ay 8 or 10 random blocks on the south side of : the Bieafcvater.frbt^ lpw'.to high: water; mark. ; : , " Breakwater Wharf Extension Contract. " .--This - contract j has -Jieen completed by jifessrs Pallißer and Jones, m; a very satbfaotory inanjier,tfot •thei'bum of £1931 3s, * 'being £13 13«HPd extra on the' contract sum. ' • i Jfhave arrapged ffjth Mr Burnett ' concerning the extensipafpf -theyiailway lines alortg it. H« is : vipv .^waiting order* from headquwtera bgfp?erdoing(o.^ The water snid-gas " service have been extended to the- end of the :' wharf.; 't-' '-, :■■■■.::■• ■'■ ■ ' ; ! 1 ' "Moody Wharf.— This contract. has made slow, progress, lotely: on account of- the breakage ( ofthet;donkey. 'engine gear. This ' was repaired some days ago,' and 'the' work is now proceeding satisfactorily,. j "I, .tauld.ieebminend- the laying of a fourinch.waterrmain along the Moody wharf, for the length under, contract, whieli ■ might '-diminish' to .three 3 ' inches .diameter on any future' extension.' It will 1 be necessary _to 1 arrange 'for. this before the decking is laid. My object m Tecommending so largo a main is that it shall he capable of use for fire extinctiou p r urpbses ahbilJaccidenta.by fire ever occur 'to tiie wharf or shipping alongside.' j " I have arranged with Captain Webster to see what-we can do towards removing some ■ of the large boulder* existing . alongside the Moody. Wl_rf. : ' The 1 -Titan and her crew, with'the diver, and perhaps one or two..men epeoiaUyrjepgaged,. 'vvill be employed m" the work wnen^ the tug's services are not otherj- ' -wise required, so the work con be done, in;- - expensively. „'.'■.'....'■.'., '..- ■ .: • I " Dredging;— On going into tHis subject, it < became apparent to mo that it was a ebeer impossibility- that' the, berth arranged; for • havingiZtfeet'at low, water, could be, dredged :~~,by the Progress m three months time under the conditions then, existing/ . With .the IChairmWs appfoval,' therefore, I arranged with the dredge master to dredge' the whole) length of the ( bertb:-^6ao feet— by r half -the width oririgajly;; interided.i to' its- full depth, before attempting to dredge, the. berth to.ita, ' fall width ;' and r -alio arrabged that, the.dredgo '.ehould -be worked pvertinie, ■ either before! eight o'clock m the morning, or after 5 o'clock »0 night; as the tide might best serve. For the 'dredge being, capable of dredging to but; 25.feet at' tie, most, it; became necessary to' .tsie : every -possible advantage of low water; in ri order to dredge- the seaward end of the- i berth^ leaving the inshore end to be *brked- s on the flood tide, to/ half .ebb. In dredging wo continually encounter large boulders, some, being as much as half, a ton m weight.' Tne'se. tne dredge has lifted but not without damage- to herself/ These present a constant source, of danger to us j and oi»y at! any tims occasion' a break down. To be prepared for such, a contingency we have brought up/a lot of the dredge's spare gear from Oatnaru, and have called for tenders for putting itjb .order; • / ' „--.-■ "Since starting, the Progress has made 64 tripß discharging on. estimated quantity of 12,800 tons, or about 8500 cubic yards of Bpoil m J2O2F working hours. The spoil is free' but heavy; ' consisting of very firio .sand generally, now arid then a little shingle; though we' tiav^r dredged m places from-4 to 6feet hi deptli, in ' no ,case have, we touched olay propei". I desire.to say that .the dredge is very: we ll: managed and smartly, handled, and that the beßt that can, be is being, done. : "Dredging 'for Maintenancer— t would point out to the Board that we Bhall never be able to maintain the maximum depth of watei m the berth wfrare mow; excavating without dredging m the future, silt must be deposited m it to a greater or leas extent. In my opinion the subject requires immediate attention. " The Priestman crane is getting very much iffora. m- several parts, "and requires a thorougli overhaul arid severaf repairs. It is riot mCI •wdikiris condition.". ■ •■ • The B0"»rd agreed with' Mt March ant thai it was necessary to throw , down a few bloeki atlhe Bouth- sfde bf ' the root of the Break--water, Mr Moody pointing out it had alreadj been Suggested 1 by: Mr Goodall, Tint nothing bad been done m tho matter; '' The question of I'dredging1 ' dredging then came up. yXlib Chairm»n'' r ßaid he had consulted witl the Bngincer, and they had come to the con elusion it would be better to make one gooc berth along, the wharf owing to the short timi they had the us© of- the dredge. ■ 'He hac given instructions accordingly. .The kction of the -Chairman was, oft thi motion;' of >'Mr Moody, ae'eonded by' Mi Blworthy, approved, r • i: :l ■-..■.■ A long discussion took placeas to whethe: tbe-drooga-'Was— or— -wiwnotr*. suitable" fo: Timariir After several . members had spoke) the Chairman requested; tbo reporters to con sider .the discussipn private.: .; ; .■.;.•_■.> Mr< . Elworthy; protested': very stronfel; against this, cay m J the ■ public had ai-perfee

right to know' all about tho dredge. He did 3 not believe m so much Committee work. Mr TalbOt and Mr Hayes also considered the discussion should bo published. The rest of tho Board not expressing any opinion on the matter, it was understood the '' Chairman ruled they were to be considered [ as having been m Committee . It was moved by Mr Talbot, seconded by f Mr Wilson, and carried — "That the whole question of present and future dredging i operations be referred to tho Finance Committee, to bring up a report at the next i meeting of the Board." . ' i Mr Hayes again protested against what had , been said regarding the dredgo being supJ pressed. He would movo verbally that the ; reporters should . be requested to publish ', everything that had been said. : . It was stated on behalf of the representatives of the newspapers present that they had [ already been told not to report tho dieoussion, [ and therefore their notes were not complete. A Member : More's the pity. j ) BEPAIBS TO DBEDaB. i Two tenders were received for repairs to [ dredge ' machinery, and it was moved by Mr i Mcody, seconded by Mr Jonas, and carried — " That Mr P. Sinclair's tender for repairs; at l £15 12s he accepted, and the Chairman and Engineer be authorised to arrange for accept- > anco of a tender for repairs to spare gear." The other tenderer was Mr W. Doig at. > £17 155. ■ •■ . ■■ ■[ ■ It was left to the Engineer to seethe necessary repairs to the Prießtman dredgo carried out, ■ i In regard to cement, the Chairman ex- ' plained he had procured 1000 casks from Mr ! V. W. Turner m order to prevent stoppage of » the works, and on the motion of Mr Hayes, I seconded by Mr Wilson, his action waa Approved, j Tho tenderers for spare gear were Faluser and Jones £80, and Stansell Eros. £52 lps, neither being accepted. j HABBOB HABTKII'S BBPOBT. : The Harbor Master (Captain Webster) reported aa follows : — ' • | i "I havo the honor to report tho arrival of i 33 vessels, of the aggregate registered tonnage of 8872 tons, and departure of 32 veßsels.of • the registered tonnage of 9013 tons during ! the month of, February 1886. The whole ;of tho above vessels havo been worked at the i wharf, and received quick , despatch. The only work at tho Landing Service during the month has been receiving and storing coal for use on tho dredge. During the month tpe dredgo ha 3 been employod chiefly at tho ' outer end of tho -wharf, -where she is mating a good deep water berth. I bog to request the area of the dredging shown m _Mr Goodall's plan may . be reduced so as to give a deep water berth alongsido the wharf first. • Soundings have been taken periodically, and , up to date with results as per book (of i soundings." ! .-.- . Accotnrr3. s . ■ : | Accounts were passed for payment m Landing Service account, £13 3s Id, and ojn ' Harbor Fund account, £2914 Ob 4d. ' j '. FINANCE COMMITTEE. j 1 Proposed by Mr' Moody, seconded by Mr 1 Wilson, and carried— " That- tho Finande, etc., Committee fortho^-ear be the Chairman, and Messrs Elwortby, Acton, Qraf, Sims, Jonas, and the mover. ' The meeting then terminated., ___________ i