TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4540, 16 May 1889, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

The Timaru Harbor Board held its ordinary meeting for the month yesterday. Present — Mr E. Acton (chairman), Captains Sutter and Woolleombe, Messrs 1. L. Morris, J. Talbot, J. S. Wilson, T. Teschcmaker. X F. Gray, J. Manchester, and the .Vfayor of Timaru. CO3BESPONDESCB. Besides routine correspondence, the following was read : — From McEwen and Co. London, stating that the order for spikes had been filled "eiactly." — The engineer had complained that the spikes were smaller than were ordered, and now produced his "letter book showing tho scribing round a spike of the size he wanted, which members saw plainly was larger than the spikes sent. From Priest man Bros, m reply to letter cimplaining that tho wear and tear on some, of the grabs had been very great. They supposed that instructions had been given not to drop the grabs from a greater height than was necessary to make them pick up the spoil. The writers cent a drawing and description of a new dredge bucket, Morgan's patent, which was givinj great satisfaction to users. One of them hud lifted half a million tans at Glasgow and was very little the worse far it. A paragraph had appeared m the Otayo DuUy Tnnes to the effect that owing to representations made by the National Mortgage anil Agency Company, the Underwriters' Association had agreed to place Timaru and Oamaru or. the same footing as the larger norta m respect of insurance charges. A letter had been written to the chairman of the association, and be replied that members of the association had not seen the paragraph before. It was not correct that any change had been made m the rates charged at Timaru and Oamaru. A note from Mr Spalding Btated that tho paragraph referred to London insurances and if the Jb-jard made inquiries th?y would find that London offices would insure cargoes from Timaru at the same, rates as from other ports. Members thought that further inquiries ought to be made. The Marine Department hi»d been asked to republish the plan of the harbor with their annual report, as last year, but had replied that as there was so little difference m the plan, and the purpose of tho pnblication waa to show improvements, it did not seem worth while to publish it. this year. A further letter had been written by Mr Turnbull, urging that thore had been a good deal of improvement effected, m the construction of the north mole, and the plan was well worth publishing on that account. The OtnKo Eock Trust wrote that they had contracted for the erection of shear legs for lifting heavy weights, and must decline the offer to sell them the crane Hercules. A report from Mr George Croll, Government Inspector of Machinery, on his inspection of the tug Titan was yecaived with a list of repairs needed to hull and boiler. The chairman reported that the work of repairing tha boat had been entrusted to Messrs Morgan and Cable of Dunedin. It could not be stated yot how much the repairs would cost. A letter was received from a resident of Invercargill warning the board against making the same mißtnke as was made by the Bluff Harbour Board m ordering their tug Awarua from Home through Mr Darling. A copy of this letter had been sent to Captain C*wefon for his remarks, and he wrjte m reply eipiolnirjg that Mr Darling had nothing to do with the building of the Awarua, being m the colony at the time, ayd that if the boat had proved unsatisfactory it was duo to the nature of tbfl conditions imposed upon the designer. ESOIKKEtt'a EEiPOBT. Mr Marchant reported m follows : — " Breakwater.— -Several of the spars can crete blocks have- been removed from the blockyard, and a few of them have been stacked on the parapet offset. " North Molo Contract.— This work is progressing satisfactorily, " Dredging. — Bince ]a»t meeting the Taniwha has dredged and discharged 1275 ton* cf spoil, and 18 tons of rocks m 10 working <laya. " I have complied th» ))lans and d#icription of the proposed harbour endowment " WABBOUBMASTBB'a itgl'OßT. Captain G'lirkton reported tho arrival of 17 steamers ami 3 sailing vessels, (70*5 tons), and the departure of 18 steamers, and 5 sailing vessels, (8138 tons) during April. The weather during April had been exceptionally fine. Ho snggested that the buoys denoting th« wreckage of the Duke of Sutherland and L-yltelton be removed and replaced "with conical shaped buoys, tho ones at present m use not being su/rH-ienth/ visible, and also being very heavy on the chains. During the month the usual soundings had taken |/iao» with result as per book." In 1 tonvcrnation on tho subject of the w ,;-irk buoy* CVjptnin Sutler explained that the hi/'? 8 «<<"ired iwre "run " buoys, rloublo con.."", tho present onas vcrp casks and they presented d b'jt broadside to tijo yaveß and caused a great i'min on tho chains m heavy sens. Tho secretary stated that the hooping and re-hooping uf tho rusks had cost morolhan proper iron buoys would lmvo doiin. — Inquiries to bo inailo whether tho pro/ier buovn can Ijo had or mali m the colony. The ciiairijuin reported that, the tender of Wheolan and O>. hail been accepted for painliuy auJ larnnjj lUo Tilou, 4l li\fi J-5s-

LEADING LIGHTS. A memo, from the Kngineor suggested tlio advisability of consulting the Marine Department as to the colors for leading lights, nnd ordering tbo neceesary lanterns from Home at once. — Captain Sutter did not see that leading lights would be needed ; no vessel should come m at night without a pilot. — Tho harbourmaster to be consulted. IUO AND DSBDOB STAFF. Captain Butter presented a report on the staff of the tug and dredge, and recommended that an additional permanent hand be engaged, ono able to act as fireman on the tug, ns this addition would enable both tug and dredge to bo worked at once. He moved and Air Morris seconded that tho man be engaged. yeverul members objected that only a few months ago the matter was fully gone into »nd it was decided that the staff should be reduced ; it should be Tery distinctly shown that reversion to tho formor state of things was necessary. The engineer stated that m the past eleven months — (the staff was rearranged id June lost)— tbo dredge had lost 65 working days through the reduction of tha staff. Mr Tesehemaker was strongly of opinion that the dredge should be kept constantly at work. Mr Talbot moved sis an amendment that tho question be referred* to the Standing Committee for further enquiry, but this was lost, and Captsin Suiter's motion carried, by five votes to four. EXTRA LABOB. Somo conversation took place on the considerable aimis paid for 'extra labor," The chairman said nothing could bo moro unsatisfactory. This month tho "extra labor' account was £23, of which £15 was for getting tho Titan on the slip. The engineer was asked how that was, and explained that Mr Croll gave notice of his coming and that he must see the tug on tho slip. Three attempts were made to get her up, the 'wo first failing on account of a nor'-wester reducing tho tide by nine or ten inches. Mr Teschemaker blamed tho harbormaster for trying to pet the boat up on an unsuitable tide, but Captain Sutter pointed out that an tho lowness of tho tide wns due to the weather he could not bo blamed. the sup. Mr Gray drew attention to the waste, of power and labour m hauling vessels up the slip m the present fashion, which he considered both cumbersome and dangerous. He asked that the engineer report at next meeting whether tho hauling engine should be shifted. Mr Marchant said tho manner of hauling up vessels wa6 the cheapest that could be adopted when the slip was made, and when the surf boats were quito done with it would be well to Bhift the engine ; thero was plenty of room for it opposite the slip. In reply to a remark that the slip was not so successful a§ was anticipated, he said it was more successful. It was only designed to be a spring-tide slip, yet tho Titan could be got on it ID any ordinary tide, ACCOCNTS. Accounts amounting to £1627 5b 5d wero passed. Tho railway return of wharfage \ collected during tho four weeks ended Marou 31st wa3 £538 — an average amount. TUB NBW TCQ. The secretary read copies of letters sent to Mr Darling (constructor to the Union Company) at Home, asking him to obtain tenders for, and supervise the construction of, a new tug, the broad lines of the specification for which wero given. It was resolved to transmit to London through the Bank of New Zealand, £5000, for Mr Darling to draw uron m connection with the contract ; tho balance to bo sent later. The board then rose, at 11 30 p.m.