TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD,

Timaru Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 5195, 16 July 1891, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD,

'Iho monthly mooting of tho Timaru Harbour Board was bold yestordiy. Present : Mr E. Acton (chairman), Captuin Woollcombe, Messrs J. Hill, O. Stumbles, IT. B. Sflatmnn, J. Talbot, J. Manchester, J. Wilson, I. L. Morris, and J. 8. Gibson. COEBBSFONDENOE. A letter was received from Messrs Hay' and Pfatlethwaitb, solicitors, demanding payment of £2 163 on behalf of A. Soager, n late employee, as a woek'a wsgos m liau of notice — Tho chairman made an explanation and the letter was " recoived." From Messrs Qracie and Maclean, cnvoring account sales uf p.p. Titan, and cbequo for £196 183 2d, tho net proceeds of tho sale. Krom Messrs McEwcn, Sydnoy (for a client), and from Mr Dobson C.E., Warrnarabool, inquiring whethor tho board had a lar^o erano for sale. An advertisement wus also 1 read, inviting offers of a 35 ton crano, for Wuollongong, New South Wules.— lho letters are referred to m the standing committee's report; and it was decided to reply to the advertisement. Mr Jacobsen, C.8., wrote further respecting his claims for commission on his original pIaDS for the harbour, tho board having " used his brains." — Claim cannot be recognised. The Commisaioner of Trade and Customs wrote that tbe tariff, properly read, required duty to ba paid nn harbour dredging machinery' imported, and no refund could therefore be made of duty alroady pad. THB BAIiBOUB BATE. A discussion took pluea on tha determination of the Levels Eoad Board to defer payment of th" moiety of harbour rate. Mr FJatinan protested, etrougly against any locr.l body puttiug off payment of tha rate while others puid promptly. Mr Talboc rirow cittention to tho roundabout nature of tho proceeding]: j tho dof nulling ra:id board could only b.> pot lit through the County Council, TIIO secretary stated the money was wanted to send Homo m September, and ehould bo m duiiug August at latest. Jhu Levels Koad Board and Arowbenua Town Board wero the only bodies which had not puid Iho instaluioiiti It wa3 resolved on the motion of Messrs Morris and Gibson that notice be sent to tho Geruldine Council ih-it £385 2s Oil the contributions duo from the boards abort) named, due on Juno lßt, remain unpnid, and that unless tho amount wcro paid by tho 3lst innt., steps would be taken to enforce payment. In a further diaoussion Mr Flatman proposed an amondment of the Act fixing a penalty for delay m payment, but other members said the payments would bo made promptly m future whon the thing became properly understood. THE SHINGLK QUESTION-. A resolution wus roceived from the Levels Eoad Board, passed the previous doy, that •■•hoy viowod the action of tho board re shifting ahinglo with foar as to tho groat expense, und that tho board should take the vote of the ratepayers beforo going into so large an expenseThe chairman supposed the letter would bo received and its roceipt acknowledged. Mr Flatman would let thorn know that what they wore doing was only an experituecit.

Tho chairman : And lot thorn know that Rt present we are not ootering into any gfeat expenditure. Mr Gib.ion thought it a question whether they should deal with such a communication from a local body mso off hand a way. The secrotary should write and let them know that the board wero only trying an experiment to see if they could make any improsaion on the Bhingle. Objectors were only standing m their own light. Wo calculation could be madu of the shingle to be dealt with, for somo weeks 10,000 tons might oomo up, and other weeks none at all. The policy of holding off until thoy were obliged to commence would be a bad policy. By this exporimont thoy would' bo m a position to see whether thoy could romovo it or whether thoy would havo to adopt another course, — of elopping it- Tho public should understand that it was not pigheadednoss, or m defiance of tho community, that tbo board wero going on with this experiment j they wora only poing to try whether they could deal with the s'hinglo m this waj- If thoy could not, then thoy must try some othor way. The Boorotafy should ncknowledgo roceipt of tho letter and utato tho board's roasoua.

Mr Manchester wab pleased whoa ho saw m tho newspaper that n local body had shown bo much interest m tho miitl.or. Ho did not ineun to admit that they were correct, but ho was (»lod I" aeo tlinra taking im inten.«t m it, and wisbod all tho local liodicß thi'ougbout tho harbour district would do 00, Then they might perh»pa obtniu tho informntioQ whioh the members of tho Harbour .Board nlone ot presont possessed. Ho felt sure tho board wore now on the right ooursu, tho difficulty was n oonBidorablo oho and must bo doaU with. It would be impropor to do anything which might bo eonsidorod a snub to o local body, and he would like a reeolutioh aoknowlodgiog tho interest shown by tho Levels Boad Board. At the same tirno if that board had the same information, and the «amo seDBo of responsibility bb the Harbour Board, thoy would take tho eamo courao. With respect to npipeuling to l.ho rotnpayers there wbb {mining m that, as the ratepayers hud Sol tho information that the Harbour Board possessed. Ho would fuvour a resolution tuunking the Lovelo Board for thojr cominunioation and assuring them that this board intended to proceed m tho best interests of the community- , . „ , , Mr Hill fancjod they feared tho board wo 9 Koing to purchase n Wolman drodge ot £15,000, and it Rave eomo oolour to that idoft that, the engineer was instructed to go down couth to inapocit one at work. Thn cliairnian fnared the membera of tho Lovoln Jtoad Board did not t"ko tho trouble fi» privuto citi/.ons nnd ratepayora to muko tjipmßolvea ucquaintod with tho meritß nnd dpinorits qt tljo nuoßtioh, arid if thoy would not d'J I.Jjafc they would not acquire tho infurmotion ut tho Lotclb Boat] Board Oflico. Ho j would liko to sue tho loading men m tUo dis-

trict taking ouch an interest m tho (natter as to got themselves posted up, when they would find that if the oourae the board was taking mis not inevitable, tho only ono that could bo pursuod, it was the most cautious, as feeling their way. As to the road board's resolution he did not feel any great reepoet for the opinion of tho Boad Board, as such, but for the opinion of the members as private persons he had a great respeot. They oould not acquire much information m the Hoad Board office. Mr Hill : They see the reports m the papera. The chairman : Aod they forget them. Those who proposed and passed this resolution have evidently neglected nil that tboy had previously learned, or they would not have passed it. Mr Flatman agreed with Mr Hill, that their action was certainly coloured by what had passed with Mr Weltnan. The chairman : It ought to be evident to every reasonable man Mint the board are proceeding m tho moßt oautious manner we can m tho direction of the busineßß we have undertaken, and instead of being treated to eipr?Bsions of » disparaging nature we ought to have our merits distinctly reoogniaed. (Laughter.) Mr Gibson thought the board Bhould not be above criticism, or too thin-skinned. Everyone had aright, to his opinion, however ridiouloua, and it was simply a question who could convince the majority. , He would treat outsiders with tho greatest courtesy arid give them tbe largest field for oriticism. He would move : — " That m answer to the resolution of the Levels Boad Board, re removal of shingle, this board beg to inform them that wo havo no intention of incurring any largo expenditure m tostiDg the removul, but deem it necessary, under the arlvice of I heir enginoers, to make suoh experiment to test t"e posei bility of removal, and also consider it unwise to wait to the last moment boforo taking such steos." Mr Manchester eficonrled tbia. Mr Ktumbles Faid thero was a differeoco m public opinion, and tho Levolo Road Board seemed to believo thero were cheaper ways of checking tho shingle than the one now to bo taken. Mr Flatman took it that the eiporimcnt would be valuable m tho future. The chairman : Immensely valuable ; the praolical experienoa will bo of the greatest value. Tho motion wks carried. THE GEOBQE STREET SEWRR. A letter whs received from tho Town Clerk, covering a resolution of tha Borough Council rospectfully asking tho board to extend the Georgo Street Bower through their property to the sea. The chairman said that so fur as he was aware there was no legal obligation on the board to do thiß. Tho seoretary had looked up some information on the Bubjsrt. The secretary stated that when the borough was incorporated certMn rights were vested m it, nraonz Ihsni the right of extending nil sowers through Government land to the sea, and when th« foroshoro was banded over to tho Harbour Board thiß right of tho borough was proßorved. Counsel'n opinion hud been given that the sewerß must be constructed of proper materials, nnd so that, the Harbour Board could build over thorn if necessary, m using the surface of the land, without any danger of collapse from weakness of structure.

'The chairman supposed eomn members might hold that the board should not take the strictly legal view of the matter • on the other hand ho was not snro that tbo board had any right to expend its revenue for any Buch purpeßO as that, even if it wished to do so.

Mr Tolbot did not think'the borough bad any moral claim. Though the mating of the breakwater had backed up the shingle and made extending the sswer necessary, the breakwater bad made Timaru, bo that thore was no moral claim.

Mr Hill denied that Iho breakwater had done nny great thingo for Timaru, but it oorlninly bad for the oountry, by enabling tho settlers to got nway tlieir produco cheaply. JTo thought, tha hoard morally bound to ex' toncl tho eewor. TCvery owner of property m tho borough had paid half the coat of any sewer thsough his land, and common law compolled everyone to preserve watercourses. It, was an unfair ctause m the Harbour Board that enabled thorn to get out of it. The coat of tho work would be a more bagatelle to the board, but it would be ti serious thing for the borough Tbo Council obtained an opinion from Mr Joynfr, and he said tho Harbour Board could be made to extend the sewer. Judga Connolly was then referred to and he toot the other view. He also said no damagn oould be olnimed for by the Council. Thnt would apply to the Ninety Mile Beanb, which the Board wa> proposing to spend money to protect- On the same principle they culd not do less than extend the sowor. Mr Gibson eaid that as a member of the Borough- Council ho would like to poo the board do the work, but the question of legality had been eloarly dooided agninst them The moral aspect did not como m ; no private individual would accept a great responsibility for a work m which he waa notinterostod, unless he was legally coinpollod to do so- He sympathised with tho Borough Oounoil but could not see his way to support their request. The Acb projected the board from all liability for damage done from tho accumulation of shingle, both north and south. It was resolved on tho motion of Mflssra Talbot and Flatman, Mr Hill dissenting, that tho request of the Borough Council could not ba entertained. THE B&ILWAY EA.TBB. A copy of a petition to bo presented to Parliament by the Oamaru Harbour Board was recflirod, m protest against the action of tho Bailway Commifsion»rs m ndoptine special rates with a view of cutting down tho coastal trnde, as a result of which tho Oamaru board's revnnuo had suffered to tho extent of £1600 or £1700 a year. TIHb board was asked to support tho petition. In a discussion which took place it was stated that the Onmo.ru board wore the worso treated, us their harbour wasm!\de fo provide an outlot for produco before tho railway was made, and even yet there wore several Government nominees on the board Mr Gibson moved and Mr Morris seconded —"That the cbijirmnn be requested to write to the chairman of the Oamaru Board no knowledging the reeoiptof their notition. This board consider the Oamaru board Irvvo a strong case ngainsfc the railway commissioners, but our ense differing m many points from thoirs this board is unable to join m their petition, but, will rrquoßt our local representative m Parliament to kindly render any assistance i.hoy may doem nceoflsary, more ospooially m protesting against compelling harbour boards h> land all railway material including ooul for consumption on railways froo of charge." Mr Manohontor was not, prepared to protest against any lowering of rates on tho railways, and it waa nbcurd to epouk oF it,, as n mombnr hud done, 119 " monstrous." Tim chairman anid it yn\n inonntroui to i'O' duco tho vatoi to n Uguro Unit would not pay, and ono way only. Mr Morris wub euro it was done m tho interests of a few Ohrislohureh morohantsonly, and not for tbo benefit of tho railways. Mr Talbot said the low rates were not doing the dißtriot mucli (*ood, as Mr Manchester siipposod, m they wore reduced only one way. Producn wa» not got away any choapor, Mr Gibson mentioned that Oamaru woollen manufacturers had to pay 42s to Dunodin, Dunedin manufacturers only 12s to Oamaru. Tho resolution waa carriod, Mr Manchneter dissenting, KNOINBEIt'S BKPOnT. Mr F. W. Maruhant, 0.E.. reportod as follows : — " Shinglo shifting plant. — Thn ohinglo hoppor will bo finished m about 10 days. Tlio sluicing pump is m couroo nf erection and the crano is being overhauled. I purpose pul tine tho Taniwhu on tho Blip for overhaul and repairs m 2 or 3 wroks, so that if tho pump is dolivored about tho timo stntod by tho ooutraotor, I hope to mako a Btart with tho experimont of shifting Iho shinglo about this middle of yoplember ut the latest. If Iho board conoonts, I purpoan organising the staff bo that wo con work 12 bourn a day, so as to boo the best duty wo can got out of our oxisting plant. " Doponit, of Bpoil on beach. — I do not think nny harm has been dono by such doposit hitherto } certainly m n heavy nlorm tho sea may wash a littlo of it away. As tho spoil is of no sorvioe or valno to tho board, and probubly would not bo bo for muDy

yeara, and as it converts the beach into a dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish m a Idilion. 1 think the practice may as well be discontinued. "Dredging. — Wo received a new Btone grab from Messrs Prießtman, delivered to an order sent some months ago. Tho specification for it was very fully set out and it wob required to be strong enough tq lift stones of from 1 to 4 tons m weight. The teeth are so weak that they break with stones of leas than halfton weight. It is thus useless for tho purposes for whioh it was ordered. I think we 1 ahould claim a new Bet of proper teeth from Mesora Priestman, and £15 rebate to compensate for the coßt of fitting them- We have had a good many disappointments from time to time over dredging appliances, and I therefore think it will be better to keap our work as much ub possible m the colony- We have 2 grabs at present requiring repair. I recommend therefore that tenders be invited for the work m terms of the specification I have drawn up for the purpose. " Slipway; — Nearly all the ironbark for this work has bow beoti delivered. Wo hope to have the work of strengthening and enlarging completed m about three or four week? after the Taniwha's overhaul has been comploted." It was decided to make the claim against Priestman Bros., and to invite tenders for repairing grab;. STANDING COMMITTEE'S KBPOHT. The Standing Committee reported as follows: — " The Committee have under consideration the quostion of insuring the ps. Mono, and have made enquiries bb to the practice of other Boards m New Zealand m the matter of insuranoe on tugs, at.d aro obtaining q»o* tations for insuring the boat for part of her value for ordinary towing work, and for work of a special kind; including salvage. They therefore ask for further timo m which to report. Tenders wero invited for providing a steam pump with hose and attachments m connection with tho trial of tho Priestman's crano for Bbinjjle removal as ordered by the board, nnd tho tsndor of Mr W. R. florder, viz.. £163, delivery to bo mndo within two months, was accepted. The visit of Mr Murchant to inspect the Welman pump dredge at Wuikawa has been pjstponcd till next month. Tho committee ure also making euquiries with reference to other plant with a'viaw to reporting further at a later date Tho committee have to roport tho sale of tho p». Titan for lho sum of £210 ; and that they ha'e placed the crane Hercules under offer at a prioo f.o b." Tho report was adopted. ACCOUNT 3. It was decided to place £300 to the wharf ronavral fund. The wharfage return for four weeka ended 23rd May wbb £6i6 3s 6d. The secretary Btated that the wharfage receipts for lho first six months of this year were £3704 10s 9d, just 8s 3d moro than for tho first six months last your But for tho harvest having been deficient thore would have been a largo increase. Accounts amounting to £775 12a 2d were passed for payment. The board then rose.