The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. 1892.

Timaru Herald, Volume LV, Issue 5516, 19 September 1892, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. 1892.

The Harbour Board arc again involved m the meshes of controversy, and their toils aro anchored, though not apparently so, to the interminable shingle question It is unquestionable tbat the opposition shown* to the proposal to procure a combined tug and dredge is to a very large extent founded npon the opposition to the proposal to shift the annual increment of shingle. It was from the neoessity for procuring a hopper barge- of greater 1 oarrying capacity than the Taniwha), to perform the shifting work, that tbe .idea of a combined tug and '•' dredge has been evolved, and the dislike of some people I for the idea of shingle shifting has been brought forward and attaohed to the idea of obtaining increased dredging power, which is needed whether the shingle be shifted or treated otherwise. It is plain that the present dredge cannot maintain the depth of the harbour, and if a more efficient one is to be procured it is alao plain that it the new dredge can be nsed also as a tug, an important financial advantage may be gained. These considerations are entirely independent of the shingle question. Ths objection of some members that no I tender should be accepted until the j Board has finally approved and accepted I tbe plans and specifications, would have a good deal more force, if tbe approval of the Board had any valne m such a [case. It is needless to say tbnt it would bave no value at all. It is quite right that the contract should be for a definite article on one side, for a definite sum on the otherr but the Board are no more qualified to express an opinion on the thousand and one details of tbe article, than any British shipbuilder to decide how the money to be paid him could be most conveniently raised. .The muddle that has arisen, m fact, haß been causedj'by the approval and acceptance of plans and specifications which wben submitted to shipbuilding authorities, proved to be imperfect. It would have been sufficient, and more satisfactory to all parties, for the Board to have directed their engineer, instead of preparing plans and estimates, to write a clear description of tbe work the new appliance was required to do, and have left it to those whose vocation it is to plan and construct the appliance required, the Board of course fixing the limit of cost. To insist npon having plans and specifications m euch a case is simply absurd. Our report of the Harbour Board's meeting states that balf a dozen copies of the specifications and plans of tbe combined tug. dredge bave been sent out, and 'we warrant the members of the board will carefully avoid displaying their ignorance, by declining to peruse tbe one or examine tbe other. The quotations received are very satistory indeed, assuming of course tbat an efficient tag and an efficient triple dredge would be obtained for tbe money, as the sale of the Mana would provide the larger portion of tbe cost, and m place of a costly vessel "eating her head off" m idleness, the board will possess a machine of daily usefulness.