TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 3130, 9 December 1899, Page 4

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

—^- — ■ A special meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board was held yesterday. Present : —Messrs Evans (chairman), Skinner, Thew, King, I'; ingle, Fraser, Guinness, Manchester, Lyoll. The chairman said the meeting had been called lo go on with the business after the poll. The verdict of the people had been very much m favour of the loan proposal?. The result was 2065 for and 754 against, n majority of 1311, a very satisfactory result. The next thing was lo go on as fast as posBible. The preliminaries would take a much longer time than they had anticipated— a "good many months. There were rails aud sleepers to procure, and another crane, ani ?i weigh bridge. There were some diiliou'ties about getting everything arranged for tlie tramwayliue with the Borough Council, and he had arranged to ia»wt a committee of the Council that evening with Mr Dobßon, to discuss the matter with them. The Borough Council was anxicus to help them all they could, but there waß a difficulty m getting the line m a proper position. If they had to go down Saltwater Creek they would have to make a costly sub-way, and would have to buy landi from different people along the valley. The route would be much leveller, but bo much more expensive. as to be prohibitive. The difficulty about the Town Belt route was a 16ft or 18ft cutting m the deepost pjrt opposite the cemetery, and it had been arranged to meet the Council to discuss the matter, and the Board could do nothing until that had been done. Mr Dobson was called m, and he read the following notes on two alterintive lines : - "Otipua Road— The main objection to this route is the cutting on the South Town Belt opposite the Cemetery, but this particular road is little uaed being down m grass for its greater part and unformed except m front of the Cemetery, the traffic lo which m a few years will be minimised. The line at present surveyed is about the middle of the road m order that curves may be done away with, thus enabling the locomotive driver to have a clear view down the hill, which is arj important point when grades are ateep, but the line can be kept close to the Domain fence, thus leaving the centre of the road clear by putting m curves at the top and bottom of cutting. This alteration would slightly lessen the depth. It is possible to take the line through the Domain and cross the road leading to the Cemetery, by a level crossing, thus avoiding the proposed overhead bridge, but this I do not recommend as the iine is on a curve with a Bteep grade, and m case of a vehicle being on the crossing the driver would be unable to pull up or avoid an accident with the possible heavy compensation, and the saving m earthwork as compared with going up the South Belt is trifling. "Saltwater Creek— This route iB expensive compared with that via Otipua Road owing to the amounfc-of land to be purchased, approximately 40ai:ves30 chains of embankment across the Otipua Lagoon, which would have to be lightly pitched to prevent the wash destroying the bank iv windy southerly weather, and m consequence of there being insufficient clearance under the present railway bridge an expensive concrete sub-way would have to be built, the cost of which would be particularly heavy owing to the bottom being below water level and the consequent trouble m keeping the excavation clear of water during construction. Thrt c bridges would be required to carry the line over the Otipua Creek, one of them about 180 ft m length. The Otipua lagcon would require to be kept low by a culvert through to the sea. to prevent the water being backed up m rainy weather and flooding the line. This line is 1 mile and 10 chains longer than that via Otipua ro?d, and although it traverses level country, thus enabling heavier loads to be drawn, I do not recommend it on account of the difficulty which would always be experienced m preventing the flooding of the line and sub-way at the Otipua lagoon, and the largely increased cost owing to the bridges, extra mileage, and expensive work at the lagoon and railway bridge." The secretary read quotations received from Home for mils and fastenings, and an offer from the Government to get them for .the. Board from the Public Works contractors and the latter being much cheaper H was resolved to request the Government to procure the material, the order to be cabled. The chairman stated that the Government had offered to 3upply silver pine Bleepers at a cheaper rate than thry could be got otherwise, and it waa resolved that the offer be accepted. Mr Manchester voted against these proposal?. The chairman was authorised to make enquiries about second-hand weighbridges m the colony. The chairman stated that the crane purchased at Greymouth had arrived and had been landed m pieces. There was a guarantee that no part should be missing. One wheel was broken, and the seller would have to repair that.— lt was'agreed that the crane should be put together. At a later stage it was decided to ask Mr Maxwell how many cranes will be wanted for the quarry. The chairman said they had 14 at Westport. Regarding raising the loan the chairman said it would be better to leave that over until other matters were fixed up, as they had enough money to go on with and it would be many months before the first truck of stone could be put down. Mr Fraser suggested that the formation of the line could be gone on with, and then it would not take long to lay sleepers and rails. The chairm»r 19 Id they could do that when they nad got the Borough Council's permission to make the cutting. It waß resolved to a9k Mr Maxwell for the sizes of timbers required for the extension staging so that they can be sent for ; and also, as soon as the route is fixed, to prepare specifications for a contract for the tramline. In connection with the last subject Mr Pringle asked if Mr Dobson could not do that as he had all the information necessary, and this led to a discussion, Mr Manchester inquiring when Mr Dobson was appointed and on what terms. He asked for the minutes of the appointment. The secretary read some correspondence and explained that Mr Dobson had been employed at Mr Maxwell's request to make a survey of the tram-line and he had been engaged on this and the preparation of plans necessary to be supplied to local bodies, and he had also, on the chairman's authority, made the firs t complete survey of the Board's property, connecting it with the Borough suive\ Mr Dobson was receiving £5 p:r week, for no fixed period. Reverting to the subject of cranes, Mr Manchester asked why they wanted more cranea now. Some time ago they only wanted one, and discuseed whether they would buy a second-hand one or order one from Home, and it tvas decided to buy the second-hand onr. The chairman said that they would require a second large crane and a lot of small ones. The secretary pointed out that the subway beneath the railway should be made as soon as possible, if the Town Belt line was adopted, and the chairman said they must wait the .Borough Council's consent. It was resolved to accept the Government's offer to make 12 side-trip trucks (as well as six end-tips already ordered) as the head of the workshops said they can be made move conveniently m one lo'. It was agreed that further inquiries be made for a suitable second handlccomotive. Mr Maxwell recommended that the conti actor should provide his own locomotive, but the chairman pointed out that this might involve six months delay. A letter was read from Mr J. Wiison, representative of the Mackenzie County, resigning his seat on the Board. Mr Fraser Bald it was a pity that Mr Wilson did not see his way to fall m with the verdict of the district. Mr Thew said that practically the ratepayers had passed a vote of want of confidence m him. He moved that the resignation be accepted with regret, and tbatßteps betaken to fill the vacancy. Mr Manchester coincided m the expression of regret. At the same time, if he had been m Mr Wilson's position himself, he would have done the same thing. It waa the only honourable course. A man with any backbone at all was not likely to adapt himself to opinions contrary to his own. lie regretted Mr Wilson's absence from the Board, but he would have done the same thing m his place. The Board rose at 12.15 p.m.