HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13532, 29 February 1908, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Tiiutiru Harbour Board was held yesterday, all the members being present except .Mr Orbell, who was apologised for by the chairman, who mentioned that Mr Orbe.l spent the previous day at the Standing tomntittie. -Mr Skinner was absent from this last meeting on account, of indispunuon and the chairman welcomed him back to the Hoard. CHAIRMAX S STATKMEXT. The chaiuiian made a statement regarding the linanetts of the Board. There was a debit balance of £289 4s last month, and that day a credit balance of £425 Ids. \i-K- boat" sU'ps at the -Main Wharf had been liiiishcd and were a great improvement on the old ladder. TII2 concrete blocks at the end of the breakwater, outside the breastwork had been blasted, and the Taniwha was now picking them up. That would give deep water dose up to thv breast-woiK. Two estimates had be.ii received for lighting ilfj Moody Wharf by •electricity, but theie was some little difficulty about the poko. This matter had better be left , till the engineer arrived. Other matters mentioned that called for further remarks later on. MAIX WHARF.

The chairman reported that the railway engineers' department had made a muddle of the .replacing of the rails on the Main Wharf. The Board had asked for and were promised a 4-rail set; yet the rails were shifted and put down in a set of three. When spoken to about it the engineer said there was not room enough for four linos, the lamps being in the way. He therefore went to Christchurch and saw Mr Macandrcw, who consulted other engineers, and they said it could not be done. He (Mr Craigie) went on to Wellington to see the general manager, and would have gone to the Minister if necessary, bnt he received in Wellington ii telegram from Christchurch that the four lines could be laid if the lamps could be shifted a couple of feet. When the Member for Timaru and Minister for Public Works was in Timaru the other day, he took him down and showed him the bungle that had been made; the three lines that had been laid would have to be taken tip ::nd the work done over again The District Engineer was here a day or two ago, and showed how he wanted the old crane and the wharf lamps shifted. This would not mean a great- extien.ve and the four lines would be laid. The lamps were now being shifted. The changes would be a great- expense io the Department, and k had been a great- trouble to the Board; and he thought this action had been justified by the result.—(The chairman's action was approved). In shifting the vails on the Main Wharf many of the decking plank's were found to be in bad condition, and the staff was now at work replacing ths decayed ones. Mr Chisholm protested against the manner in which these repairs were being done.; planks were being taken out and 8-inch planks, with a batten nailed on the edge, put down in their place. That sort of work was not worthy of a Board like this. The secretary explained that the only planks in stock were 8-inch, and these had been used with a batten for a while, and he then ordered 9-inch. The repairs weie however, only temporary, and the question of re-decking the whole must conii up when the new engineer arrived. DREDGING. Mr. R. R. Douglas, Dredgemaster, reported as folows : " During January we discharged 25 loads and io date this month 17 loads, making a total of 40 loads for this year, made up as follows: No. 1 Moorings, 17 loads; No. 2, 22 and No. 3, 1. On the 6th insfc. we blew our boilers down for cleaning and quarterly inspection, and found same in good condition. We "also took the opportunity of placing the new ladder hoist wire rope in position; also new sheaves for same; so far the new rope- is giving satisfaction. " I regret having to advise that it was found necessary to suspend dredging operations last Friday, as we discovered that the ladder was considerably out of line. On examination it was evident that we could not work with safety and would either have to proceed to Port Chalmers and have the ladder strengthened or attempt to do the work here. Tht former plan would have been very costly, and after due consideration the latter was adopted. We started the work on Friday and on Saturday night succeeded in getting the twist out, ;t somewhat awkward job. The means adopted were powerful screws, assisted by making the plates red hot. By this means the end of the ladder was brought into line,, a distance of 7 inches. I would mention here that the ladder is not stayed sufficiently to stand the rough ground we have to deal with, and we are now busy putting in extra stays, and expect to resume dredging on Thursday." "As we have about fifty feet (50) to clean up ahead of our cut at Main Wharf, and as the ground is very rough, it will take ns a week to finish our present cut. We only have twelve feet (12) of water on our port side aft, and as we are dredging to thirty feet (30) at L.W., our cut is consequently 18 feet deep." "In conclusion. I might state that the work we have- done to the ladder was imperative in order to cope with the work required." From January 20th to February 22nd the hours worked were 28-1, at .dredging 112: tons lifted 26.000, average 231£ per hour.

The Taniwha. lifted 2033 tons, average 1-1.9 per hour. The chairman made some complimentary remarks mi the work done liy I lie dredgemaster in straightening llie dredge ladder, and the saving of some hundieds that a trip in Poll Chalmers would have cud. The dicdging returns had heen improved liy the recent alterations, an av::age of 231 per working hour li;cn attained so far this year, ami liie total spoil shifted since lot Januaiv was A' 6 \ir.uh. or 15.000 tons. Mr Kia-er reminded the Board that they h'd insti-if ted the dredgemast.r to work outside v. lietiever he could and keep ill" iutdde wink for rough weather. He had h en in town several days when the ivcalit r was line, and t,aw the (hedge at. work iusid-. If they did not, work outside whenr-wr ;!,.•-,- could. I hey would g. t the in.-id.- al! i'.ug mil i;;.-. and :].-i; ! hey would have no'hing !o do when t li-jy i-ohM not work outside.

Tin- chairman said that the sea, often looked smooth when there was too much swell on for the dredge to work safely. In reply to Mr Bowkcr. the secretary said the builders .leekoned the dredge could iift 310 or 350 tons per hour, but that was in Clyde mud, not Timaru clay. On the recommendation of the Standing Committee, the tender of the West-port Company for the supply of coal (.small) was accepted. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr Uillie.s, for tin: West port Coal Coy., forwarded signed lease of section 18, and cheque for £145 16s to meet cost of laying down tho siding to it. The Rakaia .School Committee sent a letter of thanks for courtesies on the occasion of their picnic. The BlutV Haibour Board inquired the rates of pay of carpenters and of their labourers employed by the Board. A reply hud been sent that the pay per hour for ordinary time and overtime, is foreman' l. s 6d—ls first-class carpenter Is 3d Is 63d, second-class Is ljd—ls sd, labourers Is—ls 3d. HARBOURMASTER, The harbourmaster reported the arrival of 33 steamers, aggregating 45,727 tons, in January. The weather during the month hud been generally fine with smooth seas. Tho usual soundings bad been taken during the month and results recorded. RESIDENT ENGINEER. The chairman stated that the Standing Committee spent thice hours the previous day considering twenty applications for the 2>ost of resident engineer, and they selected six, and these they placed in order of suitability. Tho Standing Committee presented a* list, of the applicants, with six names placed in order of preference. Mr Fraser said the Committee were unanimous in the selection of the man to be placed first, and also tho second and third, but were not unanimous as to which of the two latter should be second. After some remarks on the experience of these applicants, it was agreed that the question need not be settled if the first selection accepted the appointment. The application and two testimonials received from I<\ W. Clarke, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E. were then read. Mr Clarke is now engaged at Perth, W.A. He is 47, and married. The documents show that he was engaged for years in the Public Works Department of New South Wales, entering the drafting branch as a young man. He had experience in connection with surveys, levelling, preparation of plans and specifications for a variety of projects. As resident engineer at Newcastle he had carried out wharf work, training walls, and surveys, and was also engineer in charge of river entrance works at Cape Hawks and elsewhere. He wrote that he could take up the duties in a month. Mr Manchester remarked that he seemed to have had no open sea experience, and it was replied that none of the applicants had.

It. was unanimously resolved that the post ha ottered to Mr Clarke, and that a cab'e be .sent to him to that effect. CAROLINE BAY TEA ROOMS.

A good deal of discussion took place on the relations of the Hoard and the Borough Council in regard to the Caroline Bay tea looms.

Mr Fraser drew attention to the fact that the lease of the Bay tiny had given to the Borough Council required the latter to obtain the Board's sanction to any subletting, and that) sanction, given once for twelve mouth.i some years ago had nut liinee been applied for. The chairman explained that, the Council prepared' by-laws which contemplated sublettings ; the Board had approved of these, and the Council took it that that met the iequirements of the lea-se in that .respect.

Mr Fraser thought it did not. He had spoken of this matter before; he thought the Board's lights should be respected by The Council, and application made for sanction to sub-leases. ACCOUNTS.

Accounts amounting to £1403 Is 4d were passed for payment and the Board rose.