TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13602, 23 May 1908, Page 7

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board met yesterday. Present:—Mwmh J. Craig* (chairman), i. Fraaer. R- Thew, .1. Skinner, C. Bowker T I). Young, J. Chishotm, •). Manchester. 0. N. Orbelt. C. H. Besley and F. H. Smith. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. M r yfl. months leave of absence as he contemplated taking a trip Home. ■ Mr Manchester moved that the leave ot absence be granted. He pointed one that it was likely to he of advantage to the Board for one or more of their members to visit the centres of commerce of the world. They could no doubt keep rheir eyes and ears open regarding matters affecting the Board and New -Zealand. —The motion wan carried. Mr Young remarked that. Mr Hayman was not making a good start. He.was going by the lonic and she was detained bv fire. ";.

"As Mr Hayman had, been a member of the committee on the- Harbours Bill, Mr Skinner was appointed in his place. SHIPPING CHARGES.

The Board held a special meeting to pass a by-law altering and amending No. 3A. by reducing the charges for the. use of hawsers, fenders and mooting*, to a maximum of £ls per trip. The necessary resolution was passednem. con. CHAIBMAK'S STATEMENT.

The chairman stated that the receipts since lastk meeting were £IOB7 Is from ships* due.**; no wharfage had come in during the period. The credit balance a.r last meeting was £1774 I4s 4d, matting £2861 15s 4d. The accounts to be passed wert* £1587 19» 4d. and a transfer of £l5O to the Taniwha and Elsie Evans insurance funds. The valuation of the

ititarry section by ilr Granger had been

received, but the survey bad not been completed yet. Tbnfe copies of the report on the trawling trials of the Nora Niven had been received, from the Hon. J. Anstey. the Member for Timaru and the Marine Department. Th 4 report wan very satisfactory; and„ the fishermen were getting good hauls of groper now. There had been a good deal of correspondence with the Railway Department regarding connections for Fraser Street, but the work was now in hand. The dredgemaster's report was satisfactory, the 26ft. cub remaining open. A consignment of 450 fathoms of chain had been received, which completed the dredge's requirements for the present. Mr Douglas proposed to take the dredge to dock early next month. The second engineer on the dredge, Mr Xoyes, had obtained leave of absence to enable him to go to sea

for the practical ocean experience-re- ' quired for the certificate-. He had exchanged place* with the chief engineer on the s.s. Ennerdale, who was giving satisfaction on the dredge. Some pins of the buckets were beginning to give way and «n order was being rent Home fop new and stronger ones. If a pair gave - way at once the bucket.* would slip to the bottom of the sea again. The- resident engineer and Mr Douglas would have a report and plan next month for utilising the Samson crane for heavy lifts, especially the top gear of the dredge. Otter.* had been invited and two received for lighting Moody Wharf with electricity, according to a plan and specification prepared by the resident engineer.! The Taniwha ought to go on the slip for her half yearly overhaul. The harbourmaster reported against removing the wreck buoy, aj» the bottom was not clear, and

if it were cleared the buoy was very usef'ut as a guide for making the harbour. The chairman drew attention to aome favourable comments on the harbour that had appeared in a Oisborne- paper. CORRESPONDENCE. The chairman of the Timaru Gas Company wrote disclaiming a!I liability for loss sustained by the Union S.S." Company through the faitur e of the Kitson oil fights on the Moody Wharf. The manager, Mr Courtis, arranged with theBoard's secretary, to do his best to keep the lamps in order, but without any responsibility, and he claimed thab all that could be done on a windy dark night was done so far as the company was concerned. It took three hours next morning to rectify damage to the lamps. The Company regretted that the lamps went niU, but they could not hold themselves in any way responsible.—The Board defided to inform the Union Company that they could not accept the liability, but regretted that the failure of the" lights occurred.

Mr I». O. Clark. Auckland, wrote that

has w;is going to establish shortly » drain-pipe and pottery works in Tiniarn. and lie inquired whether the Board would considerably reduce* the wharfage on such goods shipped away, a-* a meacti of assisting the industry ."—The Standing Committee recommended that the application be deferred and favourably considered if the volume of trade, when established, warranted it. Mr Gilbert Anderson wrote that he had opened in London as a. colonial produce agent, and having splendid offices at 6 Holburn Viaduct, he could give prominence to picture* of the improved harbour at. Timaru if the Board could send him some.—lt was agreed to .send some photographs*. Mr Ronayn* l , General Manager, approved of suggestions submitted by the Board's engineer for railway access to future sites. The scheme was » workable one. and he h.ut pleasure of approving of it. subject to n. separate agreement being entered into, and at; soon as this had been prepared and signed, the siding wmiTd be put in hand.

Several routine letters were read and deaU .iLECTRIC LIGHTING. : ' The resident engineer submitted n import on electric lighting for the Moody Wharf, and after discussing the relaMv«< merits of "flame-arc" and " enclosed-arc tights for the purpose, recommended an installation of five of the latter kind, of 1000 c.p. each, so arranged that Nos». 6. 4 and 5 could ,be lie singly, 1 and Z together, or all live together. The estimated cost of the installation was the same in both cases. £175 for the lamps and £45 for connection and meter house. The estimated cost of current and • trimming was £125 a year. The four Kitson lamps cost £162 to jnstal and 3d per hour each when in use. The offer of Scott Bros, to instal five flame arc lamp* for £l4O 16s 8d was accepted. Tin* secretaiy stated that the five Snsjg lamps on the Main Wharf cost £220 last year, but they were much more used than the Moody Wharf lights. Mr Manchester remarked that the electric light in Wellington was very disappointing. The chairman said ii was bad; but the municipaliiv were improving it. '* SHORTAGE OF TRUCKS.

The chairman stated that- there had been s«>me complaints about the shortage of trucks, and he tead several paragraphs from the newspapers* shipping reports concerning delays to steamers through shortage of trucks within the past few weeks. The harbour, he said, would be blamed for further delays, but they were not due to any fault of the Board. The Board should pasa a warm tesoluiion and forward it to the proper quarter.

Mr Young said it would not- be fair ti> blame the railway. In the last- case refcned to, .1 delay "to a collier, the railway yard wa» fall of trucks, loaded with coal "and timber. It- was_ impossible to discharge tin* stuff as fast as the ships could put it out. It would be unreasonable to blame the railway, when the trucks were there, but were loaded. The railway people were very reasonable. If they charged demurrage on every case it would be pretty expensive to some of their people. The secretary rematked that they heard of no complaints about shortage of trucks at the Bluff, and Timaru had the Minister of Railways as their Member. Mr Smith saw in the complaints proof that- they should have a cart wharf, and Mr Thew said they wanted receiving sheds.

Mr Young said these would be no use for coal.

The chairman suggested that ■ some special trucks for tipping coal would be useful.

A resolution was passed that the attention of the Minister of Railways be drawn to the shortage of trucks in April and Mav. HARBOUR MASTER. The harbour master reported the arrival of 27 vessefe, total 33,404 tons in April; fine weather and smooth seas. A* instructed he had lakvin sounding* over the wreck of the Lyttrhon and found from 15 feet to 21 feet" over the wreck. He stiJ! thought it would advisable to keep the buoy over the site of this wreck: The secretary wished the buoy could be got rid of. by clearing away the remnant* of the wreck.

The- chairman said it would cost a lot of money. The riba of the ves>el w«-rt-probablv sticking up. RESIDENT ENGINEER.

The resident engineer.Mr F: W. Clarke, reported as follows: *

" Proposed New Wharf.—The borings necejwary for ascertaining the naluiv ol the bottom of the new wharf site are nearly completed, and the other data required wifi be ready in a few days, so that the drawings now in hand will lie pushed on. and u is fully expected that the plan.*, specification and estimate wilt be ready for submission to the Board at the next monthly meeting, so itiai tenders for this important work v may l>rinvited earlv in Julv.

"Quarry Cranes.—During my visit to the quarry :et the end of April, i noticed that the covering.* on the cranes had become loose and damage and that the machinery was exposed to the weather. I have had this matter attended to and alt the cranes are now secuielv housed in.

" Filling and Levelling Sections 29 anfl 30.—After taking levels on these section to uncertain the quantity of falling, offers for the work were then invited, and Mr. Black having- submitted the lowest .price hit* offer \v;ii> accepted, and he is nowcurrying out the work. "Fra»«r Street Siding.—As the scheme that I submitted in plan Xo. J2l for affording complete siding accommodation to Fruier Street. lias been approved by tbt- Railway Department, a gang of tsix men are n> w employed carrying out portion of the work. so that, "raitwav facilities may be given to Section 18 now nndrr lease to the West port Coal Company.

"Installation of the Klectric Light on Mo. dy Wharf.-Plans, specification and estimate for this work are submitted under ;» separate report for tin- Board's decision. ;»tsi> two tenrfers for carrying the wnrk out.,

" Dredging.—-Dredge Xo. 350 has completed the 200 feet section along the Main Wharf frontage to an average depth of 7)0 feet at t.o.s. tides, and Ls nowworking 300 feet from the facv »f this wharf.

"Maintenance.— The usual minor repairs to wharves, etc.. have been carried out by the maintenance squad." Mr Bowker asked whether anything was to be done to assist the sea to till in the hole, made by removal of shingle for the- northern reclamation. Mr Barnes

talked of making a way for the .sea to wash through.—Mr Skinner suggested that the engineer should report. —Mr Young doubted whether anything useful could be done.—The chninnan recommended waiting to see what a winter storm would do, but Mr Skinner asked ior a report, and this was agreed to. THE DREDGES.

The dredgemaster, Mr K. R. Douglas, reported as follows: "1 have to advise that since effecting repairs to top tumbler we have discharged 15.000 tons as per detailed weekly sheets, from April 20th to May 16th, 1908. Our total output for Apiil'was nineteen loud* —19,000 tons, viz., 10.0C0 tons from outside and 9,000 from inside mooring. Average per dredging hour 241.5 ton*, of clay, sand, and boulders; average dredging time per load, 4hrs Bmin. loiai hours worked 210J, of which 86 weie spent in repairing the top tumbler. It is satisfactory to not« that the outer channel is maintaining the depth we are dredging, viz., 26 feet at L.W. As we expect to proceed to Port Chalm ::•• for docking on Monday, June lot, ± would suggest that, you allow the information 1 was asked to supply, re lengthening the .'adder, to stand over until we get into dock. As the " berm " that \» e leave alongside of the wharves is only about 12 leet wide, 1 would point outi that the material would gradually tall down inio the cut uiartu by J>redge No. 35.) and can be lirteci by the dredge by ploughing along the wiiarl. In conclusion 1 may Ttiy that everything is working well at piexMit."

A postscript stated that ihis week 7 loads ;690U tons; more had been iin-ii. 1 lie total lilted tins ye.ir to tiale mum 108 loads —58 inside. oO outside.

the laniwlia had lifted llou lons of clay and sifi, averaging IUJ ton* j>er hour, ami had spent Hours attending 10 dredge 350 and the haibourn.asier.

.Mr Cbishoiui thought it was time the Taniwha was put out of commission, as tier diedging capacity seemed very small, and the dredgema.se/er said it was not necessary to employ the Taniwha t*> cut away the "" berm," as this would lull down and 350. could pick it- up.

Mr Orbell .said the i'amwha was needed for other purposes, and the secretary said she must he kept for laying moorings jur dredge 550, and laying oilier moorings, taking ballast- from ships, etc. In reply to a question lie stated that lier full cost was about £7OO a year, but charging other departments for work done for them she cost last year as a ureuge &0&0. Her captain must be retained as » third jiilot it the dredge was laid up. The diedgemaster s ieporb was adopted, and further time allowed for reporting 011 the lengthening of the ladder. TENDERS. The tender of J. J. Niven and Co. was accepted for supply of oils, and thar 01 K. Haiton for loundrv work. A R ESIUX ATION.—DECLIN ED. The chairman read- a note just banded to him by Mr Fraser, tendering his lesignabion, on the ground of failing health, and wished .the Board in his farewell, continued prosperity. Mr Craigie said every member of tiie Board was grieved by the cause of Mr Fraser's writing such a note, but he was csuie that every member agreed with him in asking Mr Fraser to reconsider it, to bold ot over, and sit at all events til! next meeting. Mr Thi-w suggested that Mr Fraser should apply for three mouths leave of absence. -Mr Skinner regretted very much to hear that Mr Fraser wished to resign. 'lhey can.* to the Board together twelve years ago. and had been there together " ever since. He hoped the Board would act upon Mr Thews suggestion.

Mr Orbell concurred. Mr Fraser's experience made him one of the most useful members 011 the Board, the most useful in fact. If lie would accept- three month* leave of absence, he might l>e better with tiie return of .spring, and perhaps in the meantime would be able to attend if any special occasion required the aid of his experience..

Mr Bowker added his regrets and his appreciation of Mr F. Fraser's services. The chairman endorsed both regrets and appreications, and said he was sure Mr Fraser's constituents would prefer that he should retain his seat.

.Mr. Fi-aser said the reception of his not* by the meeting placed him in a difliciilty. " He would like to continue a member but he felt unable to perform theduties of a member, therefore it was his duty to resign. He thanked the Board for their very kind remarks, but he had not b.-en giviug satisfaction to himself, and he had » duty to his constituents which he felt unequal to. Country niembeis should take their share of committee work, for two reasons; to avoid giving too much work to the town members, and to avoid giving them too much power. His complaint he feared was not likely to get better, ami he would not have come in t«f-day but that he wanted to thank the members 1 for the kindne>s and courtesy they had always shown him. His constituents might not- be satisfied to be represented by an invalid. They returned him first, against one of the strongest ni:*n in the district, and five times since unopposed, and on their account he came quite* prepared to adhere to his resolution to resign. The generous remarks of the Hoard had however affected him more than he had thought possible, and placed him in an awkward position. He was grateful to them, but still felt that his duty to his constituent* required his resignation. Any advice that he might be able to give would be- :us cheerfully given afterwards.

The chairman said that Mr. Eraser's constituents would be better pleased if

the Board declined to accept his resignation. Mr. Orbell .«aid the country members would rather Mr. Fraser retained his Beat. If lie could attend only two or throe tim?s in tlii' nexi .->ix nn.nths lie could do more good than any new man could do. Mr. Fraser then accepted the chairman's suggestion that he should hold over his resignation for a month'at all events. The chairman mentioned that Mr. Chisholni had raised the question whether he was entitled to retain ills seat, as he had left the district for which he was elected. Mr. Kinnerney had been apjwaled to, and he- advised that Mr. Chksholm was entitled, the Act containing no provision forfeiting a" seat for such a. cause. The Board rose at 12.30 p.m.