TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13991, 28 August 1909, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

♦ MONTHLY MEETING.The monthly .meeting of the Timaru Ilaroour i>i»;tid : was nek! yesterday. I'rvsL-nt -Messrs J. Craigio (chairman), T. D. Voting, !■'. J. Uuile&iuii, D. c Turnbull, C. N. Orbeil, C. k. htiek-iiUj-v'J. ' h.' Goodwin, C. H. Besley, \\. Hayinan, J. .Manchester, G. \i. Animate, u. Tkew, and R. Skinner. CHAIRMAN'S felAlKAii-Ai. The chairman said tiiat the debit balance alter paying the accounts at last meeting was £2301 l»s. There had been received since tiien, £1390 IDs 7d in sfiips' dues, etc., and £1990 16s (kl in wharfage (to July 26), a total of £3381 16s Id. Other receipts had been — From Mount Peel Road Board £lB-5 lis Bd, from Geraldine Road Board £336 0s lid. The accounts to he passed that dav totalled £1983 Jos id, and after paying these there would he a debit balance of £43:2 4s Kkl. It was gratifying to lind the local bodies named paying their contributions before they were duo, when they saw that the Board hatl a large overdraft. Since last meeting of the Board, Mr Burnett, chief engineer of New Zealand .Railways, liad come to Timaru to. inspect the work at the foot of the new wharf, and he had agreed to the live chain radius for railway lines as suggested by the Board in place of the six chain radius proposed by the Department. The engineer to the Lyttelton Harbour Board had visited Timaru with a view to purchasing some of the Board's quarry plant, but it appeared that the plant was heavier than what ihe Lyttelton Board required. The revaluation of the Timaru Harbour District showed that the valuations were now ir> to 10 l-3rd millions. . The special- committee set up to enquire into the proposal for a cart- wharf had made a recommendation as set- out in a special report. The Hon. J. A. Millar had been in Timaru on Saturday last, when he (the chairman) had brought this and other matters under his notice. The Minister had promised that a fog signal would be provided for the port.. The Minister had also promised, if' there was no obstacle in the way, to provide access between Hayes Street and the" street at the back of the goods shed. It' was very desirable that access should be given for the more convenient working of the stores belonging to the, Shaw Savill and Albion Company, and the National Mortgage and Agency Company. It now appeared that the Timaru Harbour Board had been included as a party in the quarry workers' dispute, ami according to the demands made, "t would mean that when working its quarries, the Board would have to give an increase -of 25 per cent, in wages.

THE HARBOURS' CONFERENCE. The Timaru Harbour Board had been instrumental in securing that the Harbours' Conference should be held before the next session of Parliament, and the Minister of Marine had promised that the Harbours Bill would be in circulation at the Conference. The Conference would be a very important one, as it would deal with legislation that would probably last tor 30 or 40 years. Tlie Timarn Board was particularly fortunate in the legislation under which it worked, and the greatest care should be taken to see that none of the privileges it enjoys are taken away from it. tie thought the Board should appoint delegates to attend , the Conference and its solicitor should also attend it. The Timaru Board had written to the Harbours' Association suggesting that Mr Ferguson, ex-secretary to the Wellington Harbour Board, should associate himself with the delegates at the forthcoming Conference, and other Boards agreed with this. The Harbours' Association advised that the Conference would open on September 21 and had forwarded a copy of the order paper. The chairman and Mr Manchester and the secretary were appointed as delegates to attend the Harbours Conference. —It was said that the expense of sending the solicitor to the Conference would be greater than the circumstances justified. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs J. Mill and Co. wrote accepting the Board's offer to renew their lease of the 20 perches section (No. 1 Hayes Street) from the Board at the present rate of £5 per annum. The secretary had written to the Minister f.-r Marine, giving proposals for alterations in the lights at this port, as suggested by the resident engineer after consultation with shipping matters. In reply, the Minister for Marine wrote that the nautical adviser to the Department was of opinion that tlie proposed double red light on the end of the eastern extension mole should not be sanctioned as it might be mistaken for a vessel not under command. No objection • was taken to the ether suggested lights. The town clerk, AYarrnambool, wrote thanking the secretary for his eourtesv in sending him complete and valuable information which would materially assist the corporation in coming to a decision on the important question of a local Harbour Board.

The port of Warrnambool is at present under State control.

The tecretary of the Gisborne Progressive League wrote enclosing a cutting from one of the local papers containing a statement by the chairman of the Harbour Board at a recent mi eting, and asking whether it was correct. This was about the depth of water in Timaru harbour. i

The secretary to the Timaru Board had written to the chairman of the Gisborne Harbour Board for an explanation. The latter now replied that the 17ft of water he had mentioned as being at the end of the wharf one night while next morning children were playing on a bed of shingle there, was not of recent date, and he had not said that it was.

The resident engineer advised that he thought ten weeks a fair extension of tune to give the contractor for the new wharf in which to carry out the extra work at the root of the wharf. —Approved. The chief postmaster at Timaru advised that a charge of £1 per annum was made for supplying the daily weather report. The secretary had replied that this must surely be a mistake as the report was displayed publicly for the benefit of masters visiting the port. For the benefit of the Department the Board went to the trouble each morning of supplying weather and other conditions at this port.—lt was agreed to pav the £l. The secretary had written to the Marine Department drawing attention to the need for a re-survey of the coast so as to hring the soundings and data up to date. The Department replied that it was not proposed to make any coastal survey at- the present time. It was said that according to the plans, the Timaru lighthouse is three miles out <>f position —away up the Waiiti round. It was considered that this should be rectified and the chairman was asked to do what he could in the matter. . The commander of the s.s. Otaki wrote suggesting the advisableness of

installing some system of fog signalling at this port.—The Minister for Marine had- promised to provide a fog signal here. The secretary had written to . the Canterbury' Employers' Association in .reference to the quarry workers' dispute'stating that the Timaru : Harbour Board claimed that its works were not for quarrying in the strict sense of the word, and that it did not work for a profit.. Further, the Hoard claimed to he exempt in view of the recent decision of the Commissioned in the general labourers', dispute. It was stated that there is to be a Conference in Christchureh to-night between the employers and employers between the employers and employees and the Conciliation Commissioner with a view to arriving at an amicable settlement, and Mr Skinner and the chairman suggested that the secretary should attend this Conference. —The seeretarv said that the Timaru Harbour Board and the Sumner Borough Council were tlie only local bodies cited. It was decided that- the secretary should attend the Conference. Tim Marine Department asked to be supplied with certain information for inclusion in the nautical almanac for 1910.—.Supplied. In reply to a request, the secretary had forwarded to the proprietor of the Stock Exchange Year Book,"London, statistical information which was asked ' for.

The West Coast Timber Trading Company, Christchureh, wrote asking what wharfage is charged inwards, on timber, and the cost of putting timber from the ships' slings on to railway trucks. Would the Board undertake to load trucks if desired to do so?

Tne secretary had sent replies to these queries, sending a copy of the wnarfage ehargos. A. copy c-f tlie .regulations, governing the proposed new slipway for fisher men was laid on the table. —These were approved, and it was decided that if the Board uses the slip it should pay on the same basis as the fishermen. FORESHORE SECTIONS. A committee recommended regarding an area of about an acre and a-half of the shingle reclamation opposite Mill Street, applied for by the Borough Council for a yard:—That the section be offered for lease by public ,tender, for a period of seven years, at the upset rental of £IOO, per year; the successful tenderer to be at the expense of levelling the section, and no valuation to be allowed at- the end of the term for any improvement. Your committee prefer the seven years period, but should the Board think it advisable to lease for ten years, then your committee recommend that the rental be £l5O per

year. j The chairman said he thought the / price had been made too high,. but the it-port was adopted. HARBulilt MASTER. The acting harbour-master, Captain ! Tait, reported the arrivals and departures for July, the former being 33 steamer, and 1 sailer, total 50,830 tons. The weather had been tine, with occasional ground swells. Soundings taken on the 23rd inst. iu and about the entrance and the outer channel, showed that the depths in the outer ciiannel remain the same as before, and in the entrance show an increase. The Blsie Evans had been put on the slip and overhauled, and ■ was then passed by the Government inspector for another 12 months. As instructed by the Board, he had selected an additional man for harbour master's staff, Mr W. Clausen. From August Ist to date, casual labour liad been employed, a total of 41 hours. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr F. W. Clarke, resident engineer, reported as follows: — New Wharf Contract, No. 1 A. —1 > beg to report that fair progress has been made during the month. Pile driving is completed for a distance of 90 feet from the shore making a total of 60 piles driven in place to date. The concrete retaining and wing walls are completed, also tne stone pitching on the sea face of the rubble wali. Another cargo of timber, consisting of 116 I piles and a quantity uf girders, etc., j is daily expected on the uaniel, winch J is now days out from New South \vaies.

stripping at Quarry.—Good progress is being made with tins work. Twelve men are at present employed there. slipway lor .Launches, etc. —The site is occupied at present oy some nslimg boats, mat are undergoing repairs, aim the owners have been notmed to remove them away by Monday, and then woi-k at tne sup win ue commenced. Tne, -slip mil be ready lor use early in October. Alteration of rlarbour Lights.—A plan showing the proposed alterations, etc., has been submitted to the .Mamie Department and it is expected that the matter will lie finally approved m the course ot a few days. uhen this is received quotations will be obtained tor installing the electric Deacon at the end of the jI.K. Mole, and it is mtenued that this new light and the altered light at the end of the concrete breakwater, shall come into operation on the ist Uecember, 1909. JJi-edgiug. —Uood' progress has been made «itn the dredging operations, suice last report. Tne weatuer conditions have been favourable for dredging l.i tne outside channel and 28,uuu luiio have been Jilted there and i/ouu truiu tne nor to siue of tile Aioody \thari. *• The Taniwha has been woncing at the Main and Moouy wnarves. a suii.u,,.!., oi tue dredging operations lrom J ui> J:lth to August 2lsi, lyua, is attacneu. oeneral. —>he Elsie Evans bus oeeii slipped tor tne Usual annual overhaul auu inspection. 'lne two surf boats used by dredge 300 as anchor boats were aiso put on tlie slip, cleaned and tarred. 'i nree lile buo.,s were placeu in suitable positions on the iSortn Mole.

.•some repairs have been made to the walings at tlie Main and Moody wharves, and portions of the decks have been cleaned as the traffic permitted. Ten (10) new fenders have been dressed readv tor use. STANDING COMMITTEE'S REPORT Your committee recommend the appointment of Mr W. Clausen to the Harbourmaster's staff, tlie appointment to date from the 2nd inst; and recommend the continuance of the weather report, at the cost indicated by the Postmaster; also that the action of the special committee bo approved. The action of the chairman re alteration of Rule 10 is approved, also the invitation to Mr W. Ferguson. In consequence of the Harbours Conference, your committee recommend that the next meetings be held on October Ist and 29th respectively, and that in futnre the annual revision of salaries and wages take place at the January meeting, and that the application of Mr Douerlas be held over until January next. 'lne report was adopted. WHARF hiiEuS. A special committee, after consideration of the subject, submitted these recommendations:—(l).—That representations be made to the Minister of Railways, urging the erection nf two, or more sheds, alongside the Main Wharf, to facilitate the handling of cargo; give opportunity for dealing thereat with town and other goods; and to avoid the haulage charge of one shilling per ton. (2). — That- the Minister of Railways be advised, that the Board will grant the-

land necessary for the sites for sheds; also that the Board will deck the wharf flush with . the < rails .opposite the sheds. Some discussion took place on this subject • and it' was agreed thafcnoilimg definite. c6ukl be done until the chief engineer' of; the New Zealand railways has reported, as the Minister promised he would, do. . . ~-■• TENDER.

Only one tender was received for the 'lease "of section No. 1 Hayes Street, tor a term of 21 years from February of next year. This tender was' from J. Mill and Co., at £IOO per -annum, and it was accepted. In the past-, Mill and Co. had paid £45 a year for this section. DEPL'H OF WATER. Mr Young drew attention to the necessity for a definite statement as to the' depth of water in the harbour. At present the report of the resident engineer and that of the harbour master, differed -as to what the depths actually are in the harbour and the entrance. It was decided to get a reliable statement- as suggested. HARBOUR BOARD PROPERTY. Mr S T oung asked what position the Harbour Board would be in supposing the Railway Department said it intended to take some of the Board's land. He thought ■ the -Railway should pay full value for any land it wanted, and he understood that the Premier had promised this would be done. The chairman said that in other places the Railway paid for reelaimel land which it took, at the sum which it cost the Harbour Board to reclaim it. The Premier had stated two ( r three years ago that any more lan I taken from Harbour Boards would hi paid for at its commercial value. Mr Young: "Can they take our. prnr>ertv in spite of usf" The Chairman: "Oh, ye<i, they c-ii do so if they like, but it would b.-> most unfair."

ACCOUNTS. Account'! were passed for payment and the Board rose.