TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18629, 26 July 1930, Page 18

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting cf the Timaru Harbour Board was held yesterday. Present—Messrs G. T. Dawson (chairman), T. B. Garrick, W. Hayman, J. Kennedy, D. C. Turnbull, J McCort, E. R. Isaac, W. H. Orbell, A. F. Campbell, F. R. Flatman, W. T. Ritchie and A. R. Guild. Chairman's Statement. Reviewing the financial position, the chairman said that the credit balance at last meeting was £3210 f.s 6d. Receipts since then totalled £7,351 7s, the chief items being ships' clues £2617 17s 3d, wharfage £l9l 19s lid. and repayment of temporary deposit £3031 4s Id. Accounts to be passed that day totalled £10,318 3s Id. leaving a credit balance of £243 12s od, as compared with a corresponding credit last year of £2678 Is lid. The amount on temporary deposit at the Bank was £3OOO, making a total credit of £3243 12s sd, as against £9678 Is lid at the corresponding period last year.

Letter of Thanks. A letter was received from Mrs E. R. | Guinness thanking the Board for its j expression of sympathy on the death of her late husband. County Valuation. The Clerk to the Waimate County wrote stating that the capital value j of that portion of the County in the Harbour Board district was £4,567.968. The total capital value of exemptions was £34.729. Local Body Leases. The secretary to the Gisborne Harbour Board wrote asking for information regarding the r. port of a commission set up in 1919 to advise iegarding local body leases. The secretary stated that he had replied to the effect that no commission had reported to the Be ard on the matter. Information Sought. The Wanganui Harbour VJoara sought information regarding pilotage, berthage, wharfage, storage, harbourmaster's fees, port charges and harbour improvement rate. The secretary stated that he m d replied giving the information required. Radio Interference. The District Radio Inspector acknowledged a letter from the Board with reference to the experiments carried out by the Board in an effort to eliminate interference to radio reotpt-

ton. .. In connection with this matter, the Borough Electrical Engineer (Mr A E. Watkins) stated that the negative terminal of the rectifier on the wharf had been solidly earthed to the water service pipes, and he believed that had made a distinct improvement to 1 the noise complained of by owners of radio sets. However, he suggested that this noise could be further remedied bv earthing the negative pole at each of the winch motors to the water service mains running round the wharves. This would definitely anchor any stray current to the water service mains and tend to lead it back to the negative pole of the rectifier. The trouble, as far as he was able diagnose it, was due entirely to stray earth currents passing through various conductions in the ground, these acting as small aerials transmitting the pulsations from the rectifier tube. Should this not prove ! sufficient, it would then be necessary to fit reactors or choke coils to the supply side of the rectifier transformer. This would stop the pulsations from the rectifier tube from being

transmitted over our service lines, these service lines at the present moment. acting as transmitting aerials. Earthing the winch motors was not a very costly item, and would be quite safe to do. as he had had tests taken of the insulation of the motors, and this would stand up to the slight extra i stress put on the motors, due to earthing one side. Miniature Rifle Club. Mr W. S. Curr, writing on behalf of the promoters of a miniature rifle club at Glen-iti, asked the Board if it would be willing to grant space for the erection of a target and armour shed in the quarry behind the Glen-iti store. The chairman said that he had gone into the matter, and had given the promoters permission to use the land. Since then however, another site had been procured. Mr Ritchie said that the club did not now intend to use the Board's land. George Street Drain. The Borough Engineer (Mr T. Fox')

' writing in reference to the plan and specification of the proposed diversion of the George Street drain into tne inner, harbour via Hayes Street, said that no provision was made thereon j for the disposal of the discharge from the small six-inch sewer running parallel to the new drain. He suggested that the Board consider the advisability of diverting this sewerage into the new drain near the function of the new and old work. Reporting on this matter. the Board’s engineer said that he did not think the small amount of sewerage would be noticeable if allowed to discharge into the harbour. Some doubt was expressed regarding the Board's liability in connection with the pumping station, end it was decided, on the motion of Mr Ritchie, to secure a report as to the Board's liability in the matter, and also the attitude of the Health Department to the proposal. Tender Accepted. The tender of Messrs Watkins and Wallace, of Auckland, of £2406 18s for the supply and delivery of Australian hardwood timber was accepted. Cancer Fund. At the last meeting, a deputation waited on the Board with a request that the Board should make a donation of £25 to the Cancer Fund. After discussing the matter, the Board decided not to make a donation. The matter was again introduced yesterday by Mr A. R. Guild, who said that since last meeting he had

further considered the matter, and had come to the conclusion that the attitude he had taken up on that occasion was wrong. He asked mem* bers to reconsider the matter, and make the donation of £25. Mr McCort said that at the last meeting he had resented the attitude of the deputation, when they came along and framed the amount the Board should giv.e The matter appeared to him to be a national one, and the money should come out of the Consolidated Fund. However, if members were unanimous, he would fall into line.

Mi* Turnbull said that it had appeared to him that if the Board gave, it would tend to stop individual don, at ions, but at the same time he agreed with Mr Guild.

Mr Flatman said the disease wa r a serious one, and was a menace to the health of the community. Mr Guild moved that the Board rescind its previous decision and make a donation of £25. The motion was seconded by Mr Kennedy and carried unanimously.

Harbour Master’s Report, The haroou-i . sier (Captain D. McDougall) reported that the arrivals during the month of June were 32 steam vessels, with an aggregate of 45,473 tons, and the departures, 3i steam vessels with an aggregate oi 39 338 tons. The tonnage of vessels entering the port at the end of the present month will exceed the tonnage of any previous January to July period. The report was adopted.

Engineer’s Report. The Board’s Engineer (Mr F. W. Clarke) reported that the Dredge had continued operations in the Bay cut, which had been extended 210 feet since last meeting, making the total length of the cut 1,660 feet by 160 feet wide. The vessel was now wording in about 7 feet at low water, and he thought another 170 feet would complete this cut as far as it was advisable to go at present, as the end of the cut would be very close to the beach. The dredge would then icsume work in the channel extending same nearer the North Mole, and eventually connecting same with the Bay cut.” Since last report 37.000 tons of silt etc., had been removed. The stoppages were 2.V days on account of weather conditions, and one day coaling. Good progress was being made at the quarry and the rebuilding of the Mole The quantity of stone delivered to date was 41.000 tons, being 2.550 since last report. Stripping was well advanced for another shot The report was adopted.