Lyttelton Harbour Board.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7181, 4 June 1891, Page 3

Lyttelton Harbour Board.

An ordinary meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board was held at 2 p.m. yesterday ; present — Mr H. W. Peryman (Chairman), Messrs P. Cunningham, R. Westenra, J. B. Milsom, E. G. Wright, I. Gibbs, J. E. Thacker, F. Graham, Captain M'Clatchie and the Hon J. T. Peacock. chairman's statement. The Chairman made the following statement : — Since our last meeting the following sums have been paid into the Board's account :— Wharfage, £1650 15s sd ; pilotage and port charges for May, .£370 5s 3d ; towage, warps, &c, £476038 d; transfer from fixed deposit, .£3000; interest on fixed deposit, £210; total, £5707 Is 4d. The bank book shows that our credit balance today is £2812 7s4d,and we have, in addition, on fixed deposit, £14,325, making a total credit of £17,137 7s 4d. Accounts will be presented to-day for payment amounting to £1393 lla 6d. The Harbour Improvement Committee's report, No. 66, will be brought up for consideration to-day. You will notice that the Committee has left the question of widening the Screw Pile Jettyfor the full Board to decide. I received a letter from Mr Gaw, the Traffic Manager, on the subject, this morning. He points out the inconvenience caused to the railway, and great delay to the steamers by the insufficient accommodation on this jetty, more especially when two steamers are working, the wharf only being wide enough for three lines of rails. I need hardly spy that this iB the firßt official intimation the Harbour Board has had from the Railway Department on the subject. The question of extending the low-level breastwork came under the notice of the Harbour Improvement Committee when it was in Lyttelton on Monday last. Much inconvenience is at present experienced by the railway in working the present lowlevel breastwork, and its extension would greatly facilitate the discharge of the bay traders, and meet a much felt local requirement for a better cart access to the wharf used by vessels trading to the bays. Inspector Derbidge estimates the cost oi 120 ft, for labour and iron only (the Board using timber in stock, some of it being second-hand), at £356. This would give berthage space for two vessels of the abovementioned class. Plans would have to be Bent to Wellington should the Board

decide to do this wharf extension. Since our last meeting bur dynamo broke down, and I succeeded in purchasing an eightlight Giilcher dynamo for .£35. This enabled our electric light system to be maintained and our other dynamo to be repaired, and will keep the service going until our repaired machine is fixed in the new building. I will ask the Board to confirm my action in this matter. Further correspondence between the Board and tho Railway Commissioners in regard to the demurrage claim and scarcity of trucks is on the table. This correspondence has already appeared in the papers. The draft petition in regard to No. 5 ehed has been prepared by our solicitor who is in attendance. It will be necessary to pass a resolution appointing certain of the memburs of the Board to eign and seal the petition. Captain Clark applied for a mouth's leave of absence to enable him to visit Australia. I recommend that leave be grauted him.