HARBOUR BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11949, 7 March 1917, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD.

«. LYTTELTON. The Lyttelton Harbour Board met .o-day; present— Messrs J. Miller (chairman) A. Kayo. 11. Friodlander, •J. j. Dougall, F. Ho reel I. -J. Stony. J. j. Graham. T. I), Boag, ll - iL y P iel ' 5 . J. Allison. G. Scott, 11. V. Nicoil. tlio Hon K. Moore and Dr Thacker. A motion was passed congratulating Sir James Allen and Sir John Dennision on their knighthood.

The board placed on record its appreciation of the services rendered to tho Dominion by the late Dr MW'ab, .Minister of Marine.

The chairman reported that during the'month the sum of i - 2t9o__]<ss had been received in wharfage, £758 0s -kl k pilotage and port charges and £BGI 17s 2d in towage, storage, etc. DREDGING.

The engineer .reported that during the month the dredge Canterbury had been engaged at the outer channel and in the open parts of the inner harbour. The month's work totalled 118,300 tons, of which 97,131 tons were lifted from the outer channel and 21,11)9 tons from the. inner harbour. Of these quantities 2730 tons were deposited at sea, while the dredge's wharf tva.s occupied by a steamer shipping cattle, and the remainder wad pumped into the reclamation area. The grab dredge Tewhaka. during the same period, had iec:i engaged at No. 2 West, No. 3 ■Vest, No 5 East and No. b' East. At .he latter place the work ha* been in lard ground near the inner end of the jetty." Tipping across gap in the reclamation works had been continued, but the work had been delayed by two settlements of tho hiink, .so that itwould be another month before the gap was again closed to' high water. All the bearing and raking piles at No. <j jetty had been driven and capped to the" full length of the work, namely". 116 feet beyond the end of tho old jetty, and the lower decking had been laid'as far a,s the end of tho old jetty. The completion of this work would oeoupv about, another three months. In coir Dilution of arrangements madewith the Acting-Prime Minister, the Vflbs i.inrr"6. and discharged a load of coal, which was now stacked on tho outer arm of tho eastern breakwater, the height of the stack being about 12 feet.' The report was adopted.

The Harbour Improvement Committee recommended, that the accident claim, of John Conkm should be settled by the payment of a lump sum of £250 less payments made to date. The committee also recommended that Mr A. James should he granted six months' leave on full pay, terminating his enengagement in the service of the board. After full consideration of the engineer's report, with reference to the proposed reconstruction of No. 2 jetty, the committee recommended that the work of "thoroughly repairing and. redecking the western 52ft. of No. 2 jetty should be proceeded "with at a cost of about! £3450. The committee recommended that the firemen on the board's vessels bo granted a" war bonus of Is a day as from March 1, 1917; that the reclamation and quarry bands should be paid in accordance with the award- of the Arbitration Court:, and that the wages of the wharf construction gang should be left in the hands of the engineer. The reDort was adopted.

The Finance Committee reported that •several share-brokers in I>unedin haying applied to have the principal and interest on the board's £200.000 G per cent loan -payable in New Zealand as well as in London, the committee recommended that they .should be informed ■■ that both principal and interest were payable in London, and that they should be asked whether they had any of these debentures for sale, and if bo. at-what price? The board was also recommended to set. up a special committee with power to purchase to the, extent of the Hoard's available funds. The committee had received fifty £I OO Christclvureh City Council 5£ per cent debentures, which have been deported for safe custody with the Bank of New Zealand.

The report was adopted. The Lyttelton Borough Council wrote asking that the council's interests in nnd rights over the chain road round .Lo foreshore inside the board's reclamation should he conserved.

The secretary said that be had given the council an assurance.

The town clerk of Christchurch wrote asking-whether the Purchase of 25000 or debentures vras the result of Messrs Xeale and Co. having brought the mattor before, the board.

The engineer said that the matter was one of brokerage. The council, without advertising its loan, had put it in the hands of sharebrokers, and Neale and Co. had informed the board of the loan.

It was decided to reply accordingly. In regard to the proposed school at the heads, it was reported that the Education Board had been asked to nominate a suitable teacher, and that everything was ready as soon as an appointment was made. The Minister of Munitions wrote asking for estimates of the quantities <rf coal required by the board dining tine next twelve months. 'The secretary said that be had refos 3800 tons.