HARD UR BOARD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXI, Issue 3384, 8 March 1879, Page 2

H ARD UR BOARD.

I A meeting of this Board was held at j their office, Taupo Quay, yesterday after- j noon. Present, Messrs J. P. Watt (in the chair) Morgan, Shaw, Laird, and | the Mayor. I The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Secretary reported that the Board had a credit balance of £3,449 17s 6d A letter was read from the Marine Department, apprising the Board that Mr McAlister would audit the accounts. A letter was read from Mr A. ()undas, Surveyor, Palmerston Nortn, re the laying off of roads in the Harbour Reserve. The matter having been considered in all its bearings, it was proposed by Mr Shaw, seconded by Mr Laird, and cnrried, I That Mr Dundas be written to, and re- i quested to attend at the next m eting of" the Board, and supply what information he can, a 9 to roads, and townships, and general nature of the reserve. The Chairman then drew the Board's attention to the fact that the term of lease of the Wanganui Bridge to Mr A. Laird, was drawing a close. The Secretary having read the conditions of the lease, they were considered clause by clause, the first question being, whether or not the bridge should be in future let for one or two years. Mr Laird opposed the letting of it for i, more than one year, as the country was constantly changing. He would therefore more, That in future the Wanganui I Bridge be leased fur one year at a time, j Mr Morgan seconded, and it was carried. • It waß then proposed by Mr Morgan, That in future the bonds be £300 each instead of £500, as heretofore. Seconded by Mr Laird, and carried. It was also resolved that in future one of the five lamps shall be placed in the centre of the Bridge. With regard to the clause making it compulsory for the lessee to keep the Bridge in repair, a long discussion took 1 place as to the advisability or o herwise , of the Board itself putting the Bridge in , a thorough state of repair before handing it over to a new lessee, as the repairs required were considerable. However, as it was stated that local skill was not sufficient for their performance, the matter was for the time allowed to drop. The clause exempting from toll children attending school wa3 next taken, and some diversity of opinion appeared to prevail as to the age at which young people should cease to be children, and as to what should constitute a scholar. Mr Morgan considered that no matter what their age pedestrians passing to school should be exempt from toll, and I ' no matter what branch of knowledge they j , came to town to be taught, the same rule should apply. The general opinion, however, seemed to be that there should be some limit i fixed as to age, and it was moved by Mr \ Laird, seconded by Mr Shaw, aad carried, That in future all children under the ages of 15 attending school be exempted from toll. The question of whether this should apply to Sunday Schools then arose. Mr Bamber considered it quite as essential to exempt Sunday scholars from toll as day scholars. Mr Morgan had supposed that Sunday scholars had been exempted hitherto, and thought as a matter of course they should be. Mr Laird was of a different opinion, and considered that to allow such a custom would be to involve the lessee in endless disputation and trouble. It was, however, resolved, on the motion of Mr Shaw, That all children under 15 years attending Sunday School be allowed to pass free of toll in the afternoon of Sunday. It was then resolved, on the motion of His Worship the Mayor, That the Conditions of the Bridge lease as amended be adopted, and that tenders for the lease of the Bridge for the ensuing year be at once called for, to close on Thursday the 20th inst, and that a committee, consisting of the Chairman, Messrs Shaw, Laird, Jackson, and the Mover, be appointed to open tenders. The Secretary then read a lengthy and exhaustive prospectus prepared by the committee appointed for that purpose, to forward to London in connection with the floating of the debentures. It was then moved by the Mayor, That the prospectus as read be adopted and left in the hands of the Committee for full completion, and immediately printed and handed to the Board's bankers, to be forwarded to London by the outgoing mail. It had originally been the intention, he said, to forward it by the January mail, but circumstances had occurred to defer its preparation. The prospectus, though glowing, he thought not at all overdrawn, and he looked forward with pleasure to the time when the anticipations indulged in having been realised, vessels from all parts would come and go, carrying out our produce and bringing ua in return that of other lands. The committee lately appointed to carry on the preparation of the prospectus, and indeed the Board also, were much indebted to Mr Duthie for the able assistance he had lent in the matter. The motion, which was seconded by Mr Laird, was carried unanimously. The report of the Pilot was then read, and a request for sundry necessaries for the Pilot Station granted. The Harbour Master's report having been read in connection therewith, it was proposed by Mr Shaw, seconded by Mr Laird, and carried.jThat a committee consisting of the Chairman, Messrs Bamber, Laird, and the mover, be appointed and authorised to carry out any repairs they may deem necessary to the bridge and wharves.

The Harbour Master applied for an ' additional man to take charge of the Snag Punt, when he was otherwise employed. A desultory conversation ensued as to the special functions, wishes, and intentionß of the Harbour Haster (socalled), the object of the former Board in appointing him &c, The Mayor, who stated that one of the expressed conditions of the appointment was that Mr McLaren should attend to the Snag Punt, and take his share in the work of it, moved that the Harbour Mnster be informed that the Board expects him to take charge of the Pant,with two men to assist him, each, of ■ whona should be paid 7s per day. Mr Shaw differed in opinion from the mover of the motion, as to the duties of the Harbour Master, who he thought should not be expected to be always on the Snag Punt. Indeed this would be incompa>ible with the right performance of Ilia other duties, and in the speaker's opinion he should be provided with at least three men, one of whom he 1 could leave in charge when unavoidably absent. He would move as an amendment, That three men be employed to wo k the snag punt, one at 9-t per day and two at 8s per day, subject to the supervision of the Harbour Master. \fter some further conversation both motion and amendment were withdrawn, and it was resolved, That the Harbour Master be informed that the Board expect him to take charge of the snag punt, and devote the most of his time to the raising of snags, and that it be left to the Chairman to engage at current wages as many men as may be found necessary to work the punt. It was then moved by the Chairman, seconded by Mr Morgan, and carried, That the Secretary be instructed to write to the Minister for Public Works, asking at what date it is likely that the Government will be ready to commence the reclamation of the foreshore in Wanganui, as the Board find that the wharves require repairs, and it is not considered desirable to expend large sums of money if the reclamation is ahortly to be commenced. It was then resolved, on the motion of the Mayor, That it be an instruction to the Secretary that he lay on the table at next meeting of the Board a statement of receipts and expenditure for the year, up to the 31st. March. A number of accounts were passed for payment, and the Board then adjourned.