HARBOUR BOARD.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 11283, 2 June 1891, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of r the Harbour Board was held yesterday afternoon, when the following members were present :— Messrs Thos. Thatcher (in the chair), Smith, Sommerville, Ritchie, Parsons, Stevenson, Hatrick, and Campbell, •Minutes— The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. - Bank-balance.— The Bank pass-book, showing a credit balance of w81123 3s 2d, was laid on the table. Accounts.- Accounts to the amount of £540 18s 2d were passed for payment. A Claim.— A claim from Mr Wall, the contractor for removing the dredge plant, for extra labour incurred in unearthing a cylinder which was buried by the sand, was, on the proposition of Mr Smith, postponed for consideration at the next ' meeting of the Board. ■ Re Sunken Punt.— A letter was received from the Borough Council stating that as soon as a favourable opportunity, afforded itself the punt would be raised, put iri order, and returned to the Board. —Mr Hatrick moved, That as the punt was required the Secretary request the Council to attend to the matter at once ; carried. Quarry Stonb.— The Chairman informed the Board that in all there were fully 30 tons weight of quarry stone (available at the foot of the quarries) suitable for the purpose it was required for in repairing the breaches in the breakwater.— The report of Mr Perhara, the engineer from Wellington, was then read, and was as follows : " According to ■ instructions I have examined the mole at the Heads, and recommend the following to repair the damage caused by the late, flood;— (1) Immediate action to procure from the river side below the quarries all the stone available (roughly about 1000 cubic yards), in blocks of not less than from three to four tons as cube as possible, together with spalls for hearting. .(2) From the end of the mole back on the north or seaward side for a 100 feet a batter to be made, and tte core securely made up to the sleepers 'of the staging. (3) Along the' south or river aide, all the cavities made by the subsidance of the toe of the slope to be filled in, and the core made, good, as near as possible, as far as material will go to the original form of the mole,, care being taken to interlock the large blocks of the topping, with smaller and angular stones in all cases. (4) Expedition both in procuring the material, and restoring the work to. somewhat its original form is urgently needed, as any delay is of vital' consequence to the stability of the structure, I shall visit Wangannf Bbortly and will report more fully In detail from Wellington."— The matter of bringing down the stone was then discussed. — Mr Sommerville proposed, That a committee be appointed to make arrangements with . Mr Denby for punts and steamer, and also consider the financial part of the undertaking, and that the Harbourmaster 'take such stepß as will facilitate the furthering of the work. — This motion was seconded by Mr Parsons- and carried, and it was also decided that the Chair? man, Messrs Campbell, Parsons, and Hatrick be the special committee for the - purpose. Lands Department Allotment. — A letter received from the Department was read. — Proposed by Mr Sommerville, That the matter be left in the hands of the Finance Committee ; carried. — It was also moved, by Mr Campbell, That Mr Gray be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of constructing the Pohangina Road; carried. . Harbourmaster's Report. — In the beginning of the month the. stones that were left on the incline near the break- - water were taken to the latter and placed on the river side, in those places that had slipped most and where it had commenced to work into the centre of the wall ; there were altogether 28 stones; formerly I reported to the Board that there wereonly 16, the others were covered up with sand and could not be seen ; they weie all large ones except two ; the rails and sleepers have been taken off the outer end of the breakwater, except 5 sleepers which, are bolted to the longtitudinal ; I would' recommend that the rest of the timber !"Work be left, as there is not much danger of it being carried away, as the sand has -made up to its average depth and if the breakwater is to be extended the present -;timber will do for staging; it only re- • quires to be straightened. The breakwind has been taken down at the lower ' end of the cutting; the studs are still left standing, but will be taken away as the sand recedes. On the night of the 16th some person threw the lever for opening the turn-table of the bridge into the river in deep water, and some difficnlty was experienced in recovering it. I may mention that the lever has been kept on the* bridge since the latter was built. A few mornings before the throwing of the lever into the river, some one cut the painters of the boat which was tied to the bridge, and allowed it to go adrift ; she was found in the morning down the river on the top of the wall. A commencement has been made to repair the breach at the upper end of tho Heads Wharf. The fascines that remained over from the repairs effected at the other end are being utilised for the purpose, and about 100 bundles more are being cut ; altogether about 200 bundles will be required. The punt is being altered and repaired for lifting snags, and for raising anything that maybe required. I would . also submit to the Board the desirability of having a shed built for holding any plant or material belonging to the Board, as at present there is no accommodation for anything to be protected from the weather. The machinery that came out of the dredge requires to be thoroughly cleaned, or it will soon be destroyed. A rough shed, say 20ft x 14ft, built on the section on the lower end of the reclaimed land, belonging to the Board, would not cost much and would be very useful for storing all spare gear and tools and other plant, the property of the Board. ■ Pilot's Report.— The channel over the bar still continues in the same position ; bearing by compass from flagstaff S.W. half W., with a depth of 13 fact at high water (spring tides), and 10 feet at high water (neap tides). Forty-seven vessels ■ have crossed the bar, twenty of which - crossed during the night. The lower . ..beach and entrance continues good. .■ t- i'hs Board then adjourned.