HOKITIKA HARBOR BOARD.

West Coast Times, Issue 4723, 17 September 1884, Page 2

HOKITIKA HARBOR BOARD.

Tuesday, Septbmbeb 16.

There was a meeting of the Board at half- past seven p.m. Present — The Hon. J. A. Bonar, his Worship the Mayor, the County Chairman, Messrs Hudson, Virtue, Malfroj and Kenny. The minutes were read and confirmed.

COEEESPOMDENCE.

The folio wiDg letter was received from Mr Rose'a solicitors, Messra Jones and Meuteatb.

We have been instructed by Mr Rose to offer you the sum of £15 in full satisfaction of your demand against him for the rent of pastoral license of land situate in Reserve 145. Our client is willing to give you that amount and release you from any liability to him for damages to his run, provided that you will accept a surrender of the license before mentioned. Unless these terms be accepted our client will be compelled to commence legal proceedings against you lo recover compensation for the injury to his licensed run caused by the cutting of water races aud other works executed by your authority.

We have addressed you on 'this matter with a view of bringing the dispute to a satisfactory conclusion. This letter is without prejudice to any future steps or action we may take herein. —Mr Virtue mored, and the Mayor seconded, that the matter be referred to tbe Reserves Committee wi h p:>wer to act. — Mr Kenny said this motion placed the Reserves Committee ia an awk^arl position. The matter bad already been dealt with by tbe Board, a pievious recommendliou being ignored.— Mr Malfroy moved an amendment that if A/r Rose paid tbe auctioneer s fees, £24, the lease should be cancelled. — The amendment was not seconded. — Tbe County Chairman thought Mr Rose's offer was not an unreasonable one. His lease had been interfered with by cutting a race through the lease — Mr Hudson did not think the County Chairman knew what he was talking about. Mr Rose knew there was mining on the reserve when he bought at auction a grazing lease. The best plan would be to leave the matter to the Reserves Committee.—The Chairman endorsed Mr Hudson's remarks. In the lease the words " subject to all gold workings " are inserted. Mr Hose wonld be met in a fair manner.— Mr Kenny proposed an amendment to refer the matter to the Chairman and Mr Virtue to settle.— The County Chairman seconded the amendment. — Mr Malfroy objected to this continuaal reference to some one, It has four times been referred to various committees. — Mr Virtue said the Board were conservators of the public funds. Their solicitor told them they could recover £90, and why should they take £15 from Mr Rose ?— The amendment was lost on the voices, and the motion carried.

TUG BOAT COMMITTEE.

The following report was read and received :—

Your committee nut, and after conferring with the Board's solicitor, have drafted a bill in accordance with the resolution passed by the Board.

We have the honor to now submit the proposed Bill for your approval .

Mr Malfroy moved and the Mayor seconded the adoption of the report. — The t^hairuian thought he would fail in his duty to the public if he did not speak out on this subject. Financially the thing would be a faila r e, and the boat would have to be sold at a loss. If there was support for a tug, a tug would soon be here. If tbe speculation was a payable one, private speculation would take it up. —Mr Virtue could not imagine a tug would be such a white elephant as the Chairman made it out. But there could be no harm in having the power to purchase a tug, That was all that was asked now. — Mr Malfroy replied advocating the adaption of the report in string terms.— The report was adopted.

PUBLIC WOEKS COMMITTEE.

The following report was read, received and ordered to be considered clause by clause :—

Your committee met on Tuesday, the 16th September, and have the honor to report as follows:—

1. We recommend that the Borough Council be subsidized to the amount of £lv, in repairing the bridge across Mahinapua river.

2. i?e letter from Mr Kalf Having enquired into this matter, we do not deem it advisable to interfere with the overseers in tbe engaging of labor.

3. To ease the pressure of sand and shingle on tbe back of the north training wall, we have ordered a iew holes to be cut to allow tbe Band to run into the river, and we recommend that the engineer's attention be directed to the weakness of the work, and

that he be requested to report upon the beßt means of securiog it. n«t W , a *. teßdfertiend that tUe Borough Cefaflcil be eOfflffianidfttea- f fob, fith a vilw td Having the fbad#«}£ cßH(ilnfled from the present ierminalidn'in Bevel! street to Beach street. After some discussion, the report was adopted.

HE3EDVES COMMITTEE,

The following report was read and received :—

Your committee met on Tuesday the 16th September, and have the honor to recommend as follows ;—

Be the application of the Humphreys Gully United Goldmining Company, Limited, to have their rights aod titles conoolidated under one deed.

We recommend that excepting the 100 acre claim that the other rights be scheduled and embodied m a deed, the rent to be computed upon the bußlß,b uBIB , upoa whicu the various titles were first grunted. After considerable discussion, the report was adopted. *

HABBOEMASTEB.

Mr Hudfon moved, «• That Mr James lnce be appointed harbormaster of Hoki tika. The by-laws teemed with powers placed m the hands of the harbormaster and without a harbormaster these powers would lapse. At presept Mr Trice was really harbor master in everything but name. — Mr Virtue seconded. It was imperative that one man should become responsible for the harbor. Mr Trice has the authority, and shonld have the title. — The motion was, after a long discussion, carried, it being resolved to request the Marine Department to make the appointment. The Board adjourned at 10 p.m.