HARBOUR BOARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9404, 2 April 1898, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The usual monthly meeting of the above wa3 held yesterday afternoon, when there were present— Messrs D. Peat (chairman), J. Stevenson, T. Wixcey, A. Elliott, A. J. Parsons, C. j. Patorson, A. Higgle, and His Worship the Mayor (Mr A, Hatrick). B«SK Account— A credit balance of £210 143 3d was reported. Accounts— Accounts to the amount of £2001 12s sd, including £1819 2s 6d for interest, weie passed for payment. Skdoebhook— Mr F. Giblin, one of the Board's lessees,wrote stating that the bank was being washed away from his section, and applying to the Board to hive eight or nine chains of the fence shifted in. It was decided to allow him a rebate in rpnt, equal to half the cost of removing the fence.

Bahnoh Sheet— The balance sheet for tho your ending 1897 was laid on the table, the chaiiman remarking that the Board's finances wore in a sound condition. It was resolved that the balance sheet be examined, settled and allowed.

Phot's Rlvort — The pilot reported that the channel over the bac was in mnoh the sarno condition as reported last month, with a depJi of 12ft 6in at high water springs and Oft 6in at high water neaps. The sand bank in front of the Heads wharf had scouted away, and the upper flats continued in the same condition.

Wuusr HAi<r-noLiDiY— An influential depjtio.i, representing tho wholesale merchants, waited on tho Board with regard to the storage chaiges on goods landed on the wharf on the statutory half • holiday. Me S. S. Griffiths acted as spokesman, and pointed out that the deputation loproseuted 80 per cent, of the class using J>ho wharf, and they doaired tho ob3arvanco of Saturday as the statutory half-holiday, and wished the Board to exert its influence in the direction of getting the Government to permit goods to remain on tho wharf till Monday without the imposition of a storage oharge. — Mr Parsons pointed out that the retailers dcihod tho Thursday afternoon observ ance, and thought the deputation should settle the mnttor with the retailers, and then the Boaid could recommend. — The Ua /or thought the Board should settle the matter. To observe Thuisday as the half-holiday would disarrange the shipping. —Mr H. J. R. Tilley pointed out that the railway sheds closed at 2 on Saturday. —The Chairman reminded the deputation that the question had been considered by the Board many times, but it would again make representations to the Department and see what could be done.

Drainage— Mr A. D. Willis applied for permission to oonnect his property at Scdgbrook by a nix-inch tile drain through the Harbour Board property with the river.- -The chairman pointed out that other property -holders at Solgsbrook m'ght dosire the same priyilego, and if the drains of all tho properties came into the river they would have ace3spit on the Board's land. If they granted Mr Willis's request it should only be done with the sanction of the solicitor and guarded by a deed. — The Mayor Btated that he had always been opposed to sewage going into the river, and had raised his voice against tho town draining into the river. — Mr Willis said he would undertako to give up the drain when the Board fonnd it necostary to ask him to do so,— On the motion of Mr Parsons, the application was granted subject to the conditions suggested by the chairman.

Urgent Women— The foreman submitted his estimate of the cost of planking the turn table of the Bridge, repairs to the breakwater, and the creation of a new flagstaff at the pilot station, It was decided to call for tenders for stone for facn.g the flagstaff cliff, and to erect a fence around the pilot station. The other matters were held over.

The Wifiur- Tho chairman reported that tne Board had been advised by the Railway Department that £465 worth of timber had arrived for planking the town wharf, and a charge would be made monthly on the Board to cover the cost. This was only a preparatory shipment, and it was intended to spend £7000 over a number of years, Negotiations were proceeding with a view to getting the Government to tako over coijtiol of the wharf.

Tut; TtjitN Stile -The Foreman re ported that the tunj stile at the Bridge had worked very satisfactorily. The Mayor suggested that the Borough Council ana Gas Company should be debited respectively with the cost of disconnecting the water and ga's pipes over tho bridge when the river highway was needed. The pipes were laid for the convenience of thojo public bodies and it was unfair that others should have to bear the cost of opening the bridge. The Foreman was instructed to carry out one or two slight repairs, in view of the fact that the bridge would be opened more frequently when Mr Mitchell's works were established at Aramaho.

The Board adjourned at G. 30, having sat for tlnee hours,