HARBOUR BOARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXI, Issue 12188, 8 June 1907, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

1 lip iimkil inniitlily lmvtiug of t lit- [l;ulimir iioaul \><is held last r\ ruing. l'irs nt — .\l'-s>s J. I]. Miiruiy (chairman) \. Alculi, A. C. Ui.MH'll. J). Mc^o'i. A iliy^K'. J. T. Hog.ni, M.H.R.. and the Coll «(lor tit Cm-tuins (Mi A. K. Mliott). Vn apology tor .ili-cuc \\;>s mvived imm tin 1 .Ahivor (Hr C I",. ]\l.irk;;y). MlM'Tr.S.— The minutes 'of the pie\imi-. lnci'ting v.ere lead and connnved. HANK BOOK.— Tin- bank book showed ,\ credit balance oi £H6(. Ts K'd. HTOLXTS.— A counts amounting to i'2(>2 H-. 2d ni'io parsed lor payment. U;AVK.— "Leave of absence for two month* v\a^ giant'd to Mr \\ . 0. Basket!. \\lio is in AiHtialia. LONDON VARK.— Letter from the Ca-ithclitt Spurt-, Association stating that the btn\oyor had been too bua^ to go into the nutter of estimate of co-,t for improving London Park, but it was hoped to li.ni 1 tiie inloimation by next meeting of tin 1 Uoaid. — The chairman said the l'ond'- "iih-eommittee had conferred with tli" Spent-, As.-ociation, and had left the latter to go into the matter with the snr- \ eyoi . — The matter was held over till the • •-.tunate oi (O-it is received. \\ A(!]]S.- An Mp])lication wa-5 received iiom the labourers working under the Hoaid's toreman tor 1111 increase in whges I rom H-, ti» 9s j)or day, policing o^t that thov loft the town., wharf every morning at ".."id. and though they knocked off at 4 - •• 1 1 .m. it vas often "(i o'clock before " • >4 1 t ,icl: ta the wharf. They were < y .. !<)>. (i half aii hour for lunch, and 'he pun I man had to take his when he got tin time to cat it. They also had icy olten to wuik when wet through. — Mr lliggie pointed out that every other I.iboiiKT had to be on the spot at 8 o'clock and did not knock off till 5. At the same time ho thought the men deserred iomu « ou-iieration toy working in the wet. — .Mr Uignell thought that raiding wages in one d paitmcnt meant similar applications from others. He considered that as the Board would be having a big drain o» 1M finances, they should, in the interentß ot the ratepayers, look into the matter t> for.* g-anting the re(|iiest, and he moved that the matter be referred to the Works Committ c. — Seconded by Mr KHott and i.iriied. WHARF FXTKXSION.— The Railway* I) 'partment wrote ,-itating that a proposal had been made, to carry forward the-pre-fent dummy siding at the down stream end ot the wharf and connect it with the siding running along the ioreshoias to the <a'.tle whaif. This would enable "shunting to and irom vessels to be carried on without stopping the work ol boats at the upper berths. As the whurt would beiore lony ueid to be carried further down n l ream, the Department presumed, the lioard would be willing to provide now the stiucture necessary to carfy the siding extension, as such structure would lotm part of the increased wharf accommodation. The cobt of the work to the Hoard was estimated at i:300, and the Department asked if the Board would be willing to undertake it. — A plan was also forwarded. — The chairman said the extension would not increase the accommodation at all, and was simply tor the benciit oi the railway, though it might be usettil in helping itowards future extension, lie thought; it was a matter for the Ra'lvvay Department to undertake. — Mr Bigiipll thought it a try-on by the Railway Department to foist its own work on the Uiaid. The proposed etxension was only a staging to convoct the dummy siding into a loop and would not benefit the Hoard at all. lie moved that the Department be informed that the Board cannot ■ice its way to undertake the work. — Seeondrd by Mr lliggie. — Mr Hogan thought a (onterence miyht lead to mutual benefit in the matter. — The •chairman thought the Board had no need to deal with the Department at all. The latter had deal! very unfaiily with <he lioard in the matt 'i ol the reclamation which it had made, and had refused to listen to any of th*> Board-, representations. — The motion \va« can icd. SOUTH SPIT.— A long letter was re<eiv(d horn Mr 11. 0. Field re cutting thtough the South Spit. — The letter was laid on the table for perusal by members. SAXD PUMPS.— The Westport Harbour ]><>a;d wrote offering two suction -and puriipi tor sale. — Resolved to reply that the Board does not require the ])11111|"S. All REARS. — The secretary wai3 authorised to sue all tenaiit-. who were in arrear with their lents. APPLICATION.— Captain J. C Jones wiote applying for the position of master of the tug should the latter be engaged 1* towing stone from the quarries for use on the breakwater. Capt. Joiie.-> mentionid that he had been ma»ter ot the tug eniployid on Jlr Denby'tj contract sonic vaisagn. — Resolved to reply that the maltei will lie kept in view, but at present t lu-ve is no need for the applicant's sei- \ 11 e-. LO\N. — 'I he Board's solicitors forwardid the following additional resolutions re i.-aie ol debentures for .i'tiO.OOO:— (1) That tin 1 (l(bentur(s lor authorised to l.f i^,ued shall bear interest at the rate 01 JSA lt)s per cent, per annum; (2) that the signat uior. to the coupons to be attached to such debentures may be made by kwsimilies thereof in lithograph or iv «■ iK'li other manner to represent the signature 1 ol the persons signing such coupon*. — The resolutions were adopted. DRUDGE. — The dredgemaster reported 1 hat after finishing the cut through the fiats in the upper harbour on May 15th. lie took the dredge to the town wharf for necessary repairs, the nature of which h» detailed. Dredging had been resumed on June sth, and the dredge was now worknig off the Landguard Bluff on a cut 100 ft wide by 12ft below low water spring tid"*, the sand being deposited behind the -,011 th wall. The material raised was a good deal finer than at the upper end ot the flat.->, but there was enough to fill the punts for the wall in the lower harbour. About 12,435 cubic yard.s of spoil had been discharged over the south, wall, and I.SUS foot into 60 puuts. FOREMAN'S BEPORT.— The foreman's monthly report stated that the rough weather and short supply of ehingle had retarded progress on the South Spit wall. HO feet of fascine work was added to the wall during the Wnth and filled with shingle, and 120 yards of stone had been .shitted from the Spit and placed on top of the fascines. 2281 bundles of manuka had been received, a number being reacted as not up to specification. The planking was continued up stream for 14-0 teet. The tug had been painted and ovihauled. A 6tart had been made with the excavation of the new line from the N.W. mile to the Heads wharf. The foreman also mentioned that the men workyig at the Heads wished to know if the Board would pay their fare (6d aday) to and 11 101111 0111 the Heads. — The secretary said that with regard to the last item, the men, 111 the previous foreman's time, had been allowed their fares. — The chairman thought that concessions could be got from the Heads Railway "Company. He moved that the secretary make inquiries and repoit to the Work* Committee, which shall liare power to deal with the matter. — This was carried.

TIAfIUOFTJMASTnn'S KLTOET.—The ihir'ioui ma^tei > monthly leport stated that the channel o\»m the bin was in the vtn:e position a-, last inou'ih. beanng by c-oni]ia~s li«fin the flag-tafl S.W. .by W. wi'.h a depth of lift at high water springs and Mlt at hiwh watci neajis. Tliv. lower reach and entiaiKe wcie lai'ly good, the upper tlat^ an usual. 1-58 vrsse!-. iTo>-sed the bar duiiiig the nioiiUi, 7i) in the night. 17 ve>-iels Had been <!•>{;> \n'd i>: port dt'iing the mi. nth through stress ot weatlicr and one ti'rough i..«-»i rt>c-i«*iit wate • on the bar. r l % \\i» l:iigo >»••- ' ":ni lo« ;.'ml; .'ml in the i oad.-itead. Tiiere \\.; an ipunvment m the ponition ot tin. '. • .1. .Mid the beiths at the Heads wharl. — Mr Jiignell sliced how the depth on the bar wan obtained; was it by actual '■oiiiidiiig? He said that a captain of one ot the steamer*, informed him recently that he had sounded the bar and found 13 teet. There was a serious discrepancy in the two figures which might aftect the trade of the port, as masteis only loaded their vessels according to what water was repoited on the bar. The bar should be sounded on every favourable occasion with a proper sounding pole from side to side. The upper flatu "-hould al.-o be carefully sounded irom time to time. He moved that the Works Committee be authoii.-ed to make enquiries into the matter and repoit. He added that it the enquiries did not prove satisfactory he would move in the direction ot seeiirint? v ehanpe in the method of rioundinir. — Ah Elliult said Hie haibourmaster had to a great extent to rely on tiie soundings of shipmaster*!. — The motion was <arrud. lIAKBOUR WORKS. The engineer (Mr L. Reynolds), writing under dat? June .sth, adrised that the approach to the Xoith-wcst mole, and the tramline to the quarry had been pegged, and the di-pth of excavation of approach to the mole had been given to the foreman, and he (the engineer) was forwarding plan.-* showing hill data. A» regard* the proposed ciane staging at the t-ouward end of Castleeliff beach, alter going curefully into the mattei he did not nee that any alteration iv his pies'.nt de&ign could more econom it-ally tit in with the propowd new whaif, and he pieferred the »tagjng already design^ and submitted to tkf Hoard to be constructed. There might 1j« a question of the toe of the slope of the Jill ing at the back of the staging requiring Bonii? slight readjustment, but muli readjustment can be better ariived at alter the piles are driven. Second-hand truckH not bcin<j procurable for handling the spoil, he would design plans for same and fo'.waid them. In the meantime the excavated material could be run out by barrows and the timber ordered for construction. The engineer, in another letter, dated May 13th, forwarded detailed explanation of the various plans for the works. Mr Bignell thought it unnecessary to get trucks, a« before they could be built the excavation would be done. He moved that Mr Reynolds he informed that tip trucks as mentioned in his letter will not be required, also it is necessary, for thu expeditious prosecution of the work at Castlecliff, that the new wharf should be proceeded with at the earliest posßible moment. He also referred to the want of timber, which waa hanging the work up. He thought it important that the wharf should be built tirst, as everything hinged on it. The chairman thought horso*? and drays would lie best tor the material. Mr Meuli s >cond< d Mr liign. Il'« motion, w h idi wa-> < <*i i li-d.