HARBOUR BOARD.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13499, 7 October 1911, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The regular monthly meeting of the Harbour Board was held last evening. Present—Messrs J, B. 'Murray (chairman), N. Meuli, T. B. Williams, J. Jones, A. G. Bignell, W., J. Poison, W. G. Bassett, C. E Maokay, and J. C. Paterson. 1 Un'ANCE.—The bank-book showed balances as follow; General account, cr., ■£3764 4s 7d; loan account, cr., fixed deposit, £SOOO. ACCOUNTS.—Accounts totalling .£371 4s Cd were passed for payment. General Business, WORKS COMMITTEE. The Works Committee reported that it could not. recommend the Board to grant the' applications for lease of foreshore above the bridge. The questions of the foreshore drain and superannuation fund were held over. A letter was received from Messrs Armstrong and Craig, stating that Mr S. T. Ashton was prepared to accept the Board’s terms for extended lease of section 107, subject to certain , conditions, and it was resolved that the conditions should bo agreed to. Another report of the committee stated that the tender of the Westport Coal Company had been accepted for coal, and that of Thain and Co. for oils and general supplies.—The report was adopted, subject to the solicitor being satisfied that all matters in connection with Mr Ashton’s lease are in order.

CAMP.—Mr G. A. Henry applied for use of a camping section at Oastlecliff.— Granted on the usual conditions. EMPOWERING BILL.—Mr J. T. Hogan wrote that the Empowering Bill would be considered by the House on the 11th inst. (Wednesday next). —Received. NIXON ESTATE.—The secretary of the trustees of the Nixon Estate wrote offering 15s in the £ for payment of liabilities on account of liquidation of the estate being likely to take some time.—Accepted. COMPLAINT.—Mr J. F. Ross, owner of the launch Benares, wrote complaining of obstructions caused by other craft and by ropes in front of his pontoon near the bridge.—Referred to the Engineer.

DRESSING SHED.—The Oastlecliff Surf Club applied for permission to erect a ladies’ dressing-shed on Oastlecliff beach. —Granted subject to the Engineer’s approval and during the pleasure of the Board. • DRAINAGE.—The Town Clerk of Wanganui East applied for permission to run sewage drains from five streets into the river.—Granted subject to the Engineer’s approval and on conditions the the mouths of the drains are carried to low-water mark.—Messrs Corry and Cunningham, solicitors, on behalf of L.D. Nathan aad Co., wrote asking when the matter of their clients’ application for a connection with the Taupo Quay drain would be dealt with.—Held over.

ELECTIONS.—The Lyttelton Harbour Board forwarded return of election expenses incurred by the several Boards of the Dominion.—Received.

VIIARP.—An application from MrTait to build a wharf above wharf was referred to the Engineer for a report. LEASE.—Mr H. Shaw applied for , a lease of a section between the soapworks and'Mr Ludlam’s.—Left in the hands of the chairman, Mr Bignell, and the Engineer, with power to act. BY-LAWS.—The chairman and Messrs Williams and Bassett were appointed, a committee to go into tlie matter of revising the by-laws, and dealing with matters arising out of same. DRIFT WOOD.—Mr E. Sheriff wrote explaining matters in cojinectiou with the cutting up of drift wood.mi the Balgownio beach, stating that most,of it was.brought from across river hvj residents for firing purposes.—Messrs Bignell and Jones, the committee tq whom this matter was referred, reported that there had been some erosion on Mr Harris’s property, and recommended that Mr Harris be allowed to erect a fence ten feet from tbe bank-to catch the drift wood for protective purposes.—The committee’s report was adopted. Pilot’s Report. Reporting for September, the pilot slated that, owing to rough weather, the only soundings taken were on the Bth, when equal to I.6ft at high springs was obtained. Soundings on October 3 gave 17ft 6iu, and on October 4, with a smooth sea, 18ft 3iu, or equal to 15ft Sin at high neaps. South-east to north-east winds prevailing at the beginning of September caused very poor tides, the rise and fall sometimes being only Ift Gin to Ift 9in, and this caused some vessels to stick in the river, but the channel below Landguard Bluff had since, been deepened by dredging, and was now 13ft Sin least depth at high springs. The approach to the berthage at Castlccliff maintained the depth. One hundred and thirty-live vessels crossed the bar during the month, 63 in the night ; gross tonnage, 17,568. One liner loaded in the roadstead, tonnage 9000.

Engineer’s Report. Following was the Engineer's (Mr C. H. Ho worth) monthly report:— Quarry.—The output for the month has been Very satisfactory, 2705 tons being sent to the moles and wall. North Mole.—One thousand three hundred and sixty-five tons of rubble wore used in making up depressions.

South Mole.—One hundred and fifteen tons of rubble were deposited. I examined the moles after the recent heavy gales, but did not detect any displacement or loss of _ rubble, and it may be assumed that neither the north nor south mole are ever likely to be subjected to a more sc-, vere test as to.their stability. Internal Training Wall. The first length of 200 ft of this. work • has been brought up to low tide level, and a portion of the second length of 200 ft started, the rubble deposited being 1225 tons. Lamps for Moles.—The new Wigham lamps are fixed on the outer ends of the moles, and arc nqw in use.

Sand Grass.—The South Spit has had a further small area planted. Bar and Channel There was no opportunity for sounding during the month, owing to unfavourable conditions. On the 3rd of this month one set of soundings was taken, and a depth of 17ft 6in obtained, but Hie bar was too rough for reliable work. To-day (October 4) better conditions prevailed, and, in company with Gautain Mclntyre, the entrance was car«=fully sounded, and a depth equal to 18ft 3in average high water spring tides obtained' in a fine channel, an improvement of 2ft 3iu for the month. There is an exceedingly flue inner harbour extending from the bar inwards to the south mole root, and up alongside the Oastlecliff wharf, equal to 20ft at high water springs. The channel is also in a satisfactory eon-

(lition throughout, there being no evidence of shoaling anywhere. Dredging.—The drodgemaster . reports haying advanced a distance of 800 ft up stream on a cut of 100 ft wide, dredged to a depth i/f 15ft below 1.w.5.t., the onantity of spoil raised being 4>220 cubic yards for 20 days’ work. This work should have been completed this week, but there was a. loss of six days from stress of weather and the s.s. llegulus fouling the lines. The dredge has pqsacd through the shallowest ground, and it only remains for the cut to be run out to deeper water ahead.

Horse.—l regret to report that, owing to, an- accident at the quarry, the horse was so badly injured that it had to bo shot. From an inquiry which I made into the matter, it appears that no blame is attachable to anyone. It will be necessary to buy another horse. In the meantime I have a horse on hire.

The Chairman and Engineer were authorised to purchase another horse for the quarry. '