LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 2

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The Lyttelton Harbour Board met yesterday, when there were present Messrs R. Moore (chairman), H. Fiicdlander, F. Horrell, J. J. Dougall, T. Bdag, C. J. Harper. Geo. Scott, J. R. Webb, C. Ahison, M. J. Aliuer, A. ivayo, and Joshua Little. CHAIRMAA'S REPORT.

The Chairman re|.o;ted tliac since the last oiuinary lueecing tlie following sums hau been paid into the Harbour Fund account: — wharfage. £28ii6 19s 4cl; pilotage and port Ci.aiges, £1394 Os 10d; towage, stoiage, etc., £1339 6s id; totalj £0620 Os 6J. Tne ordiilaiy cash receipts since the bosiiining of the yaar amounted to £34.558 12s Id, or an increase of £4004 5s 4d over the corresponding period of last year. Tne llarbour J?und was in credit £1547 16s 3d, which was more than sufficient to provide lor pay.nent of the unpaid accounts amounting to £1575 3s 10d, to be j-assed for payment. During the oast month 197 vessels, comprising 13 jvereea and 184 intercolonial and oastal vessels, entered the Port of uncoi o,l, witna tota .l n et tonnage oi , tb0,581 tons, as against 211 vesseiS. ggregating 101,355 tons during the oi u>spondins: month of last year. HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT COMMIIIEE.

The Harbour Improvement Commito» reported that it had considered the ••ccuest of the deputation that waited jn the Board at its last meeting, that ho charges for the use of the outjyiri' jetties be reduced or abolished, and recommended that tho following reply be icnt to the Mt. Herbert County Coun.il:—"That as the total revenue repeived last year from all the outlying jttties amounted to about £140, of .vhich £68 11s 4d was paid in respect >f passengers as per the accompanying return, and as the expenditure for the upkeep of the jetties for tho same per.od was £83, the difference of £57 does not cover interest, nor make provision lor depreciation on the capital cost of fhese jetties amounting to £3000, your committee has therefore no recommendation to make in the matter." The committee considered,the Union Steamship Company's letter, asking that the ftrry steamer be granted precedence in leoving the wharves, together with -th? Harbourmaster's report thereon, but iad no recommendation to make on the matter. The committee had authorisd the chairman and engineer to open md consider the .tenders for the supply >f fender piles for . ,:e in the Board's vharves, with power to act; and they iad accepted the tender of Messrs teese Bros, for the sum 0f5G2047 10s. V letter from the hon. secretary of the Lyttelton Boy Scouts, with reference m the need of a boat for the use of :heir Sea Scout troop, was considered, \nd the committee recommended that ui'V of the' Board's old lifeboats be handed over to the Lyttelton 80/ Scouts to bo held in trust for that pur,iose

The reports were adopted. HEAVY LIFT CRANE. A special committee set up to deal ivibh a-heavy lift crano proposal, reported that after a full discussion upon the engineer's report' with reference to the installation of. the heavy lift crane at Lyttelton, they recommended that a derrick crane, electrically driven, capable of lifting a 50-ton weight out of the largest vessels likely to visit the port, be procured in 'accordance with tno engineer's report, dated May sth, 1914. •

■ The report was adopted. ELECTION EXPENSES. Another special committee reported that they had considered the Christchurch City Council's letter furnishing au explanation of the disputed expenses in conducting the Harbour Board elec:or. held on the 29th April, 1913, and recommended that-the Auditor-General bo asked to make his award, in terms of section 14 of the Harbours Amendment Act, 1910. It was decided to pay the amount, subject to adjustment by the AuditorGeneral. .

GENERAL. A letter was received from the District Health Oriiccr, stating that he had received further complaints that tno practice of throwing used cuspidors from tho ferry steamers into the inner harbour was still carried on, and enclosing the Sanitary Inspector's reporc tiiereon. . . * It was decided to give a final notice to the Onion Company to discontinue

tlto practice. Air Uoruon Holuies wrote, stating that he was about to re.iae and erect woolsbeds at Jack. o'Link's Bay at Port Levy, au<i enquiring if the Board would orect a whait tUere

The matter was referred to the IJarbour Improvement Committee. The secretary presented a memorandum reyoi'iiug vie iesuit of the conference witn representatives from the Sumner Borougu (Jouncii aud tlie Harbour lioard, pi-esidod over by the Hon. F M. B. Fisher, regarding the maintenance of the Signal Station, lifeboats, and works at suniner. Tho secretary added that the whole of the work? had been offered to the Sumner Council for a price to be settled.

l£ was, report<>d that the secretary of the Lyttelton Wharf Labourers' Union was advised on the 9th Mny. 1914, that as the spirit of the conditions under which the Union used the Coronation Hall was not being observed, that the hall would be closed for the present. "Mr Miller said the men might be given another chance and the hall reopened. It was decided to postnone consideration of the matter until the depntation were heard.

The General Manager of Railways wrote stating that he oould not accede to the Board's request that the practice of accepting two consignment notes for small lots of goods from private sidings be reverted to. The letter was referred to the Harbonr Improvement Committee. The master of the s.s. Karamu reported that during a strong eoutherlv ™ d > ccomnanied by rain sqnalls on the 22nd May last, his vessel struck and damacred ?xo. 1 breastwork A letter was received from the liqntrUtor of the Lvttelton Rowinc Clvb offerinrr the Ohio's boathonse to the Board for the sum of £75. The buildin? cost £150 when erected five years a<ro. The letter .was referred to the Harbour Improvements Committee.