CLUTHA RIVER BOARD.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 44, 2 December 1913, Page 6

CLUTHA RIVER BOARD.

A meeting of the Clutha Eiver Board was held at the. board's office, Balclutha, on Saturday.; Present:: Messrs I). T. Fleming; (ehairman), J. E. Mitchell, J. M. Beggf Anderson and,P. McInerney. . " : ' ANNUAL BALANCE-SHEET.. The balance-sheet for the year ended March ill last, was received from the Audit Office duly examined and found correct, except that the payment of £2l to the chairman (Mr ]). T. Fleming) to covct expenses incurred by him while attending to the general business of the board contravenes section 66 of the River Boards Act, 1908. This section the Controller and Auditor-General pointed out enables a board to pay members such reasonable travelling expenses as it thinks fit, but these payments may only be made to members living at a distance of over five miles from the ordinary place of meeting. As Mr Fleming, he understood, could not comply with this condition he would be glad to receive and consider any reasons that may be submitted as to why he should not proceed for the recovery of the i money in question under the Public I Revenues

It was stated that the chairman had been put to a good deal of expense in connection with the new steluner, arranging in connection with the repairs to the Clyde, and the fixing up of the pumping plant, for which no payment had been made, and it was considered that the amount voted was reasonable and less than would cover his out-of-pocket expenses. The secretary was instructed to explain this. Mr Mitchell: You had better give them a note of the expense you were put to if they require it. The balance-sheet was adopted, ordered to be signed by the chairman, and advertised as usual, copies to be sent to members.

FINANCE REPORT. The financial statement for period September 5 to November 2!) was as follows:—Steamer earnings—Clyde £307 Ss Bd, Clutha £l9B 10s; -working expenses—Clyde £336 0s lid, Clutha £212 5s 2d; balance (loss)— Clyde £2B 12s 3d, Clutha £l3 15s 2d—total, £42 7s 3d; general expenses, £122 2s 2d. Cash received since last meeting, £275 7s 2d; total accounts outstanding, £4ll Is; income from rents on reserves, £SBB 2s lid; debit balance Bank of New Zealand November 29, £3068 17s 7d. The pay-sheet showed accounts paid since last meeting £3Ol 4s 4d, and accounts to pay £369 3s lid. ft was stated that this included all the accounts so far as known to date. The statement was approved and tho accounts duly approved and passed. CORRESPONDENCE.

Mr Walter Mcintosh, Greeufield, wrote in connection with damage done by the pumping plant to road near his place. The water pumped up with the gravel had scoured a channel Sft deep and 20ft wide nearly halfway across the roadlinc. The first big flood would undermine-across the road. It was also extremely dangerous to traffic, and something should be done at once.— The matter was referred to Mr Mitchell and Captain Butler to attend to. The I in] tort Company wrote forwarding claim for £1 16s, damage done to two cases of poilite consigned by them to Mr Goodman, of Greenfield. The goods were shipped in good order, and they were advised by Mr Goodman that the damage was done on the steamer.—lt was stated that the cases were delivered from the steamer into the Greenfield shed in the same condition as they were received at Balclutha, and the * board decided not to recognise any liability. Messrs Overton Bros., Wharetoa, forwarded claim for 10s, being value of <>oft of timber damaged through falling from the slings when being landed on the wharf—The board decided to pay the claim, A memo, in reference to the landing at Mr Tout's was referred to Captain Butler to attend to.

GENERAL. Applications for increases of wages from Captain Tsukigawa and A. Jack (engineer), previously held over, were, considered. It was decided, in view of the fact that the engineer was' able to urgently undertake many minor blacksmith's repairs, that his salary be increased by 10s a month, and to consider the other application at a later date. Ou the motion of Mr Anderson, seconded by Mr Mclnerney, the chairman a"nd secretary were authorised to communicate with the Public Works Department in reference to the alterations now being made at the Balclutha bridge, it being stated that it was proposed to reduce the span at the north end to th« common level, it being 20 inches higher at present. The alteration giving .20 inches more water-way had been made some years ago at the request, of the board, and to reduce it to the oid level now would considerably impede the steamer traffic in time of high river. John Bain was appoiuted caretaker of the shed at Pukeawa (Begg's) in place of Mr Kirkness (resigned). On the motion of Mr Mitchell, seconded by Mr Begg, it was.decided to appoint Captain MeGillivray "mate" on the Cly'dc at a salary of £l4 a month. Repairs were ordered to be carried out at Pukeawa shed as soon as possible. The chairman and secretary were authorised to represent the position of the board in reference to claims for demurrage on trucks at the Balclutha railway yard. A claim by the Import Company for the loss of a tank lid that had blown overboard from the steamer was referred to the secretary. GRAVEL SUPPLY. It was reported that since last meeting the steamer Clutha had been engaged for 37 days in pumping gravel on to the bank in fulfilment of various, orders and requests—viz., eight days at Greenfield, five days at Balclutha reserve, and 24 days at Balclutha bridge's The pumping at Greenfield had been in response to the requests of the settlore,

who, however, yet had only carted away, under 20 loads. The pumping at Bal-. elutha reserve had been in the nature ' of protection works', for the borough - council, and at the bridge there were.2obp; yards for' Mr Ehodesj the eon- i trAetor for the bridge work. In' addi- ■< ti'on, the steamer had been doing some .pumping at Begg's, and was at present .pumping at • Greenfield for the Bruce County Council. The times mentioned was only actual working time, and did not include the time occupied .in mantling and dismantling and shifting. When, the boat was finished at Greenfield' it was expected there would be authority from the Lands Department to proceed with the work at Manuka Island, and after that was done it was hoped negotiations would be completed for the pumping of gravel for the Bailway Department for ballasting purposes. Jt was decided to fix a date by which the settlers at Greenfield would be required to cart away all the gravel they required, after which it would probably be disposed of in one lot. In regard to the proposed work at Manuka Island, it was decided to notify the Land Board that the boat would be-ready to commence work there in about ten days' time.