HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 3675, 2 December 1874, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of this body was held yesterday ; Mr Mercer presiding.

The Provincial Government wrote that they were anxious that Mr Simpson should superintend to completion certain public works he had initiated—viz., the light railways in various parts of the Province, the Naseby sludge channel, and the Waipori drainage works, and exercise a general supervision over the Provinc : al Engineer’s department until the appointment of his successor. It was stated that the Government would pay a proportion of Mr Simpson’s salary while he is so encaged.

The Finance Committee reported having written to the Government that although the Harbor Department, &c., was to have been handed over to the Board on the sth ult, on the 12th the Secretary called on the Collector of Jetty Dues to inspect his books, When that officer informed h ; m that he had not received information from the head of his department of any change of service, and had consequently paid in his accounts to the Provincial Treasury. The Government replied that it was desirable to postpone banding over thb department until December 1, on which date the necessary instructions would he given. Reference was made to the deputation that waited on the Hon. Mr Reynolds, and mention made that until the Governor’s Sowers under the Marine Act were fully elegated, several necessary acts could not be performed. The opinion of the Board’s solicitors was to the effi ct that the publication in the Provincial ‘Gazette’ of the delegation was not sufficient, Mr Reeves said it was plain the drag was now with the Provincial Government, and moved that a deputation of the whole Board should wait upon the Miperintendent and urge him to complete the delegation at once and withpqt delay. Mr M'Dermid complained that the Board was hanktring for power to place dues on goods landed at the Fopt Chalmers Railway Pier, but Mr Tewsley pointed out that the General Government specially exempted that pier from any delegation ; and Mr Reeves said if the Board was to continue as at present—a Board without power to act —the sooner they resigned the better. The motion was carried, Mr M‘Demid's being the only voice in the negative. The Engineer reported an examination had been made of the dredge in dock, and an expenditure of LSO or I 63 upon repairs to her hull would enable it to meet all require ments for dredging purposes for at least twelve months ; but as it was probable a second and more powerful dredge would be got, he thought it unv.me to proceed with the substitution of an iron hull for the one at present in use. The necessary repair.-) in tfce Peninsula, which conld he more conveniently and economically executed at the present time, will cost about 1,200. After the repairs to the dredge are completed, she will (according to Captain Thomson) be required at the Port for two or three Vetekp in deppenipg the approach ‘ to the dock i hence it might be four weeks before it conld bo made available for channel dredging. In the meantime it was desirable to discontinue the use o! the side dredge

now operating in the area between tbe Rattray and Stuart street jetties. The report went on to say : With respect to the first work to be undertaken by the dredge New Era, I would recommend ns follows :-The long channel between Kilirour’s Point and Kattniy street jetty is to be deepened and widened where required, particularly at the Dunedin end and at certain points in the cross channel, so as to admit of a uniform depth at low water of Oft, equal to about lift at high water. Rough soundings tikou on the 18th instant indicate that the dredging necessary to accomplish this will neither he a tedious nor an expensive operation. I should say that, a period of seven or eight months would effect this. The object, to be gained by this preliminary work is that of admitting of access at high water to the Rattray street jetty by fho intcrpiovincial and probably the intercolonial steamers. The material arising from the dredging is to be deposited in the endowment area, immediately behind the extension of Rattray street wharf. Simultaneously with the work of dredging, the Rattray street wharf to bo extended in the present, direction as far as the endowment limit, and authority is requested for the drawings to bo prepared for this work at an early date with the view of having it carried out'by contract. With regard to the ordering of a new dredge, I would request to be allowed two weeks to prepare recommendations for the Hoard’s consideratioin In conclusion, with the assistance °f_ Captain Thomson, I propose to establish tide-gauges at various points between the Heads and Dunedin, and to institute a senes of observations as a preliminary step in the work of harbor survey and soundings in tbe course of next week. In the meantime a plan of the harbor is in course of preparation, so far as information and surveys already made and authenticated will permit. The Works Committee reported, inter alia, having instructed the engineer to prepare plans and specifications for the extension of tbe Rattray street to the outer limit of the proposed reclamation, and having communicated with the Government on the subject, making tbe following proposals :—lst. That the Hoard at once advertise for tenders for the extension of the Rattray street jetty the whole length to the outer boundary of the proposed reclamation, and in the meantime arrange for cost of construction, the Government agreeing to recoup the Board for the construction of that portion fronting the land which has already been sold, either in money or by extending the land endowment shoreward towards Castle street, 2nd That the Board continue to fill up the land sought to be reclabned between the Rattray street jetty and tbe old Jetty street jetty, at a price to he fixed by the Government and the Board’s engineers, this also to be a matter of account between the Government and the Board. The proposition to first dredge the long channel was opposed by Mr M’Kinnon, and, after seine discussion, the consideration of the report was deferred.

The proposed conditions upon which tenders will lie received for the new iron dredge were submitted. They provide for a dredge capable of lifting 500 tons of stuff hourly.