HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4138, 1 June 1876, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

At to-cUfy’s; meeting there were present—the Superintendent (in the chair), Messrs Reich Ritchie, Davie, Turnbull, Tewsley, and Reeve*.

On an application by Mr W. B. Marsh (collector) applying for an increase of salary, which was only partially raised last year. Mr Davie moved that it should be raised to L 350 (the same as pilots), and he remarked that it was little enough, seeing that lie bad LIO,OOO a-year passing through bis bauds and did his work efficiently. Several other members spoke in terms of approval of Mr Marsh’s services.—Mr Tewslet, in moving as an amendment that the application be not entertained at present, said if it Were granted a number of similar applications would come in.—After discussion in committee, the application Was granted. Kincaid, M‘Queen, and Co.’s application' for six .months’ extension of time in building the hew dredge, the construct for which expires on the 27tb inst., was declined. The Engineer reported as follows I have the honor to forward herewith thU month’s returns for dredging, with the Inspector's report. The cost of dredging and deposit is for the dredge New Era and side dredge 9Jd and Is 6sd per cubic yard respectively. The various works now under progress are being regularly and carefully attended to and supervised.. A fourtti progress payment is attached in favor of Messrs Kincaid, M'Qneen, and.Co., for construction of new dredge. The Inspector’s report for the meatk was. I have the honor to forward for youc information weekly returns of dredging and towing, of which the following is a summary Dredge New Era-Lifted, 7,922 c. yds, at a cost of OJdpero. yd. Side Dredge—Lifted, 1,870 c. yds, at a scat at Is 5W perky?. The Peninsula towed 576 punts, at a cost of Lllß Us 6d, equal to about 3s Hid par punt. Saving so recently repented upon the other works nude? ray supervision, there is nothing calling for special notice.: The new dredge, Rattray street whan e». tension,.renewal of the upper portion of Rattray street wharf, along with the oi dinary repairs to jetties and punts ore being attended to. The lower black beacon in the Upper Harbor is being replaced by day labor. Repairs to the Tauxhall powder magazine authorised .by the Board two months ago, but which, as the magazine was full of powder, could not then be effected, are now being executed. STEAM HARROWS. The committee appointed to report upon Mr Houghton’s proposal for harrowing the TJpper Harbor brought up the following report:— V ■ s Your committee have to . report that they have carefully considered the question referred to them—viz., the proposal of Mr Houghton to obtain a depth °f 13ft of water in the south channel by means of a utcam harrow—and now beg to lay before the Board a synopsis of the evidence they obtained and the conclusion arrived at. The Board’s Engineer considers the proposal of Mr Houghton would have no effect whatever, and would he a uselens waste of money. Captaie Thomson declined to . express a decided opinion as to whether harrowing would accomplish the desired purpose, but is inclined ~to think it would not. He is of opinion that it would not he judicious for ths Board to' enter into the expenditure of the amount proposed, but should it be deemed advisable to try the experiment of harrows that the Board, could, test the effect itself for a vei y much smaller outlay. Captains Stewart and Edie agree in thinking the harrswing process quite useless, and their views being so thoroughly in harmony youc committee may sum np their evidence and opinion in one. •, (L) They consider the only effect of disturbing the deposit of sand, mud, and shells at the bottom of the south channel would be a shifting for a very short distance of the matter disturbed, there not being Bufflcimt scour to carry it any length; that, therefore, it wonld he a work of inutility and would result In no. taagible result. . (2.) That for a coasidciable distance there is hnt little current in the south channel, whilst the set of the current tends gseat y towards the north channel, resulting in a strong scour. •(ft) That the north channel is wider than the south for the greater part of its distance, and,' if deepened between Burke’s Brewery and the wharves, offers greater facilities for soiling crafts, as, owing: to the prevailing winds, and its course bdng more direct, it is more easily navigated tban thesoutta.

(A) That their views on the improvement of the harbor are—that the south channel can, in the course of a few months, be dredged so os to give a uniform depth of 14ft at high water; that, this being accomplished, no more be done to this channel, and that then the channel proposed by Mr Simpson, viz., the north, be gone on with vigorously, and that they do not consider it wouldbe advisable to make the deviation as suggested by Mr Gordon.

Mr Houghton was examined, but could not give ony instance when under similar analogous ciraamstencet his proposed system of harrowing had been successful. Tone committee cauuot recommend the Board tqgptertain Mr Houghton’s proposal. The ; views ana suggestions. of Captains Stewart and : Edie are deserving of great consideration, and bbing similar in purport to the recommendation made by the Board’s engineer your committee are unanimous in the. opinion that the Board should at once agree to adopt Mr Simpson’s plan for a deepwater channel between Port Chalmers oud Dunedin, and save itself from being harroased by unsolicited Offers'and suggestions, and also thereby set at rest , all doubt as to the proposed scheme of harbor improvements. Tonr committee tender their thanks Vo Captains Stewart and Edie for their valuable evidence. The following memorandum by the Bngineer was attached to the report:— following supplementary inforinatien to that already advanced in evidence respecting the above subject is forwarded, as requested, for the committee's guidanceMr Houghton's letter regarding the south channel wtfs. evidently written in ignorance of the Board’s intentions In oonaectioa therewith. The closing of this channel was not contemplated. On the contrary, its retention for the see to which it is at present available is part of the scheme laid before the Board in my final report upon; the harbor.- My preliminary reports of the 26th November wad lOtk December, .1874, also indicated my intentions and recommendations respecting the south channel, and the Board having decided to act upon the latter, the dredging to the depth recommended, via..'Oft at low water, was proceeded with, t>na would have been completed some time ago had the channel alongside the Rattray street wharf not required improvement as to width and depth for the bettor , accommodation of the ordinary {class of vessels, now having access to Dunedin. At present the dndge is gradually working in the direction of the Oft water off Grant's Braes, on completiou of which it was arranged to finish the leftoff portion at Maeandrew's Bay. As I believe that further improvements to thesouth channel to those originally decided upon ore requisite. I have shown on the large reference plan now forwarded blue and red dotted lines, representing respectively the centre line of deepening and half-tide walls, the former having more parlicular reference to tbo turn at-Macandrew’s Bay, and the latter is proposed with a view to closing up certain cross and objectionable channels, and thus- concentratiug the woev. The cost of these works will ho about XaSiOOO, which amount includes provision for a channel width of 200 ft at those parts which havo not already a depth of Oft at low water. To secure a depth of 15ffc at high water will involve nu extra foot of .catting for about three-fourths of the entire distance. There is no doubt that improvements to the south channel, sudh as above suggested, orthat miy be to a greater extent proposed, must be of considerable benefit to its navigation, and while keeping in view the north channel-as the perman nt ono for tho larger class of Home vessels, perhaps the first efforts of tho Board when the. new dredge is completed should be concentrated upon the south channel in order to accomplish what has already boon sanctioned, ■with such, further improvements as to depth, Which the Hoard may determine . upon to meet- what -the members -may consider the future necessities of trade. As to Mr HoughB . Proposed nmthod of harrowing, I do not think it will, oft consmoration, commend itself to the Board. It is safer to proceed'in the orthodox manner of depositing tho excavated material beyond tidal influences than to try experiments which can only result in a useless expenditure of money, if not serious injury to the harbor. Mr Tewsley wished *o know if the plan now proposed adopted Mr Simpson’s scheme for a dead water channel in the permanent ’improvements or the tidal asouv, which involved the closing up the cross channel, propotmdett by Mr Balfour, which was supported by Mr Gordon ? Mt Eieves : Under Mr Simpson’s proposal it intended to close up the south channel 1 Mr Tewsley : We have decided upon that already. - Mr Bitchle : I never know that was de cidedupou. . Mr Tewsley, said the places that had been approved of..by the- General Government totally ignored :the.tidal sconr scheme. ' . Mr.fi/EEVEs; in moving the adoption of tbo committee’s report, remarked ‘that the evidence of Oaptanm Stewart aud lidio, wont to WOW that the tide was stronger ia the north

than the south channel: that this be the permanent channel, and be deepened from the poiut where it shallowed, half "a utile the town side of Burke’s np to the wharves, by which means the best permanent channel, with the strongest scour weuld bo obtained. They were decidedly of opinion that the Board should not adopt Mr Gordon’s deviation, and that the prevailing winds in the harbor being up and down, the channel should be as straight as possible. If the dredging of the south channel was the only question, a few places only required to be dredged, which could be done in a eouple of months or so, once the dredge got to work. Mr Tewslev pressed for information whether the committee recommended that the Board should take Mr Simpson’s plan as originally proposed. The Chairman ; It weuld be a great thing to get a depth of Vdft for the bagatelle which is involved. The greater part ©f the dredging Work will bo common to both ehannels.

Mr Davie ; While we are discussing the plan the dredging is being done. On Mr Reeves is motion, further consideration of the report was postponed for a week.