HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4156, 23 June 1876, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The following letter from Mr H.i Driver, ! agent for the s.s. Australia, was laid before the Board after we went to press yester-! day -.—"Dear Sir,—When the mail steamer Australia was being brought up the harbor on the 27th ult., in charge of a pilot, she was, as you are no doubt aware* put on a sandbank. In getting her off the Harbormaster, who was on board, engaged the steamers Geelong and Golden Age to assist. For the services rendered tf»ese steamers claim together L 46, and the Harbor-master has .referred the owners to the agents of the Australia for payment. There is also a claim of LlO by the Geelonc for removing the (ship after she was anchored for the night, it being found that she grounded while swinging. I respectfully submit that the ship should not be .called upon to pay these accounts, as the steamer was in the hands of the pilot, and beyond the control of the master. Will you kindly bring the matter before your Government or tho Harbor Board, with the view of getting the accounts settled, as the owners of the steamers employed are pressing for payment ?"-Mr Ritchie did not think they could grant the application. The ban Francisco papers were full of, anything but complimentary remarks about the ptago harbor, but as a fact no vessel being within fifty feet as long as the Australi ever went up the Clyde without a steam-tug fore and aft.—Mr TfcWßLEVthought if the largo steamers did r.ot run down the coast it would not oe a bad job.— Mr Rbbvis said it was time the notion that

the large steamers should not run down the coast was explored. Their not doing so would only mads a difference of LSO per month, and their continuing to do so was ef undoubted advantage. His opinion was that the vessel might call here for fifty years and never touch the bank again. A great deal too much attention was paid to the adverse reports circulated concerning the Otage harbor. If there existed the trade, they might be sure it would be done, and the port would not be so easily affected. —The Board unanimously adopted the resolution—"That the Board regrets it cannot see its way clear to pay the accounts." On Mr Tbwslbv's motion it was agreed " That the Board adopts the report of the Committee in regard to Mr Houghton's offer, and having fully considered all that has been advanced for and against the various suggestions as to the main channel, decides finally to adopt the recommendation proposed by Mr Simpson, the Board's engineer, and assented to by the Governor in Coun cil." This, he said, also took up a matter which was not submitted to the Committee, and gave a distinct utterance upon t.