HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4163, 30 June 1876, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

The annual statutory meeting of the Harbor Board was held this , afternoon ; present, the Deputy-Superintendent (in the chair), Messrs Davie, Jleeves; M'Kirinon, M'Neil, Tewsley, Ritchie, and Gillies (secretary).

Mr Davie moved, and Mr Tewsley seconded, the following motion,—"Provided that no objection be lodged and the requirements of the Harbor Board having been complied with as to audit, &c, accounts for the year ending March 31 last be finally passed," which was agreed to.'

engineer's report.

The following report from the Board's Engineer (Mr D. L. Simpson) was read : I have the honor to hand in the usual returns for the present month; with the lusi ector's report thereon. There is nothing calling for special remark fuithor than that the various, works in progress are being carefully attended to. I may mention tbat the contract time for the completion of the new dredge expired under the 27th iust. It will he necessary to draw the contractor's attention to this, and to the penalty clause embodied iu the airrcemtnt, unless the Board Agree to extend the time in consideration of the work being one of t-reater magnitude, and involving greater car© in manipulation thau machinery of the ordinary Colonial manufacture. The contract cannot be completed under four months from date.

Attached to the engineer's report was a statement by the Inspector of Works (Mr D. G. Stephens) respecting dredging operations for the past month as follows : I beg to forward herewith rettirns of dredging and towing from 28th of Moy to June 24. Having account's earlier than usual some of the accounts were not rendered in time, and consequently some of the expenditure is not included:' but aa the pay-sheets Include Iho wages of all monthly servants up till 30th of June, I consider that will compensate for the accounts not rendered The total quantity dredged is 8,517 cubic yards, of which the New Era lifted 7,378 cubic ynrds at a cost of L 258 5s -tid, and the side dredge 1,139 cubic yards at a cost of L 133 9s o%d. The Peninsula has towed 501 punts at a cost of LlOl 12s lid, equal to 4s Ofcd per punt. With regard to the very high cost per yard for the side dredge, it arises from the Penin. aula being unable to keep both dredges, as they are now situated, constantly going.

It was agreed that Messrs Kincaid, M'Queen and Co. be informed that the penalty to which they were liable was L2 per day for every day beyond their contract time in completing the dredge.

Annual report. The Secretary read the annual report, as follows :

Since its last annual report, the Otago Harbor Board has continued to make steady progress in the several respects of organisation, finance, and works, aud has sought to strengthen the foundations upon whioh it was nrstb&sed,

FUHDAMISTAL BA»B Of TXI BOABS. This has been very considerably altered and improved since the first report was published. At its last sitting the Provincial Council greatly strengthened the hands of the Board, amongst other things by handing over to the Board aft the plant and appl aucea that had formerly been under the control or the Proviucial Government. -The Board considered it desirable, before offering its bonds on the British market, to obtain, if possible, an Act of the General Assembly as a further guarantee to investors as to the bond fides and genuineness of the Board's debentures; and in order to obtain this and other aO vantages, the secretary was sent to Wellington to facilitate matters. By the valuable aid of the General Government and the assistance genorolly »of members from Otago, the passage of the Act became a comparatively easy matter, and tho Secretary's mission was most satisfactorily performed. The new Act, "The Otago Harbor Board Empowering Act, 1875," npt only, gives the stamp ot authority to the Board's debentures, and, as expected, facilitates its financial operations, proved by the result of the public sales hereafter referred to, but it also extended the scope over which rates may be levied, economises jtreatlythe labor and ensures the efficiency of collecting the. Board's revenues. It has also secured to the Board the control of the endowment set apart and Crown grarted in October, 1861, for the improvement of the harbor of Dunedin, and the revenue derived from it will now be devoted to i' s original and legitimate purpose.

t MNANCB. Under this head the Board has every reason to feel satisfied. Since itß creation in November, 1874, the Bank account has scarcely ever been other than in funds. Partly from its increased revenue and partly by the sale of debentures (none under par) the supply of money has been fully equal to the Board's present wants. Up to 31st March, 1976, the general statement of affairs (particulars being set forth in the accounts at tacked) stand thus: the total revenue for the year from all sources, including the balance of L19718s lid from last year's account, amounted to L 39.624 19s Bd. The total expenditure for the year was L 32.835 7s 2d, leaving a balauce at the credit of the Board's account with the Colonial Bank of New Zealaud of L6,7«912s 6d. The ordinary revenue, it may be noted, amounted to L 13.327 2s 9d, and ordinary expenditure L 7.927 0s sd, including interest paid on debentures to Ist January, 1876, leaving a balance available out of revenue of L 5.400 2s 4a for harbor improvements. The ifralualy improving revenue of the Board, since the esfablishment of the rates under the Act of 1875, in November last, is evidenced by the following' summary :—

£ a. d. Quarter ending 30fch June, 1875... ... 1,025 14 7 „ „ 30th' Sept., 1875 ... 1,696 0 1 „ „ Blßt Dec, 1875 2.=>9> 14 3 . „ „ 31st March, 1876 ... 3,859 5 9 Duri: g the ye«r ending 31st March Tilt., L 14.600 worth of debentures were moved off privately at par, and Lll,soi} at the same rate were taken by the contractors ftr the extension of Eattray street wharf iu payment of their contract. Since that time the Board has learned with much satisfaction of the successful floating on the public market, by tender, of LIOO.OOO sterling of its authorised loan. This is in addition to the sum disposed of privately prior to the debentures being placed on the market. As the table appended include particulars of the loan account, it may be summarißed thus:—l,294 LIOO debentures realised L 131,430 19s 7d, from which deduct accrued interest, L1.75614s Id, and all expenses and charges both here and in London, L 2,461 4s 6d, showing a balance of L 127.213 Is, or equal to within a fraction of 98-31 as the result of cash available for works. The highly satisfactory result need not be further alluded to here, except to say that the Finance Committee, to whom the work of examination of the Colonial Bank's accounts bad been remitted, expresses itself well pleased both with the spirit in which the negotiations have been couductud by the manager of the bank (Mr BealJ and also with thß final outcome or result of this the Board's (as well as the bank's) mutual operation of the London market. '

WOEKS

Within the past twelve months the survey of the upper harbor has been completed) and the survey of he lower harbor undertaken. The Board’s Engineer has furnished his proposed plan of harbor improvement. As a general scheme this has been assented to by the Govemor-in-Connoil, and the Board has decided upon so much of it as relates to the course and description of the main channel. The dredge New Era and side dredge have been (except when laid up for repairs) kept constantly at work either improving the south or long channel (as proposed in the Beard’s first annual report), or ic cutting a basin 300 ft wide off Rattray street Wharf. At present the New Eta is engaged cutting a channel of 9ft at low water from the red beacon to the present head of the long channel off Grant's Braes, and as soon as this is finished and some few improvements lower down thechannel effected the Board expects to see all steamers and sailing vessels not having a draft of more than 14ft at high water regularly berthed alongside of tho Rattray street wharf, The new dredge is prostressing, but noc so satisfactorily as to time as the Board could wish, and it will yet take about three months to complete. The extension of Rattray street wharf having beien finished, and the increase of trade thereat requiring it, the Board has accepted a contract for largely increased shed accommodation, and trusts shortly to arrive at a satisfactory arrangement for the proper lighting and improvement of that important thoroughfare. The attention of the Board has not been unduly confined to that portion of the harbor immediately adjoining Dunedin, but the general interests of the whole have been equitably dealt with as far os possible. Considerable improvements have been carried out at the Pilot Station by way of repairs to the pilot’s quarters, and the Board willingly cooperated with the General Goyemmrut when requested to do so in establishing the telegraph station there. The Board records also with pleasure the fact of the Education Board, i through the Provincial tiovernment, having established a school at the Pilot Station under -an efficient teacher, which supplies a want long and severely felt. The benefit of the leading lights to vessels entering the Port at night, and the provision for sounding a gong in foggy weather, is so generally acknowledged that these do not require to be more than mentioned. The Board has also' authorised an experiment to be made wilh a view to deepening the outer Bar. The buoys, .dolphins, beacons, and lightship have all been kept in thorough repair; and several of the first three named have been replaced by hew ones of superior construction. Several of the jetties on the sides of the Harbor have also .been attended to, although no revenue has been obtained directly from them. The Board has also taken over from the Provincial Government the Powder Magazines, and, having' expended a considerable snm m putting them into efficient repair, has leased them at a satisfactory rental. Plans and specifications have been prepared and tenders called for, for a farther extension of wharfage accommodation; but as some differences in opinion exists in connection therewith, and as the plans have not yet been approved of by the Governor as required by law, a decision thereon has not yet been arrived at. Plans have been submitted by the Board’s Engineer of steam mnd barges and appliances for the the dredged material for reclamation purposes; but as these" are to some* extent novel and involve a large outlay, the Board has deemed it piudent t > exercise great caution and is therefore giving the proposals careful consideration before committing itself to the outlay. It is Loped the time thus spent will conduce towards securing satisfactory results. GSNEBXL. ' The Board has initiated a system o! training' apprentice pilots, which will in future no doubt prqve valuable to the service. Under the direction of the Board a revisionof the «New Zealand Pilot ’ affecting the harbor oflfitago has been made, and it is hoped the amendments will be embodied in the next edition of the wort.

The Board s Engineer-furnishes the following in. formation, more iu detail as to the works under his charge:—" The tabulated statements prepared to show respectively the comparative results and cost of dredging and {deposit, aud tha works initiated, carried out, and in progress by contract aud day labor, with a few remarks of an explanatory nature. In the attached statement, No. 1, is shown the total quantities of material dredged and deposited by both dredgeß 5 also, the number of punts towed by the Peninsula. The items being separately given afford the means of acquiring ready information as to the capabilities of each dredge, and tho relutive cost of excavating and removing for deposit ou reclamation areas. It will be seen that tho average rates per cubic yard excavated by the dredge New Era is UJd, and by the side dredge 'lb Bd, both of which include towagd for an average distance of one mile. The dredges have been empleyed during the year in the steamers' basin and approach thereto from the South Channel, in excavating a cut of 300 ft in width at the upper end and 200 ft in width at the lower, and to a depth of :9ft at low water, to give better facilities for vessels swingiug and approaching, without fear of grounding, the Battray street wharf. The material arising therefrom, amounting to 111,826 cubic yards, has all been deposited in the proposed reclamation areas between Stuart street and Pelichet Bay jetties, where no fear need be entertained of its removal by the ordinary tidal Bcour. These areas have now been so filled up that the only part capable of beinp approached at low water is bear the seaward end of Pelichet Bay jetty. This shows the necessity for early provision being made for such deposits—appliances as will keep even the present dredges in operation. The dredge New Era is now gradually effecting the low water depth of 9ft sanctioned in the south channel, and the side dredge is employed in deepening the shallower parts abreast of the cross wharf. With respect to the average cost per yard of dreugiug by the New Era, |the first five months operations afford no criterion of what may be considered this dredge's capabilities in an economical point of view. The cost rauged for the p<;i iod from Is to Is 2|d per yard. The reason of this excessive rate is attributable to two causes. One, and the principal one, being incessant delays consequent upon endeavors being made to interfere as little as possible with the ordinary trafflo at the upper end of the basin; the other from having to out through au uuusually hard clay crust lying immediately abore the sand and shell stratum. Where the dredge has a fair cut with no interruption other than what may be expected from the weather tho cost would be less than 9d per yard. The following rates (ox the several saoftt&i ot the past year are

showing high onaooonntoi"^' n f ftfttm^*^ri< jsfsi overhaul or the dredging plant; " "™ ,1875. \ . xgte July, Is 1M January, not recorded -August, Is 2Jd Feb&aOtlOtd .-; September, Is 2d MarflEft October, Hid ,Aprflpil|d November, Is l|d ; VhymmT December, 9|d Jiuj& «s&' I The several contract and principal day labor workal undertaken during the yea* ore enumerated in Statements Nob: 8 and 8, with fluch particular! as will enable the Board to arrive at their condition, progress, and in cases where incompleted tLeix expected date of completion."

The cost of the dredge New Era for the twelve months was L 3,283 9s Id ; of the side dredge, L 1,554 Os 6d; and of the Peninsula,. L 1.428 16s lljd. The average rate per cubic yard dredged Era, lljd; side dredge,: Is Sd; average rate per punt, for towage by the Peninsula, 4s 4d.

Mr TBWBLBY moved,_" That the report be adopted, that 250 copies be printed, and that one copy each be Bent to the General and ProvinciattJovernmenta."—Agreed to. It was agreed that a special meeting of the Board be held on Tuesday to consider the question of barges.