THE HARBOR BOARD.

Evening Star, Issue 4312, 21 December 1876, Page 2

THE HARBOR BOARD.

The ordinary meeting of the Harbor Board was held this afternoon, and was attended by Messrs Reeves (in the chair), Reid, Davie, Ritchie, Tewsley, and M'Kinnon. Messrs Rojse, Stead, and Co. wrote claiming compensation for loss sustained through being unable to load their vessels in time, and for accidents to their teams, by reason of the condition of the roadway at the upper end of the Rattray street wharf. Mr Tewsley, speaking as a citizen, thought the merchants should bring moral pressure to bear upon the Corporation to do its duty in this matter* The Board approved of the secretary's letter, disclaiming liability on the part of the Board', and referring Royse, Stead, and Co. to the Corporation. The Committee on the lighting of the coast reported as follows : Your committee have to report that it has taken evidence of several shipmasters of varied experience, high standing', aud engaged for many years in both foreign, intercolonial, and coastal navigation in regard to the subject remitted to it, viz., the sufficiency or otherwiso of the present ligb. at Ta roa Head, and the necessity tor an additional powerful light on Cape Saunders. The evidence clearly establishes—- ' First. That th'o light on Tairoa Head and the

leading lights oil the Band is not sufficient as harbor 00MtelB f Sfc" YeßSelß * ntMiUß Secondly. That a powerful light on Cape Saun. dera would be of undoubtedlyVeat bluetttto «™ «« app S°2^&' RS WeU M * tho«rt»v£ lu i?J l ?u and . d tte coast « «»* would greato t^X. 1 *^ m d rterßlßfag their WhttwTiSSS to the entrance of the harbor, and genetilSoon. tribute largely to the Bafety dtm&SSm 9 Your Committee would point out that from Mia eleventh report of the Marine Department, year ending 80th June, 1876, the Ught dues distribute!!* th«»_several ports of Otago, amounting for that year to L 8.333, while the whole Colony, Otago inolu. sure, was LU.489. Fiom the same report it finds that the cost of maintenance of lights for the same year amounted to L5.H4, leaving * surplus 0 f revenue over cost of maintenance of £6,294, and that during a course of years the surplus (to which proportionately aa above Otago has been a contributor) of no less than L25.H2 has nccumul»ted, and, in the words of the report, "may properly be regarded as a sub. stantial contribution towards the cost of the new lights ebout to be erected." Your committee would recommend thatacopy of this report be forwarded to the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs backed by a strong request from the Board' that the Government push 'on, with all due expedition, the intention expressed some years ago of erecting a powerful light on Cape Saunders. Your committee wovld also recommend that the Bosrd request the Hon. the Commissioner of Customs to draw the attention of the Government to the urgent necessity there existß of placing a bell buoy, or a sufficient and suitable signal on the Pish Eeef, the costal traffic being such as to amply warrant a claim for this being done.

On the motion of Mr M'Kdtnon the report was adopted and the following resolution carried:-"That the Board unanimously concurs in strongly urging upon the Government the speedy erection of a powerful light on Cape Saunders, as well as a bell buoy or other sufficient beacon or light on Fish Reef." e

The Engineer reported that he was preparing a record plan showing the Board's property between Rattray street wharf and Pehchet Bay; but, befere it could be completed, it was necessary that certain measurements and data respecting the Wharves and Quays Reserve should be from the City Council plans. He therefore suggested that the City Council should be officially requested to furnish such particulars as may be required by his department upon application. Mr Simpson forwarded a communication from Mr GilloW, from which it appeared that MrMirams declined to give the required measurements because, as he apprehended, the City Council was not asked officially by the Board.

TENDERS FOR DREDGING A CHANNEL. A Mr Berry wrote offering to dredge a channel 100 ft wide, with a depth of 18£t. at low water, without training wall, for L 74,000 odd. The Engineer's estimate for the work was L 38.000. The Board considered the offer purely gratuitous. The following, tenders for contract No. 15, as advertised, were then opened :

•«■ Method No. I.—Excavating channel to a depth of 18ft at low water and bottom width of 70ft, with batters of three horizontal t« one vertical, between Dunedin and Kilgour's Point, including timber, retaining walls, and other works provided in specifications and shown on drawing No. 1. ... ... t(# %it (at £BB 950 Method No. 2.—Excavating channel to a ' depth of 18ft at low water and bottom width of 70ft, with side slopes of three horizontal to one vertical, between Dunedin aud Kilgour's Point, including retammg wall of stone and other work provided for and shown on tracing No. 1 J891.875 Method No. 3.—Excavating channel to a depth of 18ft at low water and bottom width of 7<rft, with Bide elopes of three horizontal to one vertical between Dunedin and Kilgour's Point, including halftide wa J l aud other works provided for and shown on drawing No. 2 L 91.000 Method No. 4.—Excavating channel to a depth of 18ft below low water and bottom width of 70ft, with side slopes of three horizontal to one vertical between Dunedm and Kilgour's Point, including halftide wall and other works provided for in specification and shown on drawing No - 2 L 105.200 „ ~ , Henderson and Fergus. Method No. 1 £127791 Alternative tender as by Method' No 1* ' making retaining wall of timber from the line of Albany street instead of from Kattray street, to Kilgour's Point, material obtained from channel between line of Albany street and upper extremity to be deposited upon reclamation area, as shown upon tracing ,„ £127 000 Jomes Hacltay and Co. Method No. 1 . poo van Do. No. 2 £127 7iO Do. No. 4 £139 811 Own method, which provides for the excal ' vation of channel detailed in method No. 1, without any training wall; dredged material (1,020,000 cubic yards) to be deposited in Arden Bay, Blanket Bay, and behind wharves at Dunedin up to 4ft below high-water mark £74,590 Mr Tbwslby : No. 4 method is Mr Simp son's plan, pure and simple. ' The Chairman : Yes, and you get the land for the difference of L 16",000. Mr M'Kinnon moved that the tenders be referred to the Engineer for report in the usual way. Mr Davie suggested that there should be a special meeting on an early date to deal with the tenders.

Mr Tewslby would support the motion if the tenders were referred to the special committee in conjunction with the engineer Mr M'Kinnon did net like to seethe thing done in that way ; it was putting the Works Committee on one Bide altogether. The Special Committee had done their work very well, and he moved that they be discharged.—(Laughter. ) After a little discussion it was decided to refer the tenders to the Special Committee and to the engineer, and to have a special meeting of the Board on Saturday, at 11 a.m., to consider them.