OTAGO HARBOUR

Evening Star, Issue 20055, 21 December 1928, Page 2

OTAGO HARBOUR

BOARD'S FINAL MEETING Tho final meetings of the Harbour Board for tho year as a standing committee and as a board were hold last night; present—Messrs H. E. Moller (chairman), W. Wilkinson, J. London, J. W. Munro, M.P., C. a. Hayward, D. F. H. Sharpe, T. Anderson, J. M‘C. Dickson, H. C. Campbell, A. Cable, PI. M. Driver, D. Larnach, and Captain C. M'Donald. CORRESPONDENCE. The Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department advised that the department proposed to remain on the block now occupied by its store.—Received. The request of the New Zealand Society of Civil Engineers for permission for the,board’s engineer to attend the annual conference to be held in Christchurch on February 17 was granted. A donation < ■ £5 was made towards the regatta fund of the Burkes-St. Leonards Aquatic Club. A report was made by the secretary that he had written to the Port Chalmers Borough Council stating that the board had decided to demolish the freezing works, with the exception of the stone wall.' The borough council wrote asking the board to erect a 10ft brick wall. After hearing a report from the engineer, the board decided that it could not see its way to erect a now wall. . PROVINCIAL BROCHURE. The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the board to contribute towards the cost of issuing an illustrated booklet. On the grounds that the chamber had already shown itself opposed to the board’s policy and that the board carried out its own publicity, Mr Anderson moved that nc grant be made. The booklet was for the chamber’s own ends. Mr Campbell appealed to the board to assist in the scheme, which was for the benefit of all. Captain M'Donald maintained that the board could not afford to spend money on .publicity schemes when harbour improvements had to be carried out. Mr Cable favoured a contribution being made to advertise overseas tho facilities offered by the harbour. The board was an important body, and should be represented in the scheme. Mr Loudon suggested that the full information should be obtained as to the details of the booklet. Mr Munro considered that the proposed contribution of £SO should be increased to £IOO. By the co-operation 'of the various bodies, a comprehensive booklet could be issued to_ advance the tourist and other attractions of Dunedin and Otago. He believed the booklet would be a sound commercial proposition. Mr Anderson’s motion was carried after a brief discussion. DREDGE OTAKOU. The superintending engineer (Mr Robinson) cabled that the null plating had been completed on December 3. The second progress payment fell on December 21 The Secretary: And tho payment will be made. OIL AND PETROL SUPPLIES. The tenders of the Vacuum Oil Company for benzine and the Shell Company for kerosene and lubricating oils were accepted. LOGAN PARK AGREEMENT. The Chairman reported that tho subcommittee on the final agreement with the City Council on the question of Logan Park had not yet been able to meet. LOAN OF DIVING GEAR. On tho recommendation of tho engineer, the Chairman had agreed to the. loan of the board’s diving gear and ’the hire of the diver and assistant to ■‘the ;■ City Corporation for service at Waipori. The Chairman said the equipment and men were needed for investigation into one of tho' pipes. His action was approved. HARBOURMASTER’S REPORT. The report of the harbourmaster stated that thirty-tnreo coastal vessels of a tonnage of 21,540 tons, four vessels of 9,438 tons, and sixteen oversea vessels of 59,954 tons had arrived at Dunedin and Port Chalmers during the month. Thirty-six coastal vessels of a tonnage of 22,861 tons, four intercolonial vessels of a tonnage of 8,384 tons, and twelve oversea vessels of a tonnage of 50,892 tons had departed.— ; Adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer’s report stated that during the month Dredge 222 steamed 127 miles and consumed 133 tons of coal. The dredgo Vulcan pumped 22,491 cubic yards of material into the Albany Street School site, Leith Estuary, and Logan Point reclamation area. The reclamation of the Albany Street School site in Union street was completed to an average height of about 18in above Union street. < To have raised the filling to a higher level would have necessitated the construction of heavy retaining walls, and it was considered that at the present level no drainage difficnlties would be experienced. The report was adopted. STRANDING OF WINGATUI. Reporting on the stranding of the Wingatui, Captain S. Hewitt stated that he swung round to end of the Birch street wharf at midnight on December 5, and proceeded towards the channel, which was entered at 0.8 a.m. The engines were then stopped, and the engineer reported the rocker shaft baring to be broken. The ship then became unmanageable, and drifted ashore at No. 35 beacon, and remained ashore until she was refloated by assistance of the tug and dredge at 10 55 a.m. The vessel was brought to the Victoria wharf and moored there. Mr Dickson complained of the nature of the messages from Dunedin appearing in the Wellington papers. The impression created was that the stranding was a repetition of the wreck of the Larsen at Stewart Island. One man had asked him. a week later, if the Wingatui was still on the wall. The Chairman said it was oApity that all mishaps on the harbour were reported in the papers. Mr Larnach suggested that the exaggerated reports should be corrected. Mr Campbell: It is too late. The report was received. CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT. In his report for the year ended September 80 last the Chairman stated that the imports at the port of Otago amounted to 272,400 tons, comprising 152.646 inercolomal and coastal and 110 754 overseas. The total showed a decrease of 18,910 tons compared with the previous year. The exports amounted to 127,332 tons, comprising 82 036 intercolonial and coastal, and 45.296 overseas, the total, being a decrease of 4,559 tons compared with the «rfivious year. The value of the overseas imports for 1927-28 was £4,424,786 and the exports £4,196,913, compared St £4.676,744 and respectively for 1926-27 , , the year 375 coastal vessels of a net registered tonnage of 228,645 arrived. Fifty-three intercolonial vessels and 140 foreign vessels also arrived, the net tonnage being 117,888 and 682,539 respectively. . The total net registered tonnage which arrived during the year was 1,0/9,9//. The report was adopted. ENGINEER’S ANNUAL REPORT. : The outstanding points in the annual report of the board’s engineer (J. M G. WuHe) were as follows:-—The dredgo 222 steamed 5,767 mike, and cosumed

2,027 tons of c\,al. A total of 407,377 cubic yards of material was dredged and deposited at the cost of 11.2 pence per yard. The dredge Vulcan pumped 351,526 cubic yards of material into the Leith Estuary and Logan Park, the average cost being 5.3 per 3 per yard. Forty-two vescas were docked in the Otago and Port Chalmers docks. During the year, the timber work at the mole was advanced a distance of 1,562 ft, making a total of 2,816 ft of. structure still to be erected. The progress has been very satisfactory, but, as the structure advances, the interruptions to the work will become more frequent, and the construction of the remainder will bo a tedious' and arduous work. The stone work was extended a distance of 1,364 ft. The report was adopted. DEVIATION AT COMPANY BAY. The Peninsula County engineer advised that in connection with the bitumenising of the Dunedin-Portobello road, the Main Highways Board porposed to cut through the point of land at the Company Bay wharf and to widen the road on the harbour side. The Kosal involved the shifting of the ing club’s shed and the four boat sheds on the Portobello side. He asked the board to notify the owners of the sheds to remove them to other sites, and he was informed, unofficially, that the Public Works Department would consider assisting the owners in the removal of the sheds. The department intended commencing the deviation within a few days. The board’s engineer reported that the boat, sheds were held during the pleasure of the board, and, although it might impose some hardship upon the owners to be forced to vacate their present positions, he could see no reason why the sheds should not be shifted on to the water edge of the new road alignment. _Hg suggested that the local authority be approached to sea what propox*tion of the cost of shifting the sheds it would bear. If the board agreed to the proposal the following points suggested themselves;—Road approaches to the Company Bay wharf to be maintained from Doth ends, sea wall to bo pitched and precautions taken to prevent spoil being washed into the harbour; drainage from branch road line to he provided for; board to approve of new position of sheds. His recommendations were adopted. MEETING IN JANUARY. As delegates to the Harbours’ Conference will leave Dunedin about January 25, the chairman suggested that in January tjie Standing Committee meet on the usual date (January 18), the board meeting to immediately follow, V . '