GREY HARBOR BOARD.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 11 June 1901, Page 4

GREY HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the above Board wa? held last night. Present; Messrs Kettle (chair), Kerr, Petrie, and Matbeson. Mr Petrie desired to apologise for absence - of Mr Sheedy, who has yet sufficiently recovered to be out at night. Mr Matheson also apologised for the absence of Mr Campbell.

The Chairman said he bad called the meeting to consider the following loiter; —“I have the honor, my direction of the Minister of Marine, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13 inst, forwarding plana of proposed extension of North and South breakwaters at Greymouth for the approval of the Governor-in-Counoil, and in reply I am to state that the matter has been submitted to the Marino Engineer, who states that he is not prepared to certify that the prof-owd works, if carried out in accordance with the plan submitted and the recommendation of Mr Napier Bell, will not be or tend to the injury of navigation, as in his opinion, which is based on somewhat extended observations of the action of the seas*and currents as well as the effect of training works constructed in the rivers at Qroymouth and Westport, the increased width of waterway obtained by the removal of about ot the breadth of the stoaewbrk Korn jibe outer end of the North break-water, and the construction of the now nibble mole horth pf the entrance would have the effect of so' weakening the scouring -force of the tidal currents in the-harbor that sand-banks would bo liable‘to form at the entrance between the' brosk-utater. This Would lessen the depth blfWorkable water in ’the channel,-nop the! navigation would conse quently be more difficult instead of being improved. Besides, whatever beneficial results might be - anticipated from the construction of the new north mole to the length proposed by Mr Bell, MrHttles thinks that the work will be utterly useless if carried out only to the extent shown on the plan by the Board, seeing that it being behind the north breakwater, which overlaps it, its construction, would have little effect on he seas, and not the slightest influence on the currents, which must be depended upon .for keeping the navigable channel open. ~lt would, therefore, only form a trap for drift sand and-shingle, ns well as be a source of danger to shipping in the event of a vessel getting into difficulties on the bar either through touching the ground, loss of steerage way, or being throwo.'off'fhe prpper course by a following Sea when endeavouring to enter the harbor. In such cade she would he liable so bo thrown'bn to the stonework of this mole and broken tip, instead of being run or drifted on to the sand at the north side ot the breakwater: Mr Hales adds that he considers that the extension of the south breakwater for a farther length- of 400 feet as proposed will not cause any material injury to navigation, though, as pointed out by’Mr Bell, the long overlap will be liable to cause the formation of shoals in the channel on the north side of the wall, and to counteract this the further extension of the north breakwater will be necessary in the near future,—l have the honor to be, etc., W, T. Glasgow, Secretary.”

Mr Petrie said Mr Hales had advised the Board some years ago to go in for a scheme very similar to that proposed by Mr Bell.

Resolved on motion of the chairman

that the Board interview the Minister for Public ‘Works and Mr Hales and ascertain

what modification was suggested.

The Chairman said the bore-hole had bean stopped since Thursday owing to want of diamonds. A fresh supply was expected to-morrow. The engineer reported as follows: — “Regarding the locomotive now in the workshops. There is a difficulty in getting men and as the Board will be in Wellington shortly, an arrangement might be made with the General Manager to send one or two suitable mechanics down to complete the repairs.

“As to the steam derrick crane. lam of opinion that it is a work that should be undertaken by the foundry. If, however, the Board decides to do it by day labor or other arrangement, Messrs McPherson, liose and Johnston are the most suitable men. It is worth about £2OO to take it down and re-erect in the Cobden quarry. To this would probably have to be added the cost of two new legs worth six or eight pounds each. “We require a mechanic to look after the machinery, do what repairs are possible',. and see that everything is kept in good working order. Mr Eoso (senior) would be a suitable man.

11 The w.igh bridge on this side requires obe cleaned and repaired. At - present we are talcing nearly all the stone and quarry spoil down .this side, since we got ihe second locomotive at work. “ As instructed I have enquired regarding the wages paid at Westport, etc. The Westport Harbor Board . pays locomotive drivers 10s 6d, overtime after 9 hours Is ssd ; crane drivers 10s Bd, overtime pro rata. Mr M’Kaypaidl2/- to both, stokers Bs. Ho said the present Labour Union at Keefton are engine drivers 11s Bd, hammer and drill men 9s 6d, pick and sh ivel men 8s 6d, surface men Bs. Begarding diamonds for the drill. We applied to the Victorian Government through the Hon the Minister for Minos. The Secretary for Mines regrets being unable to supply any, their stock being nearly exhausted. I then sent to the manager of the Kapanga and Waihi mines, but neither could supply them. Mr Battens advised trying Sydney. I then wired to JasMoEwan and Co., Agent Auckland, to try their Sydney house, and got a renly to-day that he has them in Auckland Luisa Thomson.”

Refolved that the report bo adopted, and that the question of wages stand over for the present. J, '