GREYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 16 October 1901, Page 2

GREYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

The regular meeting of the above Board was held last night. Present: Messrs Petrie (chairman), Bussell, Campbell, Mathoson and Sheedy. The Finance Committee reported receipts since last meeting to have been £1,448 17s 3d; that Harbor Board has credit balance of. £327 5s ; and that accounts amounting to £1,440 18s 2d were examined and passed for payment. The Committee recommended that the

Secretary as requested be granted six months leave of absence and that applications for successor be advertised for to

close this day week. Report adopted. The Chairman reported that royalty of 3d per ton on Brunner coal had not been paid yet. Mr Campbell moved and Mr Sheedy seconded that the Chairman instruct the Treasurer to take immediate proceedings for recoveiy. Carried. The Engineer reported upon rock boring appliances, and it was resolved to at once order a two inch diamond rock borer. The cost will be about £1,200 landed at Grcymouth. The Harbor Master’s report was read as follows:

“ I have the honor to inform you that the bar at this port lias continued in fair condition during the past fortnight. A spit extending about 100 feet narrows the* entrance. The spit is outside the north tip. The absence of scour in the river and continual sea on the bar causes a spit to cnroach on the entrance. “ The loading berth at the lower hydraulic crane is in an unsatisfactory condition. Last spring tides the s s Pareora and s s Dingadee lay aground at low water drawing 14 feet. The lower and upper wharves have always been shallow, and only steamers in ballast can be moored there. Attached is a table of soundings showing the depth of water at low water spring tides. “The wharf below the lower shed has started to give way at the top, and is a great incom r enieuce to shipping, as their rails catch the wharf, and either the wharf or vessels get damaged. All the heavy ships load at this particular place, and in a flood a heavy strain is on the wharf, and it is questionable if it can be considered safe, with a heavy weight of timber on top and a heavy pull at the same time with a steamer like the Kini hanging on in a ten-knot current. “ A movab’e 5-tons steam crane is urgently required for discharging heavy cargo. The barque Kongsbyrd was delayed several days this trip, and last trqj the same thing occurred. The 12-ton steam crane cannot be used owing to shallow water where it is fixed, and loaded vessels have to be half discharged before it can be available. The same objection applied to its former position above the sheds. The steamers were also delayed more or less getting their heavy lifts out.” The Chairman said that unless an imI provement took place with the next scour it might be necessary to resort to dredging which would be very expensive. As to the need for another crane on the wharf he stated that the other week he had authorised the loan of one of the Harbor Boards cranes to unload a vessel alongside the wharf. Mr Campbell moved that the portion of the report relating to the wharf be referred to the 11 ail way Department. Seconded by Mr Sheedy and carried.

Mr Matjicson thought the question of dredging at the wharf might stand over till it was seen what the next Hood would do.

Letter from Warden Department relative to lease of section at Stillwater to Mr Green. Unsolved on the motion of Mr Matheson seconded by Mr Shcedy that Board has no objection provided tenure docs not exceed seven years.

Resolved on motion of Mr Matheson that £175 worth of extra ironbark piles be purchased for the Board. The Chairman brought up Mr Taylor’s ease for employment and it was resolved that matter be left in the hands of the Chairman to deal with.