HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 200, 30 August 1901, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

! The monthly meeting of the Board was ! held yesterday afternoon. Preset Messrs : Townley (Chairman), Macfarla. j, Whinray, Cooper, Clark, Sievwright, latthewson, and Captain Tucker. I A special meeting was first held to I confirm the striking of the rate. A motion by the Chairman was seconded by Mr Sievwright and carried. Messrs Matthewson and Whinray were appointed to sign the rate book. Correspondence in regard to the striking of the Tomoana was read, the agents asking that steps be taken to have an exhaustive survey of the bay made ; they suggested that Parliament should be petitioned on the subject. The Marine Department wrote to the effect that the Board should have the bay surveyed. The following letter from Messrs Huddart, Parker and Co. and the Union Steam Ship Company was read: —“ We beg to draw your attention to the fact that the buoy that has been put down to take the place of the red buoy that has come ashore , was not put down in the position that was | previously occupied by the red buoy, and consequently was misleading to the shipmasters, who depended on the buoy being shown in the position as in existing charts. To provide against accidents in consequence of this, the masters of steamers calling here had to be advised that the buoy was not in position, and consequently vessels have been anchoring further out, which is a matter of inconvenience to passengers and the working 1 of the steamers. We consider this a serious matter, as affecting the interests of the port, and that it is our duty to bring it before you.” The Harbormaster reported“ lie the position of the red buoy mentioned in Messrs Huddart, Parker, and Co.’s letter to you this day, the red buoy is a little further out than it was before it was washed ashore, but I considered this necessary until we decided where the buoy was to be placed. It has been partly arranged by the Chairman and myself that the buoy should be placed between the Tomoana and Tokomaru rocks, and this, if approved of, will be done as soon agreement is made for the contractor for putting out buoys, as all is ready, N.B. —If the buoy is put between the Tomoana and Tokomaru rocks, and this, if approved of, lengths further out than She former position of the red buoy, and still inside the margin lino of rocks mentioned by Captain Post, who says that no vessels of heavy draught should anchor to the northward.”

Mr Sicvwright: It is quite clear to me that the Tomoana took up a bad position, and I do not see why the port should be blamed for it. The Chairman said that he had interviewed Mr Carroll in regard to the matter, and had explained that he had considered tho survey should bo done by the Government. He had promised to consult his colleagues in the matter, but had not yet replied.

Mr Sievwright: Is thore any obligation on the part of the Board to do a work of this kind'? Tho Chairman said that he did not think so. As to the conversation alluded to Oy the Harbormaster, tho question of placing tho buoy out so that it would guard all these rocks had been alluded to, but he did not know that it was coming up in this form. Mr Macfarlane regarded this as a serious matter; the buoy should not have been shifted from the original position unless instructions to that effect had been given. Tho matter should receive imme-

diate attention. Mr Clark agreed with Mr Macfarlane. Though tho buoy had only been shifted half a mile that was a great deal in the taking of bearings. It was an extra-

ordinary thing that tho bearings should bo removed without giving notice to the captains. It would be far better if in such matters the Board would confer with the representatives of the shipping ; he would liko to see tho Chairman and Harbormaster meet and consult with these gentlemen. In roply to Mr Sievwright, the Chairman said that the Board could now decide as to what should be done with the buoy ; the big buoy, which had broken away, had yet to be put out, the one referred to being a temporary one. Mr Macfarlane: Why was it not put on the original spot instead of being placed half a mile off? Tho Chairman: I did not know that it was not to be put in its original position ; I heard that afterwards ; our conversation was in reference to tho buoying of the two rocks.

Mr Whinray said that the putting o? the buoy into the deeper water made the position all the safer. The Chairman said from the position suggested all vessels would be safe, as the larger boats would not come inside that. He had hoped that they would have had a reply from Mr Carroil by that meeting, giving the result of the interview with the Marine Department. Mr Sievwright said he did not think there was any obligation on the "Board to make such a survey. The Chairman said that even if they were prepared to go to the expense they had not the appliances, nor could their survey be taken as satisfactory. The Government had had Mr Kenny at work for several months, and he did not discover these rocks.

Members were of opinion that the Government should make the survey, and on the motion of the Chairman it was resolved to apply to the Marine Department asking that the Government have a thorough survey made of the bay.

Mr Whinray said that it would be best to have the red buoy put back in its old position, and they should give notification about these rocks. The Chairman said that such a notice had already been issued by the Marine Department, that vessels were not to come within the ten-fathom line. Outside that they were quite safe. ' As to the rocks, the Jate Captain Fairchild had been surveying for a week, and had not discovered them. They might have small buoys to the recently discovered rocks.

It was agreed that the red buoy should be placed in its original position.

As to the new dredge, Mr King, Harbor Engineer, telegraphed from Christchurch :

“ Launch on Sentember 27th. Will bo ready in three weeks. Tide then unsuitable. More work done this week than in previous two months.”

The Chairman said that Mr King had evidently infused a little energy into the work, and they should keep him there so as to get the dredge launched as soon as possible. Mr Whinray : Is there no penalty ? Mr Mutthewsou: Let him remain at Messrs Audersons’ expense.

Messrs Clark and Macfarlane thought that something should be done in regard to the penalty. Mr Sievwright: Cannot wo penalise them to the extent of that cost?

In reply to Mr Clark, the Chairman said he thought the best service would be done by Mr King remaining in Christchurch, as they badly needed this boat, and if they could get her two or three months earlier than would otherwise be the case it would be time well spent. Mr King had probably found things in the same position as he (the Chairman) had, with two or three men pottering about.

Mr Whinray said it seemed a most anomalous thing that, though a penalty was provided for, the firm could dodge about as they liked, and that the engineer had to be sent down as an incentive for them to push on with the work. There should be some other method of expediting matters. The Chairman said that there was so much work in hand that it could not be got through. Though the Government had inspectors present, they could not get the work completed. The crane and everything was in readiness for the boat to be placed in the water. It was agreed, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Cooper, that the Engineer wait in Christchurch until the dredge was launched. In reply to Mr Cooper, the Chairman said that the dredge was to be delivered at Gisborne ; they talked about having it ready in two months. Mr Cooper: I suppose it will mean January. The Chairman : I am afraid it will mean Christmas, Mr Clark : Yes, of the year after.— (Laughter.) A good deal of correspondence was read on the subject of the leading lights, the captains favoring a white light on account of its extra brilliancy. The Chairman said that the white light had been ordered, but could in a simple way be altered to a colored light. The lights would be the best they could get except those for a lighthouse. On the motion of Mr Macfarlane, seconded by the Chairman, it was resolved that steps be taken towards getting the Government to place a light on Tuahine point. The captains, said Mr Macfarlane, had for years been asking for this light. The Inspector of Boilers required repairs to be made to the grab dredge boilor to tho extent of about .£lO 10s. The Chairman said that the boiler had been in use for twelve or fifteen years, and these were the fir=t repairs that would bo done to it. Mr Clark asked whether it waß worth while pottering with this old dredge when they had the now one coming. Tho Chairman said that at any rate until the new dredge came the old one was necessary ; it had done a great deal of good work. Advice was received that the timber for the groyne would soon be to hand. The Harbormaster, Captain Thompson, reported at length as to what are now known as the Tokomaru and Tomoana rocks. He also reported as to the grounding and refloating of the scow Cruroa.

Mr Whinray said there seemed to have been a tremendous drift of sand from where the Ururoa went on tho beach ; if the sea went on encroaching in that way it would get right into the Wakanae, The matter should be looked into. The boat was coming ashore overland down the beach.

The Chairman said unfortunately the scour was washing the now borough fence away. They intenned to put some old roots there, and ho thought that would trap the sand. He had given the instructions as Mayor. The notice to stop tho taking of firewood away from there, and which had given some offence, was to enable the bank to be protected. Mr Matthewson said it was the effect of the works ; when the groyne was finished the sea would be shunted further up the beach.

Mr Macfarlane said he thought it was to a large extent the effect of the southerly weather.

Mr Whinray said it seemed to him that tho work should have the attention of the Board as well as of tho Borough Council. In regard to tenders for twelve months’ supplies, Messrs Williams and Kettle wrote, objecting to a division of the con. tract at tender prices. The Engineer, the Clerk stated, was of the opinion that with the 2)j per cent, discount, Messrs Williams and Kettle’s tender was the lowest.

Mr Whim-ay moved and Mr Cooper seconded, that the tender being lowest, be accepted. Mr Clark said if it was tho lowest, it should have been accepted at the previous meeting; he was entirely with that, but wanted to know why that had not been stated at tho previous meeting, instead of it being said that all the tenders were equal. The Chairman said ho had not gone into it himself, but he supposed the Engineer had since done so; the difficulty was to say how much they would require of the articles most used, It seemed to him that Messrs Williams and Kettle's tender was the lowest. The tender was accepted. Messrs Kennedy and Evans tendered at £3O for the taking up and dealing with the buoys. After some discussion as to the price, the tender was accepted.