THE HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 275, 29 November 1901, Page 4

THE HARBOR BOARD.

Tjij-: monthly meeting of the Boar 1 was h( Id yesterday. I're-c-nt: .Messrs Townley (chairman), Macfarlane, Hepburn, riievwrigh:. Wiiinrav. Captain Tucker. fn regard to iiifc minutes, Mr Hepburn said the decision of the Board was that the use of the dredges for the upper river should only be allowed when they could be spared, but now they had the vessels aground near the wharf. The words of the resolution were that the work should go on forthwith until further orders, and Captain Tucker said that the resolution was that the work should bo gone on with forthwith, but that the dredge could be withdrawn at anytime. The Engineer said that he had no instructions to dredge the wharf. Mr Hepburn: I thought you had instructions to dredge wherever necessary. The Engineer said that hitherto he had always received special instructions; if he had such general instructions he would understand. The minutes were passed as recorded. In regard to tiie question of leading

lights, Mr Macfarlane said that he had shown the Board's telegram to Captain Hipgravc, who was satisfied with what the Board were doing. A letter from John Anderson and Co. to the Engineer, in regard to the dredge (already published), was read. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Macfarlane, it was resolved that the Engineer should go down to inspect the new dredge when it was being tested. A letter was received from the Marine Department stating that one of the lights inspected by the Engineer in Wellington had been sent to the Manukau, but one on the way out from England could be ordered. It was decided to obtain the other light when available. The Harbormaster, Captain Thomson, reported :—By soundings taken this day at high water, spring tides, the tides being very good, it will be scon that the upper and lower harbor is in as good condition as when i reported to you last, although at the first opportunity along the line of new wharf should be dredged as the lighters cannot get away from it at low tides, and consequently have to load further down, thus crowding the lower end sometimes pretty thickly. Soundings —4ooft out from end of breakwater, ‘24ft: 200 ft out, 23ft; 100 ft, 23ft; end of breakwater, 19ft; 100 ft up (30ft off), 12ft 6in ; 200 ft up, 12ft 6in : Smirk's landing, 12ft Bin ; large crane, lift 6in ; top end of old wharf, 10ft Gin ; half-way up now wharf, 10ft; top end new wharf, Oft Sin. Shipping— Sailing vessels: Arrivals 27, departures 20. As it is now about low water, and the lighters are at the new wharf, 1 would like the members of the Board to sec for themselves the present condition of the lighters at the wharf at low water. Mr Hepburn said that vessels drawing under 3ft were aground alongside the wharf. The Engineer said that a good deal of dredging was required there. Mr TJepburn said there was no use having wharfage unless the vessels could use it. The Engineer should have standing instructions to keep the wharf available by dredging. The Chairman said that the end of the wharf referred to was not often used. If they could defer it until they got the new dredge it would be done at a third of the cost. Tie could not conceive how Andersons could keep going on month after month, and not keeping up to time with the dredge. Mr Hepburn said that by tho look of things the dredge would not bo here until February. The Chairman said that tho Harbormaster must do tho best ho could under the circumstances. Mr John King, harbor engineer, reported : —During tho early part of the month up to the 15th rook blasting and dredging in the part of the channel between the Snark's landing and the beacon was steadily proceeded with. Formerly tho depth of water on tho rocky bar at this place was barely 3ft at low water ; now there is from Oft to ,I.oft ovor the rock. I propose making a plan and sections of this part to show tho improvements effected. From time to time we have a sand deposit to contend with here, which makes our work difficult, but to a much loss extent than beforo tho last extension of tho training wall was completed. The further extension of the training wall will relieve us considerably from the trouble. Dredging in the Taruheru river near the Freezing Works was commenced on the 19th inst., and fair progress has been made under somewhat adverse circumstances. Tho sand deposit near the mouth of To IJapara crepk, where tho dredging is being done, is light, loose, and unstable, so that a large amount of dredging has to be done to secure a fair channel, loose sand from tho sides filling in to a considerable' extent the dredged channel as the work goes on. Fortunately, this sort of deposit occurs only on a short reach of the river; generally the bed is more - Qm _ pact ancl hard, and when dredged out will give little trouble. Leading Lights.—The towers for these lights arc now well advanced towards completion. The fifth order light was placed on the front tower for tho first time last night, the old light being placed on the back tower. Flans and specifications for an additional 570 ft to tho Gisborne wharf are made. Offers for the. carrying out of the works may now be invited. 1 have surveyed two sites, and have commenced the preparations of plans, etc., for a slip to facilitate tho cleaning and repairing of tho smaller class of vessels, such as the Waihi, the Board’s dredger, the schooners frequenting the port, and tho lighters belonging to the port. The carrying out of this

work will supply a much-needed convenience to owners of vessels, the want of which in the past has been severely felt, and has been a hindrance to the progress of this port. The rapidly increasing trade, and the consequent increase in the number of vessels belonging to the port, render the construction of this work a necessity. I have not yet been able to get the plans, etc., far onough advanced to enable mo to make an accurate estimate of the cost of the work. The new drodge is not yet, so far as I know, quite completed. A report on the prom I ''-- work from Messrs A - ■ o—of 0 —of the -muerson please find uerewun. I fully expected to be able to report to this meeting that the vessel and. all her appurtenances were eomple e'v finished, and that a trial would at once be made in the Lyttleton harbor. However the work must now be very near if not quite completed. The concrete anchors required for the buoys in the bay are being made, and the necessary chain ordered". Nothing has yet been done towards renewing the flagstaff, but the matter will have my attention shortly.

Hr Whinray said that the superabundant weight of the stuff dredged was causing it to fall in again : it was a farce to "o on dredging. Mr Macfarlane said that it was the side that was falling in ; that would stop when the work got to a certain point. If they had a sand pump the stuff could be taken out at a tenth of the cost, Mr Hepburn and the Chairman said that when the natural bank was reached there would be less trouble. Mr Whinray said that it was' like perpetual motion, the stuff taken outrunning back again. ° Mr Macfarlane said that Mr Whim-ay was under a misapprehension in the matter.

The Chairman moved, and Mr Hepburn seconded, that tenders be called for the wharf extension, the Board to supply the timber. There was some discussion in regard to the way the was encroaching on a piece of land beiow the wharf. On the motion of Mr Whinray, seconded by the Chairman, it was decided to confer with Captain Tucker with a vic-w to purchasing the strip of land ; in the event of not purchasing the Board to make good any drainage done when the siiect piling was put in front of the sections.