HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 491, 1 August 1902, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

Tho ordinary meoting of the Harbor Board was heid yesterday afternoon. Present: —Messrs Townley (chairman), Hutchinson, Sievwright, Hepburn, Matthewson, Whinray, Clark, and Captain Tucker. THE DREDGE, Mr John Anderson wrote acknowledging paymont of £SOO on behalf of the dredge, which amount, with the exception of a small balance and some oxtras, completed tho payment. His firm felt satisfied in their own minds that the Board had a thoroughly good, strong, and substantial dredge, and that she would prove herself in a very short time to be a valuable adjunct to tho Board. The Chairman said that he hoped the boat would be a useful one to the Board, and do good work. The chief drawback recently had been the weather, which was too bad to go out. They could not risk so valuable a vessel for tho sake of a halfday now and again, and he advised the dredgemaster to take no risk in this matter. WHARF EXTENSION. Mr Matthewson moved: “ That the plan for wharf extension be altered so as to run in a straight line from the present wharf to about the first pier on tho town side of tho Turanganui bridge.” He detailed the advantages that a change in the wharf line to the bridge would be to the Board. More land would bo reclaimed, and a great scour would be creatod from the bridge. The facilities in regard to vehicular traffic would also be improved. The contractor, Mr McLeod, was agreeable to undertake tho work at the present contract prices, and it would bo a great advantage to shipping.

Captain Tucker favored tho idea, provided that the contractor would meet the Board in the manner suggested by Mr Matthewson. They should reclaim as much of the mudbank as possible. Mr Sievwright opposed the motion for the reason that it was opposed to the recommendations of Mr Napier Bell andthe Board’s Engineer. He did not believe in tampering with the work. Mr Hepburn agreed with the mover of the resolution. He had looked at the locality at low-water, and he felt sure that they were doing the right thing in altering

tho line. He looked forward to seeing tho wharf some day carried up to the Point. By making the change suggested in the present work, they would have a straighter run for tho water. Tho Engineer pointed out that all engineers wero agreed upon one thing, and that was that it was unwise to contract the area. Tho difficulty of a too contracted area was their chief drawback. The Chairman thought that it was dangerous to interfere with the plan. ' The more they contracted the river the poorer would be the harbor, and at the present time thoy had not room to turn. He considered the Board were acting unwisely in adopting the motion. The Engineer was anxious to keep the river as wide as possible, and the proposed alteration would have the opposite effect. Mr Whinray was thorougly in sympathy with the motion. Mr Hutchinson said that after hearing the opinion of the Engineer he would vote against the motion. Mr Matthevvson did not think it right that members should be altogether led by the Engineer. If they wero strongly of opinion that a certain course should bo adopted they should bo prepared to act. The motion was carried by four to two. Ayes: Messrs Matthewson, NVhiuray, Hopburn, and Captain Tucker. Noes : Tho Chairman and Mr Hutchinson. Mr Sievwright loft the room a few minutes before the motion was put to the moot-

ingThe Engineer was instructed to prepare a plan with tho proposed alteration, and take stops to have it approvod by the Marine Surveyor. VKTKIIAN'S’ HOMK. Captain Tucker said that the Borough Councillors had each contributed a guinea towards the above fund, and he thought tho Harbor Board should do the same. Tho suggestion was given effect to. A MYSTERIOUS PARCEL. ' Two mysterious-looking tins, bearing white pepper and ground ginger labels, accompanied by a letter, wero handed into tho Board's Secretary. “ I hope it is not an' infernal machine,” remarked Mr Witty, Tho letter proved to bo from Mr A. Y. Boss, and ran as follows :—“ I herewith send you two samples of timber 1 from piles tarred, .painted, and prepared at the now wharf. No. lis from the bottom end of one pile, and No. 2 from tho top end of another.” The tins upon being opened, wero found to contain decayed wood, collected by Mr Boss from the totara piles lying on the wharf. Members decided to inspect the timber, and tho Board adjourned for a quarter of an hour for that purpose. The visit satisfied the Board as to the quality of the timber, boing up to tho usual standard of totarn, and on the motion of Mr Sievwright, it . was decided that the letter should lie on the tablo, tho Board being quite satisfied 1 with the timber,

TIMBER SUPPLY. The Chairman said that Mr Trounson, who bad the contract for supplying tho Board with timber, was at present in Gisborne. After several matters had been arranged, the Board would be asked to meet the draft providing for payment. The Engineer said that he was in doubt whether the present shipment of timber would be sufficient for tho works contemplated. lie anticipated that the Kaiti wharf would have to be extended. A certain amount of timber had been rejected out of the supply received, but was offered to tho Board on mo3t reasonable terms.

Mr Matthewson objected to the Board going in for a speculation in timber. It was only accumulating on the wharves.

Mr Clark could not for the life of him see what the Board was going to do with

the timber. The Chairman’s recommendation that the Board should take j£36o of timber and keep it on hand should not be entertained, and he, for one, was opposed to the expenditure. There was no talk at present of extending the Haiti wharf. Mr Sievwright considered that each local body had a right to hold a stock of of timber. He favored the plan, for the reason that be did not wish to see the Board at any time stuck for a certain kind of timber.

The Engineer remarked that it was difficult to get long lengths of totara for sheath piling.

The Chairman was perfectly sure that the Hoard would be placed at uo loss in taking the timber. After further discussion the motion was carried, Messrs Matthewson aud Clark dissenting.

ESPLANADE ROAD. The Town Clerk wrote, asking the Harbor Hoard to contribute the sum of i'.o towards the Kaiti Esplanade Road. Mr Whinray said that the Hoard was receiving revenue from that side of the river.

The Chairman said the road was in a frightful state, and the question was what to do with it. The County Council, Borough Council, and Koad Boards were also being asked to contribute. Mr Sievwright thought tho Board should contribute on condition that tho other bodies interested did the same. Mr Matthewson favored the amount being spent on condition the sunt specified was extended by the other bodies. He thought that the ratepayers would derive greater benefit from the expenditure of £S O on the road in question than they were receiving from many other works. Tho Chairman said that if Mr Matthewson put it iu that way he himself would be inclined to oppose the expenditure. Mr Clark considered that the Board was too liberal. They donated X‘so to a band rotunda and XSO to a local road board, when the money was required in other directions. Captain Tucker questioned the legality of the matter. Could the Board grant tho amount Mr Clark : We voted the sum of ,£SO to a band rotunda, and surely this is moro legal. At the same time I strongly disapprove of both votes. Mr Hepburn favored the amount being spent, and a motion authorising the expenditure was adopted, Capt. Tucker and Mr Clark dissenting. TUB WHAM' CONTRACT. Mr D. A. McLeod, contractor for tho wharf extension, asked for permission to drive piles that wero not in papa rock without shoes. When tendering he did notfnotice that the line of wharf was so far up tho mud bank, which meant a cost of about JEIOO for navvying, unless tho Board dredged it away to low-water mark, Owing to the Board not providing him with a punt, ho had been put to the expense of £SO in securing one.

The Engineor doomed that it was necessary to have shoes on the piles to drive them effectively. In some cases it was possible when they ’got off the papa to drive the piles without shoes, but lie would not recommend it being done. Members could not see their way to grant the application in regard to the piles being driven without shoes. They pointed out that specifications had been drawn up for the work, and tenders invited, and therefore it was not fair to other contractors to make a rebate. The several matters asked for by Mr McLeod were declined, the Chairman remarking that the Board had never promised to provide a punt. The Engineer said that the specifications clearly stated that all matters mentioned by Mr McLeod should be supplied by the tenderer. It was decided to adhere to the terms of the contract. DREDGE REPORT. The following report was received from the master and engineer of the dredge : “ The dredge John Townley has taken out and deposited on the usual dumping ground 2870 cubic yards of sand and mud, 500 yards of which were dredged at tho breakwater, 300 yards between end of groin and slip, 2U20 yards from stockyard to the fourth bollard along the Gisborne wharf. One day was spent working the pump aud propcllors at the breakwater. Sixteen days not dredging for the following reasons One day tripping chain roller worn out and broke ;

one holiday (Coronation) ; eight days—rudder off and enlarged ; four days’ heavy sea ; one and a-half days hopper doors jammed with a pieco of iron, which had to be got out by diving ; half day main crane chain carried away. These days wore taken advantage of in making fondors, cleaning, and painting dredgo. Tho engineer has given tho crane and main engines a thorough overhaul, also mounting now codd blocks, roller and tipping chain, and had tho main chain on crano repaired.” report. Tho Harbormaster (Captain Cumming) furnished the following report“ Tho lowest soundings in tho channel wore taken at high water on July 30, and road : End of breakwater 14ft, 2nd bollard 12ft, 4th bollard 10ft, Snark’s landing 10ft Gin, big crano 10ft Gin, mouth of Waikauae 10 ft 6in, ond of stockyard lift, abreast of shed lift, half-way up wharf 10ft Gin, top end of wharf Bft 6in. Tho bank at tho mouth of the river and mouth of 'Waikauae silted up a good bit during tho last month, but tho dredge has boon working and made a great improvement at both places. I have had the beacon

in the channel painted white as it can be seen better at night. Steamer arrivals 29, departures 29. Sailing ships, arrivals 4, departures 11.” engineer's report. Tho Engineer reported The dredger John Townley has been employed during tho month generally in removing accumulation of silt which occurred during the recent southerly weather and freshes, and in making better accommodation for shipping in tho harbor and at the Gisborne wharf. Very little dredging on the loosened rook has been done, owing partly to the continuance of southerly weather causing a considerable range in the channel, rendering it difficult to properly moor tho vessel just where the work had to be done, and also that tho channel had to be relieved in places of silt, etc., to facilitate shipping operations. The recent south-westerly weather caused a slight silting up of the channel at the entrance near the end of the breakwater, extending inwards about two hundred feet. The part closed by the training wall was unaffected. The removal of rock is the special work for which the dredge was procured, and when conditions are at all favorable this work will be steadily prosecuted. Work on the slip is steadily progressing. The piles for tho coffer darn are all sunk to tho proper depth in the rock and cemented in. The staging to support the machinery for lifting the puddle from the punts is erected, and the machinery fixed in position. The Eastern wall of the coffer dam is partly lined up and filled with puddle; this puddle has been procured from the harbor alongside the Gisborno wharf, thus greatly improving the harbor, and at tho same time supplying an excellent material for the coffer dam. Mr McLeod, the contractor for the Gisborne wharf extension, is proceeding in a satisfactory manner with the carrying out of the works included in his contract. A considerable amount of the material is tarred and worked up ready to be used in the works, and a start has been made with the pile-driving. The balance of tho timber for the training wall and the wharf extension contract isexpected here shortly, having left Kaipara in the scow Lawk about a week ago. Preliminary plans and estimates have been prepared, in accordance with your instructions, for the forming of the site and adjacent grounds outside of the chain width set apart by the corporation for streets and footpaths. In the meantime the breastwork and embanking could stand over, and tho erection of the rotunda proceeded with. In that case I would recommend that the floor of tho rotunda be put approximately on a level with the footpath. Mr Clark asked for a return showing tho cost of the'dredger for the last six weeks. The present expenditure seemed to him to be a terrible state of affairs. The amount of stuff that had been lifted

could have been done with a dray. Mr Sievwright pointed out that the weather had been against the work. Mr Clark said that this was not so. Four hundred and seventy eight yards per week was not much, and the cost was something like 2s to os per yard. I