HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 556, 28 October 1902, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Hoard was hold yesterday afternoon. Present : —The Chairmun (Mr Townley) and Messrs Whinray, Sievwright, Mutthewson, Hepburn, and Captain Tucker. RATES. Mr 11. Harding, I-iighfiold, wrote asking to ho exempt from rules on his soctions at Tukomuru and Liuwa, amounting to £i 9s, as ho had been under considerable exponso to clear a road for public traffic, which ran through his land on to the Hoard’s property. It was agreed that if Mr Ilurding sent an uecount for 9s fur tho work done by him the Hoard would receipt it.

POUT CHARGES, ■ Mr W. J. Hawley, Collector of Customs’ wrote “ When tho Hewora came hero lust month on the 15th sho was on coasting articles, and paid 8d port chargos ; now she is on foreign articles, and has foreign cuigo aboard ; though it is not three mouths since sho paid t)d, still I presume she should ho treatod lilto any other intercolonial steamer.’’ It was resolved that the Hawca should pay Id for the spicial trip and be treated

like any other steamer carrying intercolonial gouds.—Tho Chairman said this fell in with tho Hoard’s former decision. DREDGE MASTER’S REPORT.

Messrs J. M. Fisher and W. H. Mackic’ Master aim Engineer respectively of tho John Townley, reported that sinco last meeting the dredger had tukon out from the rocky bar and deposited on tho dumping ground 1650 cubic yards of rock and sane ; from oil the Wa'ikatiao and town wharf, 1710 yards of sand; dredged into punts, diO yards of blue clay for tho slip ; dretiged out of punts from the slip, 380 yarns ; totui, 4000 cubic yards. Part of one day had been speut hi starch of a aisaoleil bhip, and three days tho boilers wore blown down and thoroughly over huu od. Ono holiday, Cook’s Day. Tno Chairman said everything was procunning satisfactorily.

lIAIt BO It M A STEll’ S ItEPOItT. Captain Gumming, harbormaster reported : —" I again beg to call the attention of the Board to the bank that is forming below the stockyard. It is now a diilieult matter to get a long ship in or out, as they will not come round quits enough to clear the middle bank between the two wharves. The dredge should work at this as much as possible. The lower part of the channel lias improved greatly this month, the dredge having removed a lot of luoiih rock and silt, giving us a good channel from the upper end of the groin to the end of the breakwater. Soundings taken in the channel at low water on the 20ih of this month are us follows:—End of breakwater Bft (jin, Snark's landing 7ft bin, big crane 7ft. mouth of Waikanae Oft din, end of stuck yard 7ft Gin, half way down wharf 7ft. Arrivals and departures since last meeting are Steamers : Arrivals 84, departmos ill. Sailing ships: Arrivals 7, departures 8. In reply to Mr Whinray, the Chairman said the soundings were ail at low-water: he thought very low water. The Chairman said the Toroa bad got on tho Kaiti side, and that had been atributed to the spit near tho stockyard, but lie did know that it hud anything to do with it. As soon as the lower channel was sufficiently advanced to allow of the dredge coming up, a few days would make a difference. Tho Engineer said flic Toroa went at right angles, and she was beyond the channel altogether, fine had too much way on. The Chairman : Between taking the rock out below and filling tiro punts for the slip, the dredge has been constantly engaged. In regard to a statement made in a letter to tho Times that the Board was un ier a penalty for not having the dredge registered tit the proper port, the Chair man said the dredge had not been regis tcred, nor was she insured. There was only a certificate issued for tho efficiency of the machinery. ENGINEERS’ REPORT. Mr King, the Engineer, reported The dredger John Townley has been employed during the month in removing loosened rock and silt, etc., from the channel and harbor ; -1000 cuo.c yards have been dredged and deposited (return, showing cost, etc., herewith), it, will l.e seen by the Dredgeniaster’s report, that a. considerable quantity of the material dredged was loosened lock, which cost more In remove than silt, or clay. The dredger is working very well, and besides- keeping the channel in good condition for the ouiinary traffic a large amount of permanent work has been accomplished. Wharf Extension Contract.—Progress on this contract lias been very satisfactorv during the month. On the 21th Inst, j Id main and tie piles were driven, 250 feet sheet piling driven, 70 pairs of main and hie braces secured, ;sr> pairs of bend stocks fixed. 34 hats of joisting laid, 2rtfi feet of deck planking completed, and 120 feet of decking roughly laid. The contractor, Mr McLeod, will not he able to complete the whole of the works within the time specified for their completion. lie is thereiore desirous of obtaining an extension of time, and has asked me to apply on his behalf for the same. I would recommend that in consideration of the delay through bad weather during the early stages nt the work, and his close application to tho job when flic weather was favorable, that he be allowed an additional month to complete. The lower beacon lias been moved a little further down, and a little closer to the viaduct—it was previously plated on the edge of the loosened rock, and had been disturbed while blasting was being done. Tlic loosened rock at the formed site of the. beacon, mil also in its vicinity, has been removed, and Lite channel much improved. The piles of loading stage at the Kaiti wharf were completely eaten through by the marine worm, and repairs had to be done. Two heart wood to far a piles have been put alongside of the defective ones, and properly secured.

Agreeable with your instructions, ,1 have obtained oilers from several firstclass builders for the supply of a new pilot boat. Please find letters of instructions and offers herewith. Slip-way.—Fair progress lias been made with the works at the slip-way during the month. Tho coffer-dam is completed, and good progress is being made with the excavation in the papa, rock for the concrete foundations and slip-days. I have written to .Messrs Anderson, of Christchurch, asking them.to amend their bill of extras in connection with will) the dredger contract, but have not yet received a. reply. in compliance- with your instruct ions t waited on Mr Smith, the District j Surveyor, re the standard survey of ! Gisborne so far as it affected the lands under the control of the Harbor Board. The old plans show an approximate high-water level on the right bank of the Taruheni River, and f understand that it, is i\lr Smith’s intention to adopt the lines shown plans. The Admiralty reservations lying between the high-water mark and the road boundaries should be surveyed and shown on the revised plan. 1 would suggest that the Harbor Board j ask the Survey Department or the

Minister for Lands to have tite approximate high-water mark and all t tie Admiralty reservations surveyed and p;at on the plans. Herewith please find r , plan showing the amount of papa rock proposed to be removed from the channel. The Engineer’s recommendation in regal'd to the foreshore was .adopted. The suggestion of the Chairman was agreed to. that the Engineer should take the rock out of the channel as the opportunity offered. Temteis tor the new pilot boat- wore deferred until next meeting. ]!.■ was decided, on the motion of the Chairman, to oSfi' 'lid tvigh bridge for sale to the Railway Department, the Board to obtain a cartbridge in place of it. In reply to Mr Matthewson the Chairman said" that no reliance was to lie placed on reports that the weighbridge was in an unsatisfactory state. it was decided to grant Mr McLeod a month’s extension of time in which to complete his contract. The proposer of the motion. Captain TucLer, said that Mr McLeod had taken the work at a low price, had met them honestly, and was sticking to the Board well. Captain Tucker again reminded _ the Board of the warnings that had been given as to the washing away of the land on the other side of Sheridan s , the damage was still going on, The Chairman said that tne Engineer had been instructed to do necessary taseiuing work, but had not yet obtained the fascines. Mr Whinray mentioned that it had been proposed to purchase the laud it it could ho got at a reasonabls price,,