HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 582, 28 November 1902, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

Tho monthly meeting of tho Board wa3 held .yesterday afternoon, there being present : Messrs Townley (Chairman], Whinray, Seivwrigbt, Mattbewson, and Captain Tucker. ANDERSON’S ACCOUNT. The Chairman read a letter from tho Andersons who stated that from their correspondence they v/ere convinced tho £2OO agreed .to by the Board was only for supplying the pump. They thought tho dredge was obtained at a low price. Captain Tucker : That is not the question. Other people might say that the dredgo was not obtained cheaply. The point is whether the claim is according to contract.

The Chairman read correspondence fiwn the Engineer to Messrs Ander-

• on, Mr King pointing out, the pobitio.'i the Board had taken, that Uie charge. Was not a lair one. The Chairman stated that when lie was in Chri-

stchurch he was told by Mr Turpin, the overseer, that the pump was to tie fr. .el below, tie thought that the Boanl should pass the account, and teen back the £55 objected to. The breakages were due in a great measure to bad workmanship.

Mr Sievwright said that was rm argument for h a ving an inspector wh.L the dredge was building. The Chairman said that the breakages had occurred afterwards. They couij not have an inspector for two

years. Messrs- Anderson had told them that they did not want the job if they could not do the work satisfactorily. 't he Engineer said the work done in tho shop had been well done, but the

fir.ri had not the same class of men in titt.ng up and in ttie work of erection. Captain Tucker said tfiere would be no end to the palavering of the firm, if they thought they could continue to get, the account passed. The Chairman said they had a difficulty in getting builders to undertake the work owing-to the rush during the dredging boom. Messrs Anderson did non ryprit tiie job. He did not- believe they could have got a Ixitter boat for the same money at Home. Ir, was decided to send a cheque to Messrs Anderson, less tho £55, for wli.eh the Board did not admit liability.

Captain Tucker said if Messrs Andcison thought the Board had got such a bargain with the dredge, they should ofle- it back to the firm at the price they paid for it. DELIVERY OF GOODS. Messrs Sheridan and Co. wrote : "'Through long usq and lack of precedent here the delivery of goods from tiie Harbour Board's sheds lias drifted into a system that obtains in no other part of the colony,, is favourable prejudicially in the highest degree to one firm of carriers in particular doing business in Gisborne, and is a constant source of annoying delay and loss of time to all other firms that distribute goods from the shed. This refers particularly to the delivery of goods from

the Harbour Board’s sheds to the carte.s in waiting for the same after the presentation of their orders. In no other port in New Zealand doing the same volume of business as Gisborne are carters allowed to enter the sheds and ransack among the piles of cargo unt'l lie finds the goods he has presented an order for, and then have to find ways and means of extricating the same from the heap and getting it to Ins cart. From personal experience, we know that any carter so acting in any o: the shipping centres would lie promptly orderod out of tho shed, and most probably bo brought bofore some official for interfering with tho goods under the Board’s control. Yet here the carriors are forced to resort to this sort of thing to seeuro tho goods, and tho fact of their having to do this saves tho ono firm responsible an amount of labor, at tho siinio time throwing the same on tho shoulders of all tho others who havo tc sweat and toil to got their goods, and in doing so, in seme eases, have to put up with any incivility from tkoso who should actually by right give them delivery of their goods at tho shed door. This is a matter of stringent urgency, and wo would respectfully ask your Board to look into tho matter, with a view to its adjustment, and mako some more adequate arrangomeDt than obtains at presont for the systematic delivery of goods on presentation of orders. Speaking personally, our cartors aver that nearly one-third of thoir time is taken up in searching for goods in your sheds, which is a very serious loss to us, and altogether an unjust ono, as it is so one sided in its issue. Such a state of things has not been so vory inconvenient in past years, but with tho increasing over sea traffic engendered by the general advancement of tho district, this should not bo allowed to continue, and on all chargee being paid and orders presented carriers should havo tbeir goods delivered to them at the shed door in the order of thoir arrival there, instead of being kept working in the Bhods, foraging for cortain cases and packages which they are under contract to deliver as promptly as possiblo. In referring the above to your respectful consideration, we would like to invite the members of tho Board to witness the inefficiency of tho present system on any busy day at tho wharf and judge for themselves whether thero is no cause for complaint and room for improvement.” Tho Chairman explained tho system at present, tho Board not undertaking the responsibility of handling goods. The groat difficulty was want of accommodation, and it was proposed to erect a new shed. , After sorno discussion it was resolved, on tho motion of the Chairman, seconded by MrMattbowson, to havo a shed erected without a wooden floor. Somo discussion took placo as to the Board’s position in regard to receipt and delivery of goods. Tho Chairman said that Messrs Kennedy and Evans, as lightermen, received and wero responsible for goods, on behalf of tho Company. The Board provided a shed, and chavgod wharfage. , ~ Mr Matthewson said the Board would never take responsibility. Captain Tucker said if thero was any delay in the delivery of goods tho complaint seemed to bo to tho Union CoinThe Chairman said ho did not see what other method the Board could adopt, unless they did as in Napier—put on a staff of men and charge accordingly. Unless they were starting lightoring and carting on their own it seemed best to leavo things as they wero. . It was resolved, on Captain Tucker s motion, to refer tho complaints to the carrying companies in regard to any delay in delivery. HARBORMASTER’S REPORT. 1 Captain Cumming, Harbormaster, reported Tho channol is keeping good. We have had two largo vessels at the wharf this month, one, tho Torgauten, drawing 10ft 2iu. Tho dredge has been doino good work on tho bank, and along the wharf. It is very necessary that the -lew part of tho wharf should bo in workiorder as soon aB possible as the present vharf accommodation has at times boon oo small for the shippiog. The iron adders on the breakwater are worn out, ind should bo replaced. The lowest ioundings in the ohannol at low wator .his day aro as follows : End of breakvatcr Oft, Snark’s landing 7ft Bin, big •rano 7ft 6in, month of Waikauae 7ft 6iu, itockyard Sft 6in, half way along wharf /ft 6in. Arrivals and departures : Arrivals, steamers 29, sailing ships 9 ; departures, iteamers 29. sailing ships 6.” It was decided to procure tho slip. DREDGE REPORT.

Messrs James Fisher (master) and W. B. Maekie (engineer) reported The dredger John Townley has dredged and takon out to tho usual dumping-ground 615yds rock from rocky bar, 570yds papa from tho slip, and ISOOyds mud from stockyard to opposite Dalgcty’s store ; total, 6075 cubic yards. On 7J- days, thero was no dredging, and tho dredgo was four days ou the hard, taking out tho shaft and drawing bush (which were worn out) end putting new ones in, There were two days bad weather, ono holiday (King's Birthday), and half a day fur election. Tho ratchet wheels on the hopper winches are now so weak through tooth breaking off with the doors banging about when there is any jump iu tho bay that we are prevented from going out in weather that really ought not to stop us."

The Chairman said that Mr King was obtaining a pattern of tho worn parts to get them replaced at Napier. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

Mr John King, Harbor Engineer, reported : “ Wharf extension contract: Good progress has been made with the works included in this contract during the month. All the main and tie piles are driven, and tho driving of tho sheet-piling is also nearly completed. The bulk of the deck planking is laid and a considerable length of the wheel-guard fixed ; the other parts of tho work are all well advanced

towards completion, and the whole included in the contract will probably bo completed within the next two or three weeks. Tho works are being executed in a satisfactory manner. “ Slipway : Good progress has been mude during tho month with the excava-

tion in the papa for the slipways. The delivor.y at Kaiti of tho stono and gravel necessary for the concrete work is being proceeded with, and the repairs and fixing of tho requisite machinery for crushing and otherwise preparing the stone for the concrete will bo put in hand shortly. The different brands of coment are being tested at tho works, and offers will be invited for the supply of the roquiaito quantity when the tests are completed. “Tho dredger John Townley has been employed during the month in the harbor, and also in the channel removing loosened rock and silt, ulso in taking away excavated material from the slip. X’lease find herewith a return showing tho cost of working and maintaining the dredger for tho month.

“ Agreeably with your instructions, I havo made an estimate of tho cost of

further goods-shed accommodation at the Gisborno wharf, but would recommend thnt the orection of the proposed large shed on the new wharf be proceeded with.”

It was decided on Mr Matibewson's motion, that tbo shed extension bG done by tender, and to be gone on witli as soon as possible. The question oi the new boat was on Captain Tucker's motion, -ecomled by Mr Mattbcwson, referrod to tbo Chairman, Engineer, and Harbormaster to settlo.