HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 699, 19 December 1902, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Board was held yesterday, there being present : Messrs Towniey (Chairman), Hepburn, Clark, Sievwright, Whinray, and Captain A formal notification of the election of Captain Tucker as County Chairman, and therefore as a member of tho Board was

received. Tho Chairman welcomed Captain Tucker to tho County Chairman’s seat on the Board. As there would only be one meeting before the general election it had not been deemed necessary to go to the expense of an election. Member Cooper was granted leave of absence. The Public Works Department wrote expressing the opinion that extension of drains from the public buildings as required by the wharf extention should be undertaken by the Board. The Chairman said that he had informed Mr Armstrong that the Board could not do such work any more than in the case of private individuals, and any drains left unextendod would be filled up. Mr E. J. Chrisp, Board’s solicitor, wrote in regard to tho land on tho Waikanae, the ownership of which was disputed by the natives, stating that tho hearing of the ease was coming on in January, and asking for instructions. Tho Chairman said that when the ca-se had come lrefore the Court,, Mr Rees had stated, in effect, that the

reclaimed land would be brought into the subject at issue.

Captain Tucker said lie did not sec what the Board had to do with the dispute between the Natives and the Railway Department. Why should tho Board interfere ? The simple question before the Court was what would bo paid for that piece of land taken by the Government. The Chairman said that the question as to what should lx; paid for the reclaimed land would come up as well. Captain Tucker : That is incidental. The Chairman : Their solicitor raises the question as well. He moved that the Board’s solicitor lie instructed to attend to the matter. Mr Sievwright said, if the Chairman would move it, he would second a resolution that the Board’s solicitor be instructed to take the necessary steps to protect the interests of the Board, in regard to the reclaimed land near the western groyne. That simply meant instructing him to watch the proceedings. The Chairman moved accordingly, and Mr Sievwright seconded the motion. It was necessary that their interests should he watched in the matter. Captain Tucker agreed that the Board’s interests should be watched, but he did not, see bow the Court could deal with the Board’s area. Mr Sievwright: A compromise might 1* made affecting us, The Board must see that their title was not impugned. Mr Clark and Captain Tucker held that a new Court would lx; required to deal with the Bo a rd’s area, but they favored the watching of the Board's interests. .The motion was agreed to^ THE DREDGE. " Messrs J, Fisher, Master, and W. B. Mackio, Engineer, reported:—“ Since your last meeting the dredge John Townley has taken out and deposited on the usual dumping ground 2110yds of papa, dredged a distance of 250 ft along the upper end of tho wharf; takon out of punts from tho slip, 450yds of papa ; total, 2560 cubic yards. On the morning of tho 13th inst. a fire broke out on the schooner Waiapu, which was soon put out by tho dredge’s fire pump. On the evening of tho 17 th inst. the fire pump was worked very successfully, throwing four jets of water at a low pressure.” In reply to Mr Clark, the Engineer said that the stuff was really, a hard clay. i\ir Clark said they had got the dredge to deepen the channel, and yet they heard she was not on that work at all. The Chairman agreed with Mr Clark’s view. Mr Clark : How long is the dredge to he kept at that work ? The Engineer said that would depend on the instructions from the Board. If the lilling-in work at the wharf was not considered so urgent, the dredge could be put at the channel. The Chairman said that there was a great deal of work to do all along. The work now being done was really an experiment as to whether the dredge could deal with the clay-papa without blasting. lie thought good work was being done. The best way was to work, along steadily. Mr Clark said they seemed to be changing the line of work altogether. The intention expressed by the Board was tiiat the dredge should work ah deepening the channel as it went. They seemed now to he digging out holes to be filled up with each fresh. Tho Chairman said papa taken out did not Jill in again. Mr Clark said that it was not papa he referred to ;it was clay. For a month, not an ounce had been taken out of the channel—the main object the dredge was obtained for. The Uuairmuu agreou that closo attention should be given to tho channel, but they should make the work fit in. There was no use digging out the channel if they did not provide any convenience for berthage. Mr Sievwright said that Mr Clark was right as to the policy they should have, but they must also mako convonioneo for the shipping. Mr Hepburn said bo considered that whilo attending to the channel they must also give attention to th 3 berthago accommodation.

The Chairman said they were acting on ;he adopted reports. Ho wont on to show ;ho excellent scour effocted.

Mr Clark firmly kept to his point that sufficient dredging was not being dono in tho channel. Mr Siovwright said they could meet Mr Clark's idea by giving instructions accordingly. The Chairman said that the mam work to havo attention just now was to push on with tho slip, on which men were engaged who would othorwiso be employed in the other work, Mr Clark said that was tho very thing he complained of; instead of getting the channel cleared, that urgent work was being left and men put on other work, The Chairman said tho only way they could obviate that was to put on more men ; but they had been trying to work economically. Mr Clark : That is not economy. Mr Whim-ay said thoy had not the facilities to put on more men. From further questions it was elicited that the small dredgo was still required by Messrs Nelson Bros, at tho upper portion of the river.

Captain Tucker, who asked the question, j said there could be no objection to that, and the Chairman said it was ail good work. .Mr Clark : The fact is that both dredges are in the river digging mud. The Chairman : Yes; and doing good work. _ ' 1 A keen debate then set in, in which the experience of Glasgow was cited by Mr SievwrightJ and the Chairman to justify the class of work being done in Gisborne, while Mr Clark contended that it bore out exactly what he had urged. The Chairman said tiiat the discussion would do good, and the Engineer could understand that lie was to push on with the channel as he got the opportunity. ENGINEER'S RETORT.

The Engineer (Mr King) reported : “ Wharf extension contract: The works in connection with this contract are all but completed. I expect to make the final inspection during the current week. “ Slip : The excavation for tho slipways (except the side slopes) is just about completed. I propose taking tho side slopes down after the concrete work and ways are finished ; 27G cubic yards of stone and gravel for tho concrete work is delivered at the viaduct. “ Kaiti: Offers for repairing and putting in working order tho stone-crusher, and converting the Board's locomotive into a stationary engine to drive the stonecrusher were received. Messrs Davys and Third's offer being the lowest was accepted. The contractor promptly commenced tho work, and it will be completed soon. . “Agreeably with your instructions, plans and specifications were prepared for the erection of a building on the wharf to provide more shed accommodntion. My instructions were to build a shed GOft by 24ft, an extension of tho present building, but on making a further examination be foro preparing the plans, etc., I thought ii advisable (as provision for a weighbridge office would have to be made) to make tin building Goft by 2Sft Gin, thus providing for a waiting room, ami also weighbridge oiiice. Offers for providing the necessary materials and creeling aim finishing the building wore received, anti that of Messrs Clayton Bros., being tiic lowest, was accepted. “ Fascine protecti'-e work opposite tinstockyard corner: The Government Rub lie Works Department found a quantity of fascines for this work, but not sufficient to complete it. These have all been put in and secured. About uOO more fascines will be required to make a satisfactory job. “ Since the Sth inst. the small dredger and one punt have been at the Taruheru Freezing Works improving the river near the works by dredging, under tho directions of Mr Dewing. “As directed, I havo had three new ladders put on tho breakwater in lieu of tile broken iron ones, which have been removed. Tiiey are placed at convenient distances along the wall, and are of a more suitable character than the old ones.

“ The old part of the Gisborne wharf, about opposite the goods and searching sheds, is becoming dilapidated and rotten. It is quito unsuitable for tho increasingly heavy traffic, and expensive repairs are frequently required. As a matter of fact, it is unsafe.

“ The dredger, John Townloy, has been at work during the month in Gisborne Harbor deepening tho berbluigo along tho wharf. The material dredged was principally papa, which was hard to get without blasting. “Mr C. Woods’ offer to build a new pilot boat was accepted, the boat to be completed by tho 14th February, 1903.” It was agreed that tho Committee should meet when the wharf contract was completed and take it over. It was decided to bavo a report as to the old wharf by next meeting. Tho Engineer asked what instructions he was to take in regard to the dredging and blasting. The Chairman said they must fit.in the whole work as far as possible ; but the Engineer was to put on men and havo tho blasting work done as soon as possible, He mentioned that on one occasion Capt. Kennedy had complained of losing a whole tide because he could not get his boat away from the wharf, and while deepening the channel, they must also see that facilities were given at the wharves.

HARBORMASTER’S REPORT. Captain \V. Gumming, Harbormaster, reported that the channel was keeping good, and that soundings taken on the 18th instr,, at low water, read:—End of breakwater Oft, third bollard up 7ft Gin, Snark’s landing 6ft 6iu, big crane Gft 4in, end of stockyard 7ft 6in, halfway up wharf 7ft, top end of wharf sft 6in. The dredge having removed a largo quantity of silt and rock along the top part of the wharf, berthing accommodation is now available up to the commencement of the present extension. Shipping: Steamers, arrivals iiS, departures 22; sailing vessels, ar Is 8, departures 7.