HARBOR BOARD

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1029, 23 October 1903, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD

The Board met yesterday afternoon there being present : Messrs Townley (Chairman), Hepburn, Matthewt son, .Sievwright, Whinray, Clark, Harding, 'and Captain Tucker. , A letter was received from the [ Lcwthwaito Patent Cable Breakwater Syndicate Company, stating that their system had been brought before the Board in 18S9, but had not been adopted, and the Board had the plans, which the Company wished to be returned to Mr Porter. The Chairman said he remembered the plans being placed before the Board and the' work not considered suitable. He did not know what had become of the plans, but probably they had been lost with others that had been damaged by rats. Mr T, R. Porter, representing the syndicate, interviewed the Board, and said the syndicate desired to have the matter placed before the people. They were prepared to complete the present work for £49,000 to the black buoy if the Board would guarantee to pay them at the end of live years’ test. , Failing that, they were prepared to buy in at Nick’s Head, build a breakwater there (horseshoe shape), and reclaim, making a town at Murewai, with communication by rail to Gisborne, The Chairman said the work was cheaper than the solid work. Continuing, Mr Porter said they were satisfied that there was a great country behind Gisborne yet to be opened up. With the strides that were being made, the town would yet extend to Te Arai and Murewai. This syndicate meant to shove them on.

Mr Whinray : Shove us into the back-blocks.—(Laughter). Air Porter said the syndicate knew the area of land, and what could be based on it. Captain Tucker (laughing) : This is your doing, Air Clark ; you have property out there.—(Laughter). Mr Porter said he would call their attention to the capital the company were prepared to invest in Gisborne. It was an English and American company. The Chairman : All the world ! Air Porter said they had the alternative—a breakwater free of cost for five years or for a breakwater to be made at Nick’s I-lead. Members, laughing, sa d this would be a poor look-out for Gisborne. In reply to the Chairman, Air Porter said the principal would come up in one act and explain it all to them if they gave him instructions aecor- I dingly. Captain Tucker said he remember- I ed the subject coming up many years ago.

Mr Porter : Yes, he told me I would probably find the pirn in Ihe waste-paper basket. The Chairman : That is probably where it is.—(Laughter.) In reply to a questim a c to whether the principal w,as an ftjginecr, Mr Porter said no, in; was a financier. -

Air Clark jocularly said that was the main thing. Tiie Chairman said the Tim'aru Board was having some works of the kind done. The Chairman : Well, will we tackle the subject now ? Afr Clark : It is too big to go into straight away. Air Alatthewson : We would need the means. I The Chairman (laughing) : Only the way—they will find the means. Air Alatthewson : We would have to pay in five years. Air Porter : J,ust what you say yourselves ; no doubt they would allow ten years if you suggested it. The Chairman .said the Marine Department’s consent would first be required before they could enter into the thing practically. Air Alatthewson said there was no doubt a harbor would,he | required some time.

Captain Tucker said that it would be well to have a plain offer in writing. Members thought it would be well to have time to consider the subject. Captain Tucker said that if any one could satisfy'them they could get a harbor to accommodate the shipping requirements for £49,000, they would jump at the chance. The Chairman: And the money would be there.

Air Whinray said tliey liad this 'awful threat about a town at Murewai. (Laughter.) Captain Tucker jocularly said they should let Mr Simson, the Government Valuer, , know of the proposal —it would enable them to get a reduction, and,” he added, smiling at Mr Clark, “ put up the Te Arai values.”

The Chairman, on behalf oi the Board, said that he ' must apologise for the loss of the plan previoislv sent.; it was resolved that, in view of the importance of the scheme suggested, it was desirade to give it further consideration and to obtain any further information available on the subject. * (japoam Sulvander reported 11 Since last meeting the John Townloy has been in constant.work, everything going on very satisfactorily. The amount dredged is 3700 cubic yards in various places from the stockyard to the end of the breakwater, mostly by the broakwator, the sand being very troublesome there.’ 1 Mr D. A. McLeod, Overseer, reported that the John Towuley had boon dredging from the sand bank at the lower end of the channel during the month. The sand bank from the big crano to near the end of the broakwator appeared to be increasing through an unusual amount of sand drift from the Waikanae beach round the western groyne. The small dredger and one punt with two hands was engaged at Nelson Bros, from September 290 h to October Bth. Since then they had been dredging rock from the channel, and depositing it behind the training wall on the Waikanae reclamation. The cradlo at tho slip had been lifted but of tho water and painted with two coats of tar. The machinery and pile-driver was being placed in position at the Haiti wharf extension, and would be ready for work by the end of the week. Western training wall oxtension : The Overseer reported that he had been to Wellington and Napier to get some practical information, especially with regard to the concreto. At Napier he had the methods of working concrete explained to him, and he was also given an opportunity of seeing Mr Nelson’s suction pump at work on tho swampy reclamation. At Wellington, Mr Ferguson, Harbor Board engineer, gave him the opportunity to go over tho works, tho foreman explaining the methods of mixing and depositing the concreto tinder water. In Wellington and Napier they ware using the local cement, which was stated to be quite as good, if not better than, the imported article, only that care must be taken that it was nftt used too new AO both places they used the same proportion of cement, one barrel of cement to ono yard of couproie, which was less than half the amount that would bo used according to tho speciiication for the groyne. The Oversoer also visited the different foundries, and asked them to furnish plans, with prices, of machinery needed b.y the Board.

In reply to Mr Matthewson Mr McLeod said the quantities of the local and imported articles . were the same (with a slight difference in price in favor of the local cement. The Wellington Board was using the local cement, dividing the orders between the two local firms.

.The Secretary read different prices that had been voluntarily, sent of the cost of cement. Mr , Sievwright said the question still seemed to he open as to the quality of concrete required. Tho Chairman:' You have both the Napier and Wellington methods. However the question of cement would not come up for awhile. The question was whether the Overseer had now sufficient information to go on with the work. Mr McLeod said he had now sufficient information and was prepared to proceed with the work. Mr Sievwright said it would bo satisfactory to know if such a saving could bo made.

The Chairman said if the Board were satisfied then he supposed they would simply authorise tho Overseer to proceed when he had the time—at present he had plenty to do with tho wharf. Mr Clark : What machinery dp you require ? ■» Mr McLeod said tho cost would be about i£9oo.

It was agreed to dofer tho subject until next meeting, information as to cost of machinery to bo obtaiued in the meantime. Mr T. 0. Mujliuns, architect, acknowledged receipt oi fee for his .successful design for the proposed • .Gisborne Harbor Board offices, and 'stated that he would supply plans and specifications ; it necessary, liis partner jvould supervise the Work.; Tho subject was deferred'uutil the question of tenders came up. The opinion was expressed that it was not necessary to bring an architect from outside. The Chief Engineer, Railway Department, wrote i— *' I have the honor to ad--3 vise you that the question of strengthening the Gisborne wharf for the purposes of the railway traffic has been considered, and as this wharf is in charge of your Board I am instructed to communicate with you and ascertain whether the Board has any proposal for strengthening it. I shall be giad to hear from you on the subject.” Tho matter was referred to the Works Committee. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Sievwright, seconded by Mr Clark, to join the Harbor Boards’ Association. Mr W,- Ferguson, Secretary Wellington Harbor Board, wrote re cement, that if the Gisborne Board required his services it would he neces-. sary to make application io the Wellington Board for that purpose, hut he would lie pleased to give the Overseer an order to he shown over the works by, the foreman. J The Overseer said lie had obtained al the information be required, and it was decided to write thanking Mr Fergusson. Captain Cumming, Harbormaster, reported : The lower port of tho channel is in a very bad state, the bank at the entrance having silted up very much, leavin'l a very narrow channel. The bank extends from the big crane to the cud of the breakwater along the groyne. The only reason I £an givo for tho present state of tho channel is that we have had no strong winds or heavy seas to stir the sand up, aud that much more sand must have got through the groyne than wo thought when the sea broke through the bank at the back during the last bad weather. The sand and silt from the upper part of the channel not being able to get away has settled and helped to build the bank up. The dredge has been working in the lower part of tho channel for the greater part of this month, but the silt seems to accumulata faster, than she can take it away. Soundings in the channel, with the tide gauge 20 inches bc-low zero, are as follows :—End of breakwater 6ft 4in, big crane sft Gin, stockyard 6ft 10in, Snark s landing 61t, Waikanae oft 6iu, iower part of wharf 7£t 4iu. Arrivals and departures for tho month are Steamers: Arrivals 27, departures 27. Sailing ships: Arrivals 7, departures 4. A boat s steps are needed for the top end of the wharf.”