HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1365, 28 January 1905, Page 4

HARBOR BOARD.

REPORTS. The following l-eporta (crowded out of yesterday’s issue) wore adopted at the meeting of tho Harbor Board : Mr D. A. McLeod, overseer of work, reported : “ Tho John Towuloy has taken 40 loads of spoil to sea during tho month, and tho small dredgor has deposited 21 loads of papa rock on tho Waikanao reclamation. The blasting punt has worked 23 days during tho month. Progress on the western groyno extension has been in terrupted for three weeks out of tho month by the heavy seas, which threw both the top and bottom carriages of gantry off their whoolß, breaking ono of the main lower beams and leaders of pile driver. To effect repairs the machinery had to bo takon off. However, I consider we got off very well considering the very heavy sea breaking over it. If we had been 200 ft further out with tho work at the time I feol sure the damage would have been very much greater. The gantry is now in working order again ; nine main piles have been driven this month. The rubblo filling is not going on as fast as I should like owing to tho carters not bringing the stono fast enough. They say the price they are getting- is not enough, because since the storm tho sand that used to cover tho rocks round the point of Pah Hill has boon washed away and has not made up again, thus making it difficult for them to got round except at low water. They say thoy can only bring throe loads now as against five before the storm. I would also call attention to tho faot that a groat deal of stono has been cartod away to other places, which, if allowed to continue, will run us short of tho stone necessary to complete the presont work. Tho Knroro was taken on tho slip on January 13th, and launched on Friday’, 20th, and tho Nautilus was taken on on Tuesday, 24th, and launched on tho following day. Nmoty-three yards of gravel have been received from the carters and spread on reclamation at the back of town wharf. Accounts to band for tho month are as follows :—Tho John Townley, £4l Is 3d ; groyne extension, £BS Os 6d ; blasting punt, £3l 10s 6d ; maintenance, £3 2s 2d ; blacksmith’s shop, £2 Is 6d ; gravel for town £lB 12s ; total £lßl 7b lid.” Captain Cumming reported : “ The shipping trade to this port for the past twelve mooths is as follows : 401 Btoamers 515,613 tons net register, and 120 sailing ships 11,155 tons register ; total, 510 vessels 526,768 tons register, an increase over the previous year of 49 Bbips. "We lied very heavy seas and high tides in the bay from the 3rd to the 56h inst., the heaviest sea we have had for years. Two of the largo Homo steamers (Waiwera and Kaikoura) were anohored in tho bay tho whole timo but did not drag any. A portion of the banks along tho Waikanae Beach got washed away, and the pile driving plant on end groyne got shifted a littlo. Tho bottom pieces of timber on the shear legs of the big crane on Kaiti wharf wants n couple of iron straps on tho ends as I am afraid that with some of the big lifts thoy’ may snap off. Some one has been letting go the mooring lines of somo of the vessels at tho wharf lately. If found they should bo severely punished, as it is a serious matter. Wo aro having trouble to keep tho public from crowding round the gangway of tho Waihi, thereby making it difficult to get the passengers on or off tho stoamor. I have asked the Inspector of Police to assist to keep the gangway clear. There is a great improvement in the channel since last meeting, and also along the wharf. Tho lowest soundings in channel taken on 25th inst, tide gauge at zero, are as follows : End of breakwater 13ft 6in, 5 bollards from end 9ft, Snark’s landing Sft 6in, big crane Bft, Waikanae Bft 6in, off stockyard 9ft, half-way along wharf Bft 6in. Shipping since laßt meeting : Steamers, arrivals. 43 ; departures, 42; sailing ships arrived and departed, 7.” Captain Solvander, dredgemaster, reported : “ Since your last meeting the dredge John Townley has been in constant work with tho exception of two dayß bad weather. The amount dredged is along the town wharf, 1900 cubic yards of mud and clay, from along tho breakwater, 2200 yards sand, in all 4100 cubic yards. On the 9th replaced the buoy and mooring, that were washed ashore in the recent heavy gales.