HARBOR BOARD

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1443, 2 May 1905, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Harbor Board was hold yesterday afternoon. Present—Messsrs Townley (chairman) Siev wrigbt, Whinray, Harding, Hepburn, Clark, Matthewson and Captain Tucker. GBOYNE EXTENSION.

Captain Tucker moved that the resolution to construct tho western groyne bo in part rescinded, and the construction stopped. Ho said that if the groyne was taken past tho end of the breakwater the range would bo considerably increased. Every foot would now make the range greater. The time had arrived when they might reasonably stop the work and watch the effect. If the groyne, which was now parallel with the breakwater, answered their purpose, there would be nothing gained by carrying it farther out, but a groat deal risked. Mr Whinray seconded tho motion pro forma. He thought that if the next 50ft were taken out at an angle it might decrease the raoge by throwing the water back on the breakwater. Mr Sievwright was opposed to the Board setting itself up in opposition to its engineer on a purely soientifio matter. Mr Clark said that if Captain Tucker proposed to suspend the work until Mr Napier Bell could come and report on the work, ho would support him. Mr HardiDg supported Mr Clark’s suggestion that Mr Napier Bell should report on the work.

Mr Hepburn ana the Chairman spoke strongly upon the work beiog carried out for the last 50ft. Captain Tucker, in reply, stated that although he wae in a large minority, he was very pleased he had brought the matter before the Board. If they attained the object they had in view before reaching the spot specified what advantage would tho further continuation of the wall give them? They might very well hesitate. They could easily go on with the wall at any time it it was found necessary. If they went on it meant risking.catching tho range besides the expense. They would now get as much good from the-training wall as they wore likely to get through taking it further out, and they could put their money in some other work. On the motion being put to the meeting it was lost, the mover and Mr Whinray yoting for it, the latter being in favor of

the. work being stoppod until Mr Napier Bell had roportod on tho portion already completed. Captain Tucker moved that tho Board build a wool roooiving and dumping store at tho wostoru training wall with tho objoot of establishing bettor facilities to both producers and shippers of wool. Tho oonßidoration of tho question was i left until tho noxt meeting of tho Board. MISCELLANEOUS.

Tho consolidation of the statutes relating to the harbor,- ns l-ooommondod by Mr E. J. Ohrisp, the Board’s solicitor, was approved of. The balance sheet, whioh had been returned audited and found correot by tho Auditor-General, was adopted. A synopsis of tho yoar’s work, by tho I Chairman, aooocnpaniod tho balauoo-shoot. Tho Marino Department wrote stating j thnt thoro was not a prism lamp procurable in tho colony. Tho Chairman said a lamp at tho groyne that would answer the purpose would bo lighted up that night. Captain Tucker thought what was required was a refleotor on tho olosod side. Messrs Stephenson and Cook, Port I Chulmors, wrote that they were prepared ' to givo a three years’ guarantee for condenser tubes and plates.—Received. Tho Alpha Sawmilling Company wrote asking permission to build log booms in front of their sawmill, as shown by attached plan. Captain Tuoker thought that as the proposal did not appear to interfere with the navigation of tho river in any way the Board should agreo to it, but before doing so should advortise their intention of doing so, whioh would allow objectors to put in their complaints. Mr Hepburn said that Mr Napier Bell was very empbatio about not confining the river at that point on aooount of the range, The Chairman stated that they had no power to give suoh permission- without submitting the plans to the Marino Department for approval. Mr Clark said they wore carrying on with Napier Bell so ioog now that they should ascertain whether the walls should bo extended or otherwise before moving in this matter. . > . Tbe ovorsesr stated bo had examined tho plans, which were substantial, and would not interfere with tho navigation of .the river,

| Mr Vincent Barber appeared for the I Alpha Company, aDd the urI gency of the proposed work. They had a | scow last week, and had to land the loga at | the groyn'e. f They were expeotiDg two I more scows immediately. It would bo im--1 possible to unload them in this way, and I if they had to atop the vessels it would I mean considerable-inconvenience and out--1 lay. He was prepared to discuss proposals I for rent and notice with the Board. I Mr Clark stated that the Board should take no responsibility in the matter. The proposal should not emanate from the Board, but from the Company. After further discussion Captain Tucker proposed that the Board should lease the portion of the foreshore applied for for £lO per year, suoh lease lo be terminable by the Board on a three months’ notice in writing, the tenaniß to lako all risk of opposition or delay by the Marino Department. Mr Sievwrigat seconded the proposal, which was carried.

The Chairman then proposed that the plana be submitted to the Marine Department, with a recommendation that they authorise the work. The motion was carried.

Mr W. Bissant Clayton, provincial secretary of the Farmers’ Union, wrote re rural technical education, applying for assistance from the Board to the amount of £l6O a year. After discussion, it was deoided to reply that the Board had no power to make the grant applied for. Mr E. J. Ohrisp wrote re land reclaimed by the Board westward of the groyne, advising the Board to instruct its surveyor to have a plan of the reclamation prepared, so that the Board eauld secure a oomplote title. The proposed lease of a coal depot to the freezing works should bo dealt with in the same manner. The whole of the reclaimed land on that side —whioh was more than the freezing works asked for—could be taken down to high water mark. He therefore advised the Board to have a plan preparod of both sides and application made under seotion 161 for the issue of grants. The Board decided to ask Mr Grant, surveyor, to have the plans prepared, so that their solicitor could prooood in obtaining the title. The Harbormaster (Captain Gumming) wrote stating that whilst wishing to give bis best services as Harbormaster of the port, he failod to see how he could undertake any clerical work, as suggested by the Committee. He considered ‘it would interfere with his duties, to which he had to give his whole time. He referred the Board to the harbor bye-laws, to see the many duties that were required of him o» harbor and bertbiug master, pilot, signalman and collector of wharfages. His supervision was domanded over many matters the publio were not aware of, and ho was often on duty 12 and 18 hours a day, Sundays and holidays included. He urged that with the increasing amount of shipping his duties wero growing to that of larger ports, where tbo Harbormaster was provided with assistance. In disoussing the overseer’s report the question of the scarcity of stone was raised, and on the motion of Mr Clark, seconded by Captain Tucker, it was decided to give notioe to carters that no stone be removed from the Eaiti foreshore. BEPOBTS.

Captain Cumming, Harbormaster, reported that a great improvement had been found in thß lower part of the channel, there being 9ft of water where it used to be dry some months ago. Soundings taken on the 29th, tide gauge at zero, were as follows : —End of breakwater 15ft, fourth bollard from end 9ft, Snark’s landing 3ft, big orane 7ft lOin, Waikanao Bft, stook yard Bft 6in, halfway along wharf Bft 6in. Shipping—Stoamers, arrivals 32, departures 32; sailing vessels, arrivals 14, departures 10.

Mr D. A. McLeod, overseer, roported that the John Townley had taken 37£ loads of Bpoil to sea during the month, and the small dredger had deposited 12 loads on- the Waikanao reclamation, six loads on Eaiti, 1£ days’dredging for Gas Company, one day oleaniog boiler, and six days not at work. The blasting orew wero at work 24 days durmg tho month. Work on the training wall was going on on steadily. Fifty feet of main piling had been added this month, 80ft of rubble filling, and another 40ft seotion of sheathing was in bnnd. Mr W. B. Maokie, engineer of the John Townley, reported that tho machinery had arriyed, and everything was working well. Captain .Solvander, of the dredge John Townley, .reported that the dredge had been constantly, employed, with the excep tion of t.wo days’bad woathar. Six hundred yards of sand from along the breakwater, 1400yds of mud from abreast'the new wharf at Eaiti, 1576yds mud from between the stock yard and tbe slip had been dredged; total amount, 3575 oubie yards.