HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1545, 29 August 1905, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Harbor Board was hold yesterday afternoon, when the following members were present: Messrs Towoley (in the ohair), Hepburn, YVhinray, Matthewson, Clark, Slevwrighl, Harding, Lysnar, and Captain luoker., RIVER WORKS.

Mr W. Ferguson, engineer to the Wellington Harbor Board, notified tho Board lof bis inability to adviso the Gisborne Board in regard to tho rivor works I Tho Ghairnian said that the Wellington Board obiootod to their engineer noting. He thought the remarks of certain members of tho Wellington Board, that they required an engineer on the_oheap, wore quite uncalled for, and should be refuted. The Board wore always quito willing to | pay for Mr Ferguson’s aervioos. It was decided that tho Wellington Board should be notified that tho Gisborno Board, in asking for Mr Ferguson a ser- I vices, were prepared to pay him. I Applications were read from Messrs Marebanl (Timaru) and J. Rodgers (Pal I merston North) offering their services to the Board. The seoretary also stated that Mr Napier Bell's address was Hobart. Consideration of the question was I deferred. . I

WAIKOKOPU HARBOR BOARD. A letter was read from the Waikokopu Harbor Board askiog fibo Board if ihoy had certain plant for sale. —It was deoided to reply that tho Board had not the articles required for disposal. A RAILWAY SIDING.

A request from tho Alpha Sawmill Company that a railway siding bo put into the. wharf was referred to the works committee to furnish a report, * The Chairman said that the Board should insist on the rails being laid level with the wharf.

CONSOLIDATING BILL. Mr E. J. Ohrisp, solicitor to the Board, wrote notifying the passing through tho Lower House of tho Gisborne Harbor Board’s Consolidating Bill.; In regard to reclamation works, the solicitor pointed out that the Board had a clear title to the reclaimed land on Kaiti side, and also to the whole of the road abutting the Freezing Works. The Board oonld, therefore, publioly call for tenders and give a lease for 21 years of the part pointed out by the Gisborne Sbeepfarmers’ Company, about half an acre, and al-o for any other part of the reclaimed land it thought fit.. He advised the Board to call for tenders for the I lease of the half-aore at onoe. The Board could now make a dedication of the land between the Freezing Works and the Kaiti wharf as a public road, to whioh there was little doubt the Borough Counoil would consent, and with the Board’s approval he would prepare the deed of dedication. A title for tho accretions on reclamations on the other side of the river wonld soon be forthcoming, as plans were in preparation. When this title was issued the Board would have to pay to the natives, as previously agreed, the sum of £650. This sum included the payment to the natives for one and a half acres of the adjoining native land and tho land aufiicient to continue Lowe street right down to the beac£. There wonld be some little difficulty about the latter matter, os the Railway Department still had the proclamation over the land, but he thought this could be arranged satisfactorily to all parties. The Chairman said the Cook Memorial Committee intended putting an obelisk on the road at the Kaiti point, and application would be made to the Board to allow the widening of the road for this to be done. He mentioned the matter before tenders wore called for the lease of the allotment reforrea to. Mr Clark was in favor of permission being granted to the Cook Memorial Committee provided it did not prevent the Board leasing the seotion referred to, It was pointed out that the proposed Bite of the memorial was outside the seotion which it was intended to lease. It was decided to cail for tenders for leasing the section. On the motion of Mr LysDar it was decided to proceed with the dedication of the road. • ' y ■ In regard to the land obtained by the Board on the Waikanae, Mr Hepburn thought it wae a very bad bargain for the Board. Captain Tnober: Don’t yon think yon are getting six aores of land at a very cheap rate ? t , , , Mr Hepburn ; No, Ido not. I think it is a very bad bargain. Captain Tucker: I think I can say, on behalf of the natives, that they would willingly take the land back. The Chairman said the matter had already been agreed to by the Board.

SHIPPING FACILITIES. Oapt. Thos, Ohrisp. on behalf of the owners of the River Hunter and lima, vessels now regularly trading to Gisborne, pointed out tbe lack of facilities for ballasting and watering vessels of the class mentioned. Undoubtedly the best place to*j ballast would be at the Western Groyne or' towards the Waikanae Creek, as this would be out of the range and nearest to where there was most sand. If the Board would have a place deepened alongside the breastwork and fill in some of the reclamation so as to allow carts to get alongside from the Waikanae Beach it would answer the purpose excellently. As regards the watering on that side, all that was required was about 200 feet of hose attaohed to the Board's tap under the Gisborne wharf. . Deferred until consideration of Harbormaster’s report. HARBOR BOARDS’ CONFERENCE* Mr W. D. Lysnar, in reporting in regard to the proceeding of the Harbor Board’s Conference, emphasised the necessity for the Board to be represented at future conferences. He mentioned several matters, including the proposed superannuation scheme for Harbor Board employees, which, wbiob, whilst suiting the larger Harbor Boards of the oolcoy, would, unless modified* be burdensome to places like Gisborne. It was agreed that nothing should be done during the present session of Parliament, Bo°that an opportunity would be offered to tbe Board to place their views before the conference. Referring to the constitution of Harbor Boards, he (the speaker) had opposed the suggestion that all members should be nominated by the Government. He contended that Where rates were colholed the ratepayers should have a voioe in the eleotion of members. Many of the Boards throughout the colony did not strike rates, and were in other ways differently situated to the Gisborne Board. He had done his best in regard to the Tuahine light, and thought the Board should take further steps to urge the claims of the port in this matter, A hearty vote of tbaDfcs wa.» aooorded to Mr Lysnar for his attendance at the conference. ‘

HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. The Harbormaster (Captain Gumming repotted as follows 1 have, the honor to report a great improvement in tho lower part of the channel. The sand bank which usod to form along the groyne has disappeared, leaving the rock bare, and so far I don’t see aoy sighs of it placing up again. The channel now is near the centre, between thß two piers. The depth of the channel is not so good as we have had it, caused by the heavy freshes we have had during the month bringing down great quantities of silt, which has settled in different parts of the channel and along the wharves. The want of the small dredge being at work is being felt. She used to do good work. The bank between the two wharves has silted up a good bit, and the lima grounded on it wbon comiDg to the wharf, and had to be lightened before she oould be got off. The bank below the stockyard is running out into the channel, making it almost impossible for a long ship to come round quick enough to clear tho middle bank and to get to the wharf, having to turn at right angles. The stockyard shed should be taken away, so that ships can make for the end of the wharf. If. this is not done there will be a big smash-up, caused by the larger ola'ss of vessels now using the wharf not haviDg room to work in. The stockyard and bank being away would allow the silt during heavy freshes to get clear away and do. away with a lot of dredging. Ballast and wharf aooommoelation for tho Newcastle ships is likely to •cause double i£ we should have two oi

thorn boro together daring the busy season, as thoy toko up the best part of tho wharf and wont it for so long. It will bo neoessnry boforo long to extend the wharf down to the slip entrance. If Ibis was opon work on oonoreto piles it would an- ' swor tho purpose of wavo-broakor just as well as it is doing now, and give splondid accommodation for deep-water vessels, and with a bridge aoross tho Waikanao Crook noar tho flagstaff, with a road to the beaoh, ships ooald got ballast ohoaper and very much quiokor than they do at present at tho wharf. I have intorviowod tv number of shipmasters trading to the port, and thoy are all very anxious that the light at Tuahino Point showed bo ro-m----stated as soon as possible. Soundings taken this day, with tho tide gaugo at zero, are as follows : Centro of ohunnel on end of breakwater, 9ft; third bollard from end, 7ft 6iu ; Snark’s landing, 7ft 6m ; big orano, 7ft 6in ; Waikanao, 8f«; along wharf, 7ft; off stockyard, Bfo. Shipping sines last meeting ; Stoamers —arrivals ZS, departures 28 ; sailing vessols —arrivals 9, ' departures 7.” ... Mr Clark thought from tho tenor of the report that tho Board had a new onginoor. The greater portion of the roport, he said, dealt with engineering matters, and wore not within, tho soopo of a harbormaster's roport. The Board had agreed to take Mr Napier Bell’s opinion on harbor matters, and they - should not depart in any way from it. , , . . Tho Chairman : Thoro is a good deal of

it engineering. Mr Whinray strongly resented Mr Olark’a remarks, contending that it was quite within the province of the harbormaster to report in the manner he hod done. They should only be too pleased to hoar the harbormaster's opinion on proposed works, as he had the interests of the port at heart. I Mr Clark replied that the remarks passed by Mr Whinray were nonsensical. Mr Whinray repeated bis opinions in regard to the harbormaster's report, and expressed his willingness to loava the, matter to the public to decide. After further disousßion, consideration of the question of affording the shipping extra facilities in regard to ballasting and watering was adjourned until Thursday afternoon at a meeting of the committee of the whole Board. Mr Clark asked that a return should be presented on Thursday showing the amount paid by eaoh ship in the way of wharf dues. It was agreed that this should be obtained. DREDGEMASTER’S BirOtT, The dredgemaster reported: " Since yourlast meeting the dredge John Townley has been constantly employed, with the exception of four days that wo could not get oat through heavy sea and freshes in the riv6r. The amount dredged is 1900 yards mud from abreast of tire new wharf on the Haiti Bide, 100 yards sand from the end of the breakwater, 800 yards from abreast of the Blip, and 475 yards papa rock from mid-obannel between the beaoon and Snark’B landing, in all 3275 cubic yards.” OVERSEER’S REPORT. The Board’s overseer (Mr McLeod) reported:—“For the month ending August 28th dredging has been hindered a good deal by rough seas ; loads of spoil have been taken to sea, 4£- loads being rook. The blasting pant is kept steadily at work, as the weather permits, on the shallower portions of the papa rock in channel ' abreast of crane on breakwater. The Nautilus was taken on to the Blip on July 31st and launched on August 17th. Owing to the unusually rough weather this mouth we have not been able to do any work at the outer end of the groyne. Off the sth inst the gantry was canted off its wheels by the heavy seas, caused by the sand banking at tho end of the groyne between the flood waters aod the soathorly. The principal damage to.the work consisted of one of the main piles breaking off at the top of the rook. The continued rough weather has delayed us in getting the gantry into working order again. The damage to gantry has been repaired, and it is now ready for work. The 18 inches of concrete to cover the rabble filling is now finished, making 410 ft of completed work: 650yds of conoreto has been used up to the present. The nature of the papa rock through which we are driving the piles is so tough that once driven into it they never come out again. This has been very much in our favor in carrying out the work, for if the rook, instead of being tough, was of a brittle nature, our loss ; through heavy seas would have been very much greater, and this, to my mind, is the true interpretation of the “ if possible ” in Mr Napier Bell’s report. The papa rook right out to the centre of the river is now 'quite dear of sand, a thing,hitherto unknown, and that, under conditions of weather which used to have the effect of blocking up the mouth of the river with sand. When the groyne is completed the evidence so far goes conclusively to show that the river will keep comparatively clear of marine sand, thus leaving the rock clear to be operated upon in Borne more expeditious and less costly way than the present method of blasting. I have long thought over some way of dealing with this rock by cutting it out with maohinery, and I have now, I think, succeeded in devising a machine. I hope with the help of the accompanying rough sketch to be able to show that this machine is capable of doing the work required of it in a practicable, economical, and efficient manner,' outting the channel to any required depth.” The Overeeer said he had not gone into details in regard to the cost of the plant required. This would have to be supplied by an engineering firm. Without considering gear on hand, he roughly estimated the prioe at £I2OO to £ISOO, which amount included the cost of the punt required. He had every confidence in the method proposed of dealing with the papa rock.

Mu Clark urged, that the present work should be finished, and then the £oard. oould call in another engineer. There was no use in considering every proposal placed before them. The Chairman said the experiment would not cost a great deal.. Members could consider the matter and bring it up later on.

Mr Hepburn said the groyne was doing good work. The report showed that tho papa was bare, and that no sand was ooming round tho groyne. Mr Lysnar thought too much was being made out of tho result of the last fresh, which was one of the heaviest known in the district, They had the opinions of eminent engineers that they would never I clear the end of the channel of sand. The Chairman : But it Ib clear now.. Mr Lysnar: Only for a very short time. 1 desire to point out that the reoent flood was one of the heaviest on record. I Mr Harding expressed pleasure at the I improved - state of tho river. They were told from ' many quarters that after the I reoent fresh the river would be blocked, but the improved state of the channel was very gratifying. 1 Mr Whinray sa ! d there was less water

in the yiver fhan hitherto. This was evident by thp fact jihat vessojs had not been able to get up to the wharf. The Overseer contended that the channel would be greatly improved by the removal of the papa against the breakwater. The tendency was for the sand to clear away from the rook. The range was not as great since-the Band had cleared. If they had deep water the range would be reduced. The Chairman stated that all they could do was to await the result of the work now in operation.