LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 994, 1 September 1877, Page 2

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of this Board •was held yesterday at 2.30 p.m.; Mr R. J. S. Harman in the chair, THE CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT. The Chairman’s statement was read as follows : I have to report that the amount accruing from wharfage dues for the month of July, is <£ll6l. I have not yet been advised by the railway authorities that a voucher for the amount, less commission, has yet been forwarded to Wellington for payment. The pilotage dues for August, which have been paid into the Board’s credit to-day by the Collector of Customs, amount to =£2ll 4s 6d. A number of accounts for payment will be submitted for approval today. I have received an offer from Mr J. Anderson, sen., to sell the scoop dredge reported upon at our last meeting, for the sum of £55. It rests with the Board to determine whether they will purchase it at that price. I may add that Mr Anderson explains that owing to Ids anxiety to secure the success of the contrivance, he had it executed with greater accuracy that was practically necessary, and that it is probable scoop dredges of a similar design might be made for less. He states £55 to be the actual cost. The secretary has prepared a statement showing the average cost of the dredging done during the three months ending the 3lst July, It shows that the quantity dredged during that period amounted to 70,560 cubic yards, or 08,000 tons, and that the cost slightly exceeded 5 |d per cubic yard. This result bears very favorable comparison with the cost of dredging carried on at other New Zealand and Australian ports, and reflects great credit on Mr Turpin, the superintending engineer of the dredge and barges in Lyttelton. Although I have not yet got the returns of the dredging for the present month, I am informed that it will exceed very considerably that of any previous month. Since our last meeting the dredge has been uninterruptedly employed in the dredging between the Screw Pile and intermediate jetties. I have to report that a collision took place on the 21st instant between the barges Heathcote and Sumner, at the entrance of the inner harbor. The damage done to the vessels was fortunately small, owing to their having a very strong belting round them. Mr Cunningham and myself proceeded to Lyttelton on Wednesday last and held an inquiry into the circumstances which led to the collision, and we came to the conclusion that it was mainly owing to the Heathcote keeping closer into the pastern breakwater than was prudent. Mr Cunninghapi and myself agreed that it would bo sufficient in this- instance to warn the master of the lleathcote to be more careful in future, and he has been informed accordingly. The harbor master has framed instructions for the future guidance of the masters of the barges when entering the inner barber on their return from Camp Bay. I think an observance of those instructions will prevent a repetition of similar accidents. I find upon inquiry into the question of the Little Port Cooper station site, that the buildings occupy a position upon the General Government reserve No. 61. The boat slipway and a portion of the garden only being on the educational reserve. I think, under these circumstances, it will be well to have a survey made, as the sanction of the General Government to occupy a portion of the former reserve will have to be obtained, and it will also reduce the quantity required to be leased from the Board of Education. If the Harbor Board decide that the survey shall be made) it will be necessary

that they should sanction an expenditure sufficient for the purpose. The Harbor-Master reports that it will be necessary to furnish the Pilot Station with three additional iron tanks for the use of the pilot and crew, the tanks now in use there being insufficient for the summer time. The cost of the _ tanks should not exceed =£4 5s each. I will ask the Board to sanction this expenditure. The harbor master has recommended that a post be placed on the entrance end of the Screw-pile Jetty, having three lamps on it forming a triangle, the S.E. side of each showing red, the back and sides white. These lamps to be so placed for the guidance of steamers arriving at or departing from the Screw-pile Jetty at night. Captain McLellan proposes, with the Board’s approval, to use the Screw-pile Jetty for steamers only, except in cases of a rush of vessels. The red lamp at the end of the Officer’s Poiut Breakwater was, for the first time, lit with gas on the 29th instant, and showed a good light. The hai'bor master recommends that the post be painted red to coincide with the lamp. The secretary and the harbor master have, as directed by the Board, prepared a regulation which, in their opinion, will meet the requirements as to compelling all vessels to keep gangways for the use of persons passing between them and the wharves at night as well as in the daytime. The regulation will require to be made by the Board and approved by his Excellency the Governor. With regard to the resolution passed at our last meeting, directing the supply of twelve gangways in the meantime by the Board, the Harbour Master, acting under my instructions, has had a suitable gangway made. Its cost (<£4 4s) —which I am advised is fair —so far exceeds the estimate given at the time the resolution was passed that I have thought it well to bring the matter again before the Board before taking further action. If twelve of these gangways were made, I am informed that it is probable they might be supplied for about <£3 10s each. The committee appointed by you to obtain particulars respecting steam tugs used in the other colonies and elsewhere are not yet in full possession of the required information. _ A telegram has been received by Mr Anderson, junior, from Glasgow, relating to the patent screw steam tugs, and I have just had a letter handed to me rom him on the subject. Letter will be read. Particulars have also been received from Melbourne as to the two new steam tugs now in use there, but replies from Sydney and Newcastle arc. not yet to hand. Your committee will bring up their report as soon as possible. With reference to the prevention of fire in Lyttelton, I have to report that the steam fire engine has been stationed there for the past fortnight. On Wednesday last I was waited on by Mr Nathan and Mr Harris, who asked whether the Board would raise any objection to the steam fire engine being temporarily returned to Christchurch during the repairs to one of the Christchurch Fire Brigade engines, and as I had then been advised by the Resident Engineer (Mr Lowe) that the signalman in Lyttelton would, in the event of a fire, turn on the water from the Lyttelton waterworks, I replied that no objection would be raised, it being understood that the transfer of the steam fire engine to Christchurch was only to be during the repairs to the Chi’istchurch engine. No reply has yet been received from the Minister of Public Works to the Board’s letter of the 23rd of June last respecting the Lyttelton water works, but I notice from correspondence in to-day’s papers that an arrangement has at last been come to for handing over the waterworks to the Borough of Lyttelton. In consequence of the extreme detention to vessels recently discharging in Lyttelton, caused by the scarcity of trucks, I addressed a letter to the Hon. Minister for Public Works upon the subject. I am convinced that so long as the present railway regulation, giving four working hours to discharge trucks, remains in force, and so long as the number of tiucks remains as it is at present, detentions to vessels will continue to exist, and unless this evil is speedily remedied it must tend to seriously affect the character of our port. My letter on the subject will be read to the Board. A question has arisen between the owners of the barque Malay and the owners of the steam tug Titan as'to a charge for towage. The contract for the tug service provides that in cases of dispute the Board shall decide the question. The present case, I think, will best be met by the appointment of a committee to inquire into and decide the point at issue. Letters from both the parties concerned have been received, and also a report from the inward pilot, so that with these particulars there should be no difficulty in deciding the case. The contractor has completed his contract for fencing the time ball site. A report and estimate for additions and repairs to the time ball tower have been received from Mr Strouts, and they will be laid before the Board. The contractor for the repairs to the breastwork has commenced the work, and Mr Derbidge is superintending it under Mr Lowe’s directions. Tu going over the list of rails to be returned by Messrs Hawkins and Co., it is found that they are short some 139 yards of (551 b rails, but Messrs Hawkins and Co. state they are prepared to return a corresponding weight in 401 b rails if the Board will sanction it. In the matter of the acquisition of Peacock’ sWliarf, I forwarded on the 20th instant a copy of the report of the sub-committee and other papers to the Hon. Mr Richardson in Wellington. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £263 19s Id were p issed and ordered to be paid. SCOOJ? DREDGE. A letter was read from Mr J. Anderson, jun., offering to sell the scoop dredge for £55. It was resolved to purchase the dredge at the price mentioned by Mr J. Anderson, jun. THE COLLISION BETWEEN THE BARGES, It was resolved that the Board concur in the action taken by the acting-chairman with respect to the collision between the barges Hcathcote and Sumner. PILOT STATION. The survey of the site of the pilot station at Little Port Cooper was authorised. SCREW-PILE JETTY. It was resolved that the leading lamps at the Screw-pile jetty should be reserved for steamers, and that the lamp-post at Officer’s Point be painted red. GANGWAYS. A regulation relative to ships at the wharves providing gangways was submitted and approved, and ordered to be forwarded to the Giovernor for his sanction. It was also decided that the Board should arrange for the supply of gangways, the design to be approved by Mr Cunningham. SUPPLY OF TRUCKS. The Chairman said that he had written a letter to the Minister of Public Works, with refettiico to the scarcity of trucks and the consequent detention of vessels. The Board approved of the action of the chairman. TIME BALL TOWER, A report and plan from Mr Strouts as to the additions and repairs to the Lyttelton Time Ball Tower were laid on the table. It was decided that Mr Craig and Mr Sawtell should inspect the building before any further action is taken. peacock’s wharf. A letter was read from the chairman to the Hon. E. Richardson on the subject of the taking over of Peacock’s Wharf. SCREW STEAM TUG. A letter was read from Mr J. Anderson, jun., covering copy of telegram received from (Glasgow relative to the patent screw steam tug.