LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1076, 8 December 1877, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Harbor Board was Held at 2 p.m. yesterday, in the Board’s offices, Government Buildings. Present Messrs Harman (acting chairman), Anderson, Wright, Saw tell, and Mumvy-Aynsley. chairman’s statement. The Chairman made the following statement .—The following sums have been paid into the Board’s credit since our last meeting —Wharfage for two weeks ending September 29th, 1877, £537 ; do. for eight weeks ending October 24th, 1877, £2051 13s Id ; pilotage and port charges for November, 1877, £3OO 17s 9d. A number of accounts for payment will be submitted to you to-day. On Nov. 27th I received a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Board by Mr P. Cunningham, announcing his resignation as a member of the Board. I have to report, in reference to the proposed purchase of _ the Peacock’s Wharf property, that a letter in terms of the draft approved of by the Board on November 23rd, was forwarded to the lessee on Nov. 24th, and a reply was received from him on November 26th, asking whether the letter was intended as a positive offer, and further pointing out an omission in regard to the taking over by the Board at a valuation the two steam cranes now in case on Peacock’s Wharf. I replied on November 27th that the letter in question was intended as a positive offer, and that in regard to the two steam cranes I would bring the matter under the notice of the Board at its next meeting, as, in my opinion, the subject was accidentally overlooked by the committee when framing their report. I think the committee will support me in this opinion, as the matter was specially mentioned and appears on the minutes of their interview with Mr Cunningham on August 10th last. I have now received a letter from the lessee, accepting the Board’s offer to purchase all the lessee’s rights and interests in the property in question for the sum of £20,000, and stating his willingness to hand over the two steam cranes at a valuation to be determined by a committee of the Harbour Board, and I recommend the Board to accept this condition. I may say that the deeds vesting the property in the Board are in a forward state, and the completion of the purchase may be looked for in the course of a few days. I am in a position to inform the Board that an opportunity now offers for securing the freehold of town sections Nos. 313 and 314 in Lyttelton, adjoining Peacock’s wharf,_ lor £IBOO. These sections possess the readiest, and indeed almost the only available moans for effecting the reclamation, of the space between Peacock’s and the Tunnel Wharf, and it has occurred to me that the buildings which are now occupied by the New Zealand Shipping Company might be turned to account as a Harbour Office, and offices for the Board. If the Board should concur in the view here expressed, I would ask them to appoint a committee with full power to act, and to complete

the purchase on receiving a certificate from tire Board’s solicitor that the title is good, and that the conveyance has been signed. In connection with the matter I think it only necessary further to point out that the purchase of the freehold would enable the Board to close the right-of-way. I am under the impression that our chairman considers the closing of this right-of-way as a matter of great importance. I propose at once to arrange with the railway authorities for working the traffic on Peacock's Wharf. (5). With regard to the withholding of the wharfage dues collected by the Q-overnment on behalf of the Board, I have to report that the railway authorities at Wellington, after endeavoring to induce the Board to accept the wharfage dues less 5 per cent. for collection, instead of less 2 per cent, as in the existing agreement, finally paid them over in term of the agreement. (6). As the contracts for stores and coni for the dredge and barges expire at the end of this month, I will ask the Board to authorise fresh tenders being invited for supplies for the ensuing twelve months. (7). Authority is also required to purchase a set of new sails for the pilot boat. (8). In reply to an application from the Lyttelton regatta committee, I propose to authorise one of the barges being used as a committee ship on the Ist proximo. This was allowed on a former occasion. (9). The return of dredging done during the past month (October) is on the table. It shows a satisfactory result—l 46 barge loads, equal to 26,280 cubic yards, or 36,500 tons. Mr Turpin reports it is desirable that the dredge should be slipped for the purpose of examination, as she has not been examined since she sailed from Glasgow, now nearly two years ago. His report on the subject will be read. I consider it very desirable that effect should be given to his recommendation, and I will ask the Board’s authority to carry it out. (10). The plan referred to in the Harbor Board Lands Bill has not yet been received ; but, in reply to a telegram, I am advised from Wellington that it is still in the hands of the Legislative Council, but that a tracing of it will be sent to the Board as soon as possible. Pending the receipt of this, and a copy of the Act, as assented to by the Governor, the information required for the Bank in the matter of the issuing the Harbor debentures is incomplete. (11). In consequence of having learned that the by-law for preventing the overloading vessels was not strictly carried out in Lyttelton, I instructed the Harbor-master to see that it was strictly complied with in future The seal of the Board has now been delivered by Messrs Coates and Co. to our secretary. ACCOUNTS, A number of accounts were passed for payment, amounting to £347 9s 2d. CRANKS ON PEACOCK’S WHARF. The Chairman repeated the remarks contained in his statement, and said that the cranes had merely been overlooked by the committee when considering the subject. He would like to hear the committee’s recollections of the matter. Mr Wright said the chairman’s remarks were perfectly correct, and the committee certainly had intended to recommend the Board to take over the cranes. This view was also confirmed by Messrs Anderson and Sawtell, members of the committee, who understood that the question of the cranes was merely a matter of valuation between the Board and the lessee. In reply to a question, the Chairman said the Board would acquire the whole of the interest in Peacock’s wharf by the purchase from the present lessee. Mr Wright moved —“ That the committee appointed for the purpose of acquiring the Peacock’s wharf property be requested to ascertain the value of the two steam cranes employed thereon, and that the offer to Mr Cunningham be amended so as to include their value.” Mr Sawtell seconded the motion, which was agreed to. SECTIONS 313 AND 314, LYTTELTON. On the motion of Mr Anderson, the acting chairman and Messrs Wright and Aynsley were appointed a sub-committee to consider the desirableness or otherwise of acquiring the above Lyttelton town sections, and if desired, to close the purchase. WORK ON PEACOCK’S WHARF. The Chairman said he had communicated with the railway authorities on the matter, who would be prepared to take over the working of the wharf when the purchase was completed. At the suggestion of Mr Wright, the chairman said he would inform the railway authorities that the Board purposed purchasing the steam cranes on the wharf. COLLECTION OF WHARFAGE RATES. The Chairman said that in his report be had not said much about the difficulty experienced in obtaining the wharfage rates from the railway authorities, who had placed every obstacle in the way of paying the money over to the Board. Had they been private individuals instead of a Government, they would never have attempted such a course, and he would certainly have felt inclined to place the matter in the hands of a solicitor. Through the action of their chairman (Mr Richardson) at Wellington the money hau at last been received. He understood the question of the charge for collection was now under consideration, and he believed that it would be so arranged as not to exceed 2i per cent. TENDERS. The secretary was instructed to call for tenders for stores and coals for the dredge and barges, to be sent not later than by noon on 21st December. LYTTELTON REGATTA. The acting chairman was authorised to grant the loan of one of the steam barges for a committee ship on the day of the Regatta at Lyttelton. WORK OF DREDGE. The Chairman said that the dredging was progressing very satisfactorily, and very substantial good to the harbor was being effected. It was resolved to adopt a recommendation sent in by the engineer to have the dredge placed on the slip to be thoroughly cleaned. OVERLOADING. The Chairman said that from particulars which came up from Timaru, he had given the instructions to the harbormaster referred to in his report. Under his instructions, the secretary had made inquiries, and learnt that the by-law, which was strictly drawn up, was not being observed as the Board would desire. He (the Chairman) had then given instructions that steps should be taken for the future to see this was done, SEAL OF THE BOARD. A seal sent in by Messrs Coates and Co. was accepted as the permanent seal of the Board, and it was resolved that the temporary seal hitherto used should be destroyed. INSURANCE OF WHARVES. Mr Wright would like to ask what position the Board would be in in the event of the

Gladstone Wharf taking fire, which had originated in the Government shed. If the Board would have to reinstate the wharf hi thought it. should be insured, that was if tin Government would not have to reinstate si much of the wharf that was not covered by the shod. The Chairman said it was quite certain the Board could not compel the Government to repair any damage done by fire. This was such a large and important question that perhaps it would be as well to bring the matter up at another and fuller meeting. Mr Wright said he would move at next meeting for the appointment of a committee to consider the matter. RESIGNATION OF A MEMBER. In reply to Mr Sawtell, The Chairman said it was not necessary to formally accept at, that meeting Mr P. Cunningham’s resignation as a member of the Board. Ho (the chairman) would apprise the Chamber of Commerce the following day of the vacancy. It was resolved that the next meeting of the Board should bo hold in Christchurch a fortnight hence. The meeting then adjourned.