HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1518, 28 December 1878, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The usual meeting of the Harbor Board took place yesterday in tho Provincial Council Chamber, at 2 p.m. Present—Hon. E. Richardson (chairman), and Messrs Cunningham, Turnar, Sawtell, Allwright, Craig, and the Hon. John Hall. The minutes of tho last meeting were read and confirmed. chairman’s eepobt.

The Chairman said—The following Bums hare been paid into the Board’s credit since our last meeting Approximate amount, wharfage, for two weeks, £624 18s 6e; warps, £35—£659 18s 6d. A report from our engineer, Mr Napier Bell, referring to the following matters, will he read: Re altered plan of reclamation to westward of Peacock’s Jetty ; re Gladstone Wharf extension, and re cost of increasing depth of the Graving Dock. Plane referring to the several matters accompanying his report will bo laid before vou for consideration, A telegram from the Hon. the Premier, covering the Commodore’s opinion of the dimensions of the proposed Graving Dock will be read. A number of accounts for payment will bo laid before you to-day. I have to report that the painting and cleaning of the tug Lyttelton has now been completed, and she will commence work on the 2nd prox. Captain Clark has arranged to take command of heron that day. An alteration has had to bo made in the appointment of an engineer for the Hoathcoto by reason of Mr William Gardiner having at the last moment declined to take up his appointment. Mr David Brown, who sent in an application at the same time, has been temporarily placed on board the Heathcote as engineer, and I would recommend that if he is found to be fully competent to carry out the duties he be appointed permanently. He holds a London Board of Trade second engineer’s certificate. I may state that the dredging has been proceeding satisfactorily during the month. I propose that the yearly overhaul of the dredge and barges should take place next month. Mr Turpin proposes to put the former on the beach in Dampier’s Bay, and tenders have been advertised for slipping the two barges. Tenders are to bo sent in to-day. Mr All wright and myself opened the tenders for the yearly supply ol stores and coal respectively, and, after referring them to the supcrinlending engineer, we decided to accept Messrs Hawkins and Co. lor stores, but as the price for the supply of coal appeared to us to ho high, in fact higher than it was last year, wo thought it right to bring the matter before the Board prior to accepting any tender. Tenders for the tower for the Harbor light, on Officer's Point, have been advertised for, and the tenders will be opened to-day. Six weeks time has been given for the completion of the work. Two letters will bo read from the Commissioner of Railways, the former stating that the Government will at the beginning of the next financial year (July, 1879), pay their portion of the reclamation between the boat jetties and the Gladstone p>er, and tne other letter stating that the Government cannot move the Gladstone shed on to the pier, as it is alleged that the latter is not in a condition to bear its weight. It is somewhat singular that this was not referred to when the Resident Railway Engineer furnished Ids plans of the proposed alteration of the shed site, which were forwarded to the Board in Mr Conyers’ letter of the 14th November last. I have requested Mr Bell to report on the [matter. A letter has been received this morning, from the Insurance Companies, in reference to the proposed insurance of our steam tug. As the letter only came in this morning, yonr committee have not had time to consider it. I wish to direct your attention to the fact that the present Board will go out of office oa the second Monday in February nest,

when a new election will have to be held in accordance with clause 22 of the Harbors Act, 1878. I have also to state that it is prop' sed to balance the Board’s accounts to the 31st December, 1878, being a period of eight months since the close of the previous financial period, and the accounts will, therefore, have to come before the Board for examination, passing on the day fixed by the 55th section of the Harbors Act, 1878, for the annual meeting, namely, the third Monday in January (20th January), As some action will have to be taken under certain sections of the Harbors Act, relating to pilots and pilotage (sections 74 to 95), I would suggest the appointment of a committee to deal with the matter ; also, re Messrs Brownell and Wood. Application from Pilot Reid for leave of absence will be laid before you. engineer's report. The Chairman of the Lyttelton Harbor Board. Sir, —I return herewith the plans submitted at the last meeting with Hue of reclamation altered so as to give the depths to the rock as written on the line of embankment. I have examined the outlying stone along the front of the Gladstone wharf extension, the enclosed tracing shows the stone. It will be seen by the line of a ship’s bilge when moored at the wharf, that a quantity of this loose stone must be picked up by tongs ora diver, this is unavoidable from the curved form of the wharf at this place, and it would not have made such a good job to have built the bre istwork in the line of a chord to the curve which would have cost about as much more as it would to pick up the stones. The piles are driven and caps and braces fixed to the extent of about half the length of the Gladstone Wharf extension. The intermediate jetty, No. 2 is nearly completed. Intermediate No. 3is just commenced, and is at a standstill for the want of timber. Extensions to scrcwpile and intermediate are not yet commenced. I would recommend that the planking of these wharves ha tarred, which I think would be money well spent, and the cost would not be great. In reply to your request to fumi-h you with an estimate of the additional cost of deepening the sill of the dock to 23ft. at high water, in the absence of drawings of such a dock 1 can only make a very rough calculation of the additional cost, which I estimate at about JJIifiOO. _To lift the additional water equal to 57,080 cubic feet, 21ft. high, requires about 18 h.p., which would use about lOOlbs of coal per hour ; the additional annual cost to work such a _ dock arises mostly from the interest on capital expended, and probably the extra expense involved by deepening the dock to 23ft. on the sill, would be about JDSO. Such a dock would have 2lft. of water on the sill at the neap tides, which would he the draught of the larger class of merchant vessels when loaded, and to dock ships in this condition would be a waste of money. I am, sir. yours, &c., C. Napier Bell, Engineer.

[(JODY OF TELEGRAM.] Auckland, December 13th. The Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board, Christchurch.

I send you copy of Commodore’s reply. _ I shall be anxious to know what you determine to do. It is certainly a matter of the highest importance to New Zealand that there should be in the country a dock into which a first-class ironclad could be taken, but I fear the expense will be large, not only in the first construction, but in pumping out water when small vessels are taken in. Will you let me know what decision you arrive at. as it certainly would be a credit to the colony if such a dock can be constructed. The Wolverine draws when loaded 21ft.; vessels might be employed drawing more. I would recommend 23ft. at least for depth on sill at high water springs. Other measurements are very little under requirements of a first-class ironclad. (Signed) G. Grey. Mr Turner moved, and Mr Craig seconded, “ That the plans prepared by the engineer showing land proposed to be reclaimed, and also portion of proposed dry dock, be adopted and signed by the chairman, and forwarded to the Government for the approval of his Excellency.” The motion was agreed to. FINANCE. Accounts, to the amount of £B2 7s, were passed for payment. STEAM TUG. The Chairman said that the steam tug Lyttelton would be ready on the Ist of January. Captain Clark would take charge of her, and the tug would commence working on the 2nd. It was resolved that the seal of the Board should be affixed to the appointment of Captain Clark to the Lyttelton, and to Captain Whitby’s appointment to the Heathcote. HARBOR LIGHT. On the motion of Mr Sawtell, seconded by Mr Craig, it was resolved that Messrs Hollis and Williams’ tender for the Harbor light bo accepted, and that the Board’s seal be affixed to the contract. INSURING STEAM TUG. A proposal was received from a local insurance company for insuring the steam tug Lyttelton. The matter was referred to a committee already appointed to deal with the subject. PILOTS AND PILOTAGE, The question of pilotage and pilot regulations was referred to the committee appointed to consider the matter. An application for leave of absence was received from Pilot Green. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman. RECLAMATION. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Eailways, stating that the Government would agree to pay their portion of the cost of the reclamation between the screw pile jetty and the Gladstone pier, RAILWAY TRUCKS. The Chairman said he had frequently visited Lyttelton lately, and had noticed the great scarcity of railway trucks os compared with the number required for discharging the cargoes of the vessels now in port. There were at present twenty-one vessels lying at the wharves discharging and twenty in the stream. The cargoes of the former amounted to 3500 tons and 472,000 ft of timber. The tonnage of the vessels in the stream amounted to 3770 tons and 1,12G,000ft of timber. These figures showed the necessity of an extra supply of waggons, as to keep the vessels going would require from 230 to 300 waggons per day. Ho had seen both Messrs Conyers and Back on the subject, and they informed him that every effort was being made by working night and day to remedy the state of things complained of. At this juncture Mr E. G, Wright came in. ASSISTANT HARBOR MASTER. In accordance with a notice previously given, Mr Turner moved—“ That the Board take into consideration the necessity for engaging an officer to assist the Harbor Master, and that Captain A. Do St. Croix be appointed at a salary of £2OO, and that the Board’s seal be affixed to the appointment.” Mr Harman seconded the resolution. Mr All wright strongly opposed the appointment, on the ground that it was quite an unnecessary one. Mr Craig spoke in support of the resolution. The Chairman thought a great deal of the harbormaster’s lime was taken up in doing duties that did not belong to Ids office—such as shifting vessels and removing them, and work which, in point of fact, should bo done by the pilots. He thought an assistant was required, but hia duties ought to be very strunly deflnul. The resolution was then put, and carried. TENDERS FOR COAL. Tenders were opened for supplying coal for the next twelve months, and, after some discussion, Mr Wright moved—“ThatCaptain Wood’s tender for the supply of coals bo accepted.” The resolution was nob seconded. Mr Cunningham moved—“ That the committee, consisting of Messrs Allwrighb and Kichardson, bo authorised to call for fresh tenders for coal on a new specification.” Mr 'turner seconded the resolution. Mr Harman here joined the Board. In view of the seamen’s strike in New South Wales, and the probable strike of the miners also, Mr Harman was in favour of delaying calling for fresh tenders just at present. The resolution was put, and carried. MAYOR OF LYTTELTON. An official communication was received from the Lyttelton town clerk intimating that Mr Allwright had been re-clccted Mayor, by right of which office be sits as an cj; ojHclq member of the Board, K was resolved that the next meeting of the Board should bo hold in Christ church, on ! January 20th, being the third Monday in the 1 month. 1 The Boat d then iwljairned.