LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1688, 18 July 1879, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held at 2 p.m. yesterday in the Government Buildings, Lyttelton. There were present—Messrs. Harman, Allan, Sawtell, Allwright, and 0. W. Turner. Mr Harman was elected acting chairman. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and agreed to. Before reading his report, the Chairman said he had that moment received a telegram from Mr Craig, stating that he had missed the train and was therefore unable to attend, and Mr Cunningham’s absence was owing to his being away from Christchurch at present. The other absent members are at Wellington on Parliament duty. ACTING! CHAIRMAN'S EEPOHT. The following sums have been paid into the Board’s credit since our last meeting : Wharfage, £000; towage, rent, and warps, £ll7 3s 6d: total," £lOl7 3s 6d. Plans and specification for the additional work to ho done to the Officers’ Point Breakwater will be laid before you today, and it is necessary, if you approve of them, that tenders should be advertised for at once. Mr Bell reports on repairs necessary to be done to the Gladstone Pier, opposite the shed. I think this work should be carried out by day labor at once. Mr 801 l also forwards a letter from Mr Lowe, the Resident Railway Engineer, relative to traversers for the wharves. I would suggest that the matter bo referred to the harbor improvement committee to deal with. The question arises whether the Board should bear the coat of preparing the jetties to receive the traversers. He also reports upon the work necessary to be done in picking up the stone in front of the Gladstone Wharf extension. In regard to the boundary line from Peacock’s Wharf to Naval Point, as recently agreed to between the Harbor Board and the Lyttelton Borough Council, Mr Nalder, the Board’s solicitor, advises that the most simple plan of giving effect to the proposed alteration, and to the exchange of land necessitated thereby, would bo by the passing of a short Bill during the present session of the General Assembly; and I would suggest that the Board should direct him to prepare the necessary Bill forthwith. In the matter of the site for the Board’s offices on Norwich Quay, I may state that our chairman had several interviews with the Government authorities in Wellington; the ultimate result however was that the Customs department insisted on retaining the site for their own use. Application has now been made on the Board’s behalf for the lease of a plot of land adjoining the Lyttelton wharf office, known as the Matheson’s Agency site, and it is very probable that this site will be obtained for the Board’s offices. A .letter was received by the last San Francisco mail from Mr Henry Wiseman, late Inspector for the Clyde Trust, stating that the dredge plant, ordered under the Board’s authority of March last, was in hand, and that the cost would but slightly exceed Mr Turpin’s estimate. Mr Joyce has written, pointing out the necessity of fastening up all the windows of the time ball tower, as during the recent storms the building has been nearly flooded out. As this matter would not admit of delay, the chairman authorised the work to be done at once, under Mr Derbidge’s supervision, Mr Joyce also directs attention to the wet having come through the walls very extensively, proving the inefficiency of the silicate paint which was applied to them a short time since. It will be for the Board to consider what is to be done in this case. Mr Derbidge inspected the building, and has reported on it. Tenders for castings, &0., will be opened to-day. The harbor master strongly recommends that the tug Lyttelton should bo sent up to Wellington to-morrow afternoon to be placed on the patent slip, and I propose, with the Board’s concurrence, to despatch her acoordingly, and to make arrangements for placing her on the slip immediately on her arrival in Wellington on the following day. The work to be done to her to be pressed forward with all possible despatch, so as to enable her to return to Lyttelton before to-morrow week. The Wellington Chamber of Commerce have written, asking that permission may be given to the master of the tug, during his visit to Wellington, to make a public display of the fire-extinguishing apparatus on board the tug, and I think there is no objection to the request being acceded to. A letter from Mr Bell will be read, in which he enquires whether the Board would consent to his placing a pupil for instruction in engineering on the works of the Board, under his control. After consulting the Chairman and other members in Wellington, I am of opinion that the request might be acceded to, under certain conditions. The Board will he glad to hear that advices of the floating of their loan have been received by the National Bank. Owing, however, to an ambiguity in the telegram conveying the information, the bank are unable, at present, to state exactly the average price obtained, and are only in a position to advise ua that it is between £lO2 and £lO3 for the £IOO bond. We therefore await further advices from the bank. An application will be read asking for the use of the fire engine on board the tug to test whether it would effect the raising of the Balls. The harbor master’s and Mr Turpin’s opinion on the matter will also be laid before you. ENGINEER'S EBPOET. Plans for the Board’s approval for additional work to Officers’ Point Breakwater were laid on the table and the following reports read: The Chairman of the Lyttelton Harbor Board. Sir—l submit a plan and specifications for the work of raising and repairing the slopes of Officers’ Point Breakwater, where, owing to the subsidence of the work, it is liable to be overtopped by the waves in stormy weather. I enclose a note of the probable cost. The engineer for railway is having two small traversers made, which he proposes to place on No. 3 Intermediate Jetty. Ho asks the Board to lower the planking, place the crossbeams, and make the s at of the traversers ready to receive thsm. If the Board agrees to do this work it could be done by the contractor before ho finishes the wharf. The extension of Gladstone Wharf is nearly finished, and it would be advisable to get the loose stones in from off the piles and removed as soon as possible. This may bo done either by a contract at a price per cubic yard of stone taken out, or by day work under supervision of inspectors employed by the Board. I think, from the nature of the work, it would probably be done more aatisfactorilj by day work. C. Napier Bell,

The Secretary of the Harbor Board. Sir, —Will yon be good enough to inform _ the chairman that, at his request, I have examined the Gladstone Wharf under the part where it is proposed to erect the shed. I estimate that the cost of repairs to make it fit to carry the shed would be about .£IOO. C. Napier Bell.

Mr Turner moved, seconded by Mr Allwright—“That the Board approve of_ the plans and specifications for strengthening a portion of the Officer’s Point Breakwater, and direct that tenders bo invited for the work.” Carried. Mr Allan moved—“ That Mr Turner be appointed a member of the harbor improvement committee, and that the matter of traversers for the wharves be dealt with by that committee.” Seconded by Mr Sawtell and carried. Mr Sawtell moved, and Mr Turner seconded arrange for the picking up of the loose stones opposite the Gladstone Wharf extension by day labor.” Carried. Mr All wright moved, and Mr Sawtell seconded —“ That the engineer be instructed to have the necessary repairs to the Gladstone Pier opposite the shod, carried out by day labor as soon as possible.” Carried. BOUNDARY LINK. It was decided that the Board’s solicitor bo authorised to draft the necessary papers for getting a Bill passed to give effect to the proposed boundary lino agreed to between tbo borough and tho Board’s property.

OFFICE ACCOMMODATION. The following report was then read : Your committee, after considering the question of emplying a cadet in the _ secretary and treasurer’s office, directed the insertion of an advertisement In the newspapers requesting applications to bo sent in for the appointment. The result has been the employment of Mr Charles Wood, of Lyttelton, on probation for a month, at a rate of salary of .£75 per annum. Should Mr Wood bo found, at the expiration of the time, to bo suited to the office, the Board will be asked to confirm his appointment. Your committee have also had under their consideration the matter of establishing telephonic communication between the Harbor Board office at Christchurch and Lyttelton, and from thence to the pilot station at the Heads, and after conferring with Mr Meddings on the subject, they requested him to ascertain whether the Government can supply the Board with the necessary material for constructing the line, more especially for taking it across the harbor at the Heads. Mr Meddings’ approximate estimate of the entire cost of the line, including instruments, is .£SOO. The advantages to be derived from the establishment of such a lino of communication are so apparent that your com mitttee have no hesitation in recommending the Board to favorably consider the carrying out of the work, subject to Mr Meddings furnishing his final report on the matter. ,

The chairman, after several interviews with the Government authorities in Wellington, was informed that the Customs Department will require the site on Norwich Quay applied for by the Harbor Board. The committee are now in treaty for the lease of a site alongside the present railway goods offices fronting _on Oxford street, and it is probable that this site may he obtained, as the Commissioner of Railways is favorable to its being granted to the Board under certain conditions, which will he submitted to the Board to;day.

E. J. S. Hakman, For the Chairman of the Office Accommodation Committee.

The acting-chairman stated that the conditions were identically the same as those required before when the Board was endeavoring to get the site next to the Custom-house, and they were considered quite satisfactory. It was agreed not to take any further action in reference to the report read un'il the chairman, Mr Richardson, was communicated with. THE TIME-BALL BUILDING. _ The suggestion of Mr Derbidge in reference to repairing the walls of the time-ball building, was approved, as also the chairman’s action as to closing the windows in the tower. TENDEE FOE CASTINGS, Mr Allan moved, Mr Allright seconded, and it was agreed to —“ That Messrs Scott Bros’, tender be referred to the harbor improvement committee, to accept a tender if thought fit.” CLEANING THE TUG Considerable discussion ensued upon the advisability of sending the tug steamer Lyttelton to Wellington to be slipped. It was agreed that the tug be not sent away at present, and that the secretary ascertain what the cost would be to dock the vessel at Port Chalmers, and what time would be involved. The application of Mr Turner for the use of the tug was loft open, Mr Turner stating that he would send in another commui icition, engineer’s pupil. The Board decided to offer no objection to the proposal of the engineer to take a pupil under his control for instruction in engineering. But the Board must not be responsible in any way for finding him employment, or for payment of his services. The conditions to be made were loft in the hands of the chairman. THE CADETSHIP. The list of candidates for the cadetship in the Board’s office, containing in all fifty names, was referred to by the chairman, who said that he didn’t remember ever having seen so large a list of excellent applicants. Among so many equally good it had been no easy task to decide. Mr Wood was on trial for a month, and the secretary seemed to think he was suited to the position. The Board adjourned to meet in Christchurch, Friday, August Ist.