LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1728, 3 September 1879, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Board was held in the offices, Hereford street, yesterday afternoon, the Hon. B. Richardson in the chair. Messrs C. W. Turner, R. J. Harman, H. Allwright, P. Cunningham, D. Craig, Murray-Aynsley, H. Sawtell, and R. Allan were present. The Chairman reported : 1. I have to report that the following sums have been paid in to the harbor fund account since our last meeting £ s. d. Part proceeds of loan 150,000 0 0 Wharfage ... ... ... 688 15 0 Pilotage and port charges, , _ August, 1879 Sl9 1 7 Towage, warps, licenses, &c. 104 10 4

151,312 7 0 2. The engineer’s monthly report on the progress made with the harbor works now in hand will bo read. Ho also reports that it is not possible to employ our dredge in dredging a channel to the Governor's Bay jetty, the depth of water being iußiiSlcitint for tho dredge. 3. The towage return for the past month (August) is on the table. 4. The dredging return for August is also on the table. It shows a fair month’s work, taking into consideration the delays from the beaching and cleaning of the steam hopper barges and by the towing work undertaken by them during the absence of the tug in Wellington. The work done is as follows:—l23 barge loads, amounting to 22,140 cubic yards, or 30,750 tons. A report will also bo read from Mr Turpin relative fo the beaching and cleaning of the barges and upon the inspection ot their machinery by Mr Cook, the Government InSeveral committees* reports will be brought up to-day for consideration. 6. A number of accounts for payment, cbieny salaries and contract progress payments, will come before yon. . , 7. A report on certain repairs required to be done to the pilot station building at the heads will be read. I think the work might be by day labor, the material required, such as paint, &c., being snpplild under the stores contract. 8. Dr. G. Demon, the Assistant Secretary Telegraph Head Office in Wellington, has written stating that there is an available length of 3152 yards of the old Cook’s Strait cable, and after consulting Mr Meldings a reply was sent to Dr Demon stating that that length would suffice for connecting the two sides of the harbor at the Heads. Dr Demon has recommended that the old cable should be handed over to the Board free of cost, 9. An application from Captain A. Eamsay for a pilotage exemption certificate for the Southern Cross, and of T. H. McArthur, will come before for additions to Gladstone Wharf was received on tlie day of onr last meeting, and will be laid before yon to-day. The Engineer reported : 1. Sir, —I have to report on the progress of the of the works for the mouth of Angnst that the intermediate No. 3 Wharf will be completed this week. The embankment of the breastwork at the same place is about three quarters finished, and part of the slope pitched with large stone. 2. The Scrowpile Jetty is also all hut completed. 3. The beds for two traversers are being fixed on Intermediate Wharf No. 3, and one at the end of the Screw-pile Wharf, 4. The contractor has a large number of men at work on the reclamation at Olficers' Point, and has made good progress. . r - 5. Nearly all the stone lying outside the face ot the Gladstone Wharf extension has been picked up with iron tongs, and I will engage a diver to remove the few that remain in the mud. Some stones will also require to bo removed from the face of the breastwork between the old lighter and the Tnnnel Wharves. - , - _ C. The Gladstone Wharf opposite the shed has been repaired and strengthened, the planking, which also needs a good deal of repairs, must remain until the rails are lifted, _ t 7, I have examined the landing pier at Governor s Bay, which formed the subject of a petitition to the Board to have a channel dredged to the present lauding pier. I find that for 2000 ft. from the pier, the water shoals from Ift. 4in. to 3ft. at L.W.S.T. The consequence of this is that the dredge would be stranded except at the top of H.W., and in fact the work could not bo done by the Board’s dredge. The present landing pier is very badly placed as regards access to deep water, hut if one were made at Eanpaki Point, a depth of 3ft. at L.W.S.T. could be reached at 150 ft. from the rocks, and this would he sufficient depth for the steam launch at present in nse. If this pier were made a road must be cut for about thirty chains round the rocks, and a communication madewith the main road, which is some distance np’pn the hill. I have the honor to remain. Your obedient servant, C. Napier Bell, Engineer. The office accommodation committee reported s— . Your committeejreport that they have considered, the question of the office accommodation required by the Harbor Board in Lyttelton, and Mr Strouts has been requested to prepare the necessary plan of the building, which will be laid before the Board for approval in due course, Edward Richardson, Chairman of the Office Accommodation Committee. Christchurch, September 2nd, 1879. The harbor improvements committee reported:— Yonr committee beg to report on the matters referred to them— ~ 1. The committee having considered the a rate Bill prepared by the Board’s solicitor for readjusting the boundary line, &c., between the borough and the Harbor Board’s properties, from the Peacock wharf reserve westward to a point beyond Naval point, recommend the Board to approve of the draft Bill, and to order that their seal be affixed to the plan attached to it, and that tlio necessary steps fie taken for introducing tbe Bill during the ensuing session of the General Assemfily. ~ . , . ~ „ ■2. Your committee, after interviewing the commissioner of Railways on the snfiject of tho Gladstone shed, directed that a letter fie sent to that gentleman, stating that if tho Government would hand tho shed over to the Harfior Board, they would he prepared to shilt it to the proposed site on the Gladstone wharf. The shed to remain under tho control of the Government, fiut to fie used solely for the purpose of facilitating the discharge and loading of ships, and the Customs operations at that wharf. 3. Tho committee postponed the question ot the wharfage accommodation required between the

Screw-pile jetty and the Gladstone wharf for further consideration. Edward Richardson, Chairman Harbor Improvements Committee. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Harman, seconded by Mr Craig—“ That the Board approve of the draft Bill, as prepared by their solicitor, for re-defining the boundary line between the Board’s property and the borough’s property, from the Peacock Wharf reserve to a point westward of Naval Point, and the Board order that their seal bo affixed to the plan attached to the Bill, and that the necessary steps be taken for introducing the Bill during the eusoing session of the General Assembly.” The dredging report was as follows : I have the honor to inform you that I had the dredges Heathooto and Sumner put on the Dampier’s Bay beach, and their bottoms, ns far as could he reached, cleaned and coated with black varnish. The boilers on board each vessel were blown down and cleaned inside. I had to get three men (boiler makers) from Scott Brothers to do sundry caulking and repairs. The Heathcote boiler had to have a patch put on in the combustion chamber, between the two furnaces. Mr Croll, the boiler maker, also examined them, and expressed himself to he pleased with the way they had been kept. There are one or two leaks underneath the boilers, right on the top of the keelson, which cannot bo got at without lifting them out of their seats, so as to get under them to work. This willhavotobe done the next time the vessels are laid up. I have received the engine and boiler for scoop dredging, and while the boilers were being done, I had them placed on to the deck of the Heathcote, also put in the stronger mast and derrick. I may state that the bottoms of the barges are in very good condition. I have the honor. &c., Henry Turpin.

The Board then went into committee on the finance committee’s report, and on resuming, The Chairman reported that it having been represented to tbe Board that it is impossible for them, in accordance with the Act, to divide the banking account or tbe deposits, the following resolutions were passed • —Moved by Mr Turner and seconded by Mr Murray-Aynaley—- “ That the report of the finance committee he adopted, and that notice be at once given to the National Bank of New Zealand, that the Board intend to remove their account from the Bank at the expiration of the existing agreement on the 31st December next.” Moved by Mr Turner, and seconded by Mr Allwright—‘‘That the finance committee be authorised to ascertain the terms on which the Bank of New Zealand will be prepared to accept the Board’s account: the committee to report at next meeting.” Accounts to the amount of .£3318 Is Bd, were passed for payment. An expenditure was authorised on the pilot station.

Mr Harman moved —“ That preliminary steps be taken to establish telegraphic communication with Lyttelton, at as early a date as possible.” He was sure it would be an immense advantage. The resolution was carried, and the chairman intimated that he would get a report upon it at once.

Pilotage exemption certificates were granted for the Port of Lyttelton to Alexander Eamsay of the barque Southern Cross, and Thomas McArthur of the brig Minora. The Board then adjourned until the 18th instant.