HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1777, 31 October 1879, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The ordinary fortnightly meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held at the offices, Hereford street, yesterday afternoon, at two o’clock. Present—Mr Harman, acting chairman, and Messrs 0. W. Turner, D. Craig, R. Allan, and Murray-Aynsley. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. liEATB OP ABSENCE. On the application of Mr Murray-Aynsley, leave of absence was granted to Mr Sawtell, Leave of absence was extended to the Hon. John Richardson. Cllaxeman’s statement. The Chairman made his usual statement to the following effect: —The following sums have been paid in to the Board’s credit since our last meeting—- £ s. d. Wharfage ... ... 910 2 10 Towage 143 5 8 Interest on current account omitted for month of September 698 10 1

£1,751 18 7d Report from the engineer will be read on the following subjects—l. Re plans for shifting Gladstone shed ; 2. lie order for machinery and pumps for the graving dock. It will be necessary that the Board should consider and determine upon the matters reported on by Mr Bell. Dredging and towage returns for October cannot be completed and laid before the Board until after the expiration of this month. A number of accounts for payment will be laid before you to-day. Tenders for alterations to Minna Bell and for fencing at Naval Point will be opened to-day. Messrs Allan and Craig, in compliance with the Board's resolution of last meeting, proceeded to Lyttelton on the 20th instant, and after making full inquiry into the circumstances connected with D. B. Wallace’s suspension, came to the conclusion that he had been guilty of neglect of duty, and that his services should be dispensed with. It is therefore necessary that the Board should appoint his successor. The present signalman, B. Toomey, applied for the appointment, and the harbor master recommends him for promotion, and if approved of by the Board it will also be necessary to appoint another signalman at the time ball. The harbor master’s report on the matter will be read. As telephonic communication between the Board’s offices at Lyttelton and Christchurch will, in a short time, be completed, I bring under the consideration of the Board the desirableness of establishing a system of reporting, at the Board’s office in Christchurch, the arrival and departure of vessels at and from Lyttelton. lam sure such an arrangement, if properly carried out, would be most useful to the public, and would add greatly to the shipping facilities of the port of Lyttelton. I think it would bo desirable that the Board should appoint a committee of the Harbor Board members now in Christchurch for the purpose of bringing up a report on the subject. Correspondence will be read from the General Government in reference to the banding over of the Gladstone shed to the Harbor Board, The plans for shifting the shed on to the wharf, &0., are nearly ready, and subject to your approval tenders will be advertised for. It is proposed to give six weeks for the work, it being absolutely necessary that it should be completed before the end of next December. You will probably remember that the harbor improvement committee were some time since authorised to treat with the Government for the transfer to the Board of the shed in question, and the present letter from the Commissioner of Railways is the result. An application from the agents of the ship Pleione, asking for a remission of pilotage, will be read. lam of opinion no case is made out for such remission, as the services of a pilot were employed on the occasion. Several applications for pilotage exemption certificates will be laid before you. The engineer has recommended that Mr S. Derbidge be appointed inspector of works at the graving dock. Mr Derbidge’s present appointment as clerk of works covers the necessary authority for employing him on the graving dock, and as the supervision of this work will take up the whole of his time, it will become necessary from time to time, during the building of the dock, to make temporary appointments of inspection to supervise the carrying out of certain harbor improvements which the Board have in view, I propose to allow Mr Derbidge to occupy the cottage bought by the Board from Captain Whitby rent free. It will be of great importance to have Mr Derbidge residing close to the dock while it is being built. The draft lease of the site for the Harbor Board’s offices in Lyttelton will be laid before you to-day. The lease proposes to grant the site for 21 years at an annual rental of £37 10s, the Board being obliged to erect a suitable building at a certain cost, the railway having right to resume possession if they require the premises for railway purposes only at the end or during the 21 years’ term. The building shall be paid for if taken by the railway at a valuation, such value to be arrived at by arbitration. The lease will also contain a provision for renewal for a further ksrm of 21 years on same conditions. Correspondence will be read between the Insoector of the National Bank of New Zealand in Wellington and the Board, having reference to the Board’s banking account. The Harbor Master and Mr Neville have taken soundings from the Heads right up the harbor to Quail Island, including Camp Bay, where the hopper barges deposit the dredgings. The result is most satisfactory, showing as it does that none of thejdredged material is being spread over the harbor. In fact, the soundings show uniformly greater depths all over the harbor than those taken by the Admiralty in 1819. A chart of the soundings is on the table. The officers of the Board’s staff who were engaged on board the tug during the gale in June last have received the gratuity awarded by the Board. enginbeb’b bepobt. The report of the engineer was read as follows : December 20th, 1879. To the Chairman.

I submit plans for the removal of the Gladstone shed. It is shown divided into three, with 60ft. additional added to make up the necessary length of each. The sheds are also lowered in height. These are arranged according to the plan made for this purpose by the Government engineer. 1 think it would be advisable to lose no time in taking the necessary steps for forwarding the machinery and pumps, &0., for_ the docks, as delays might be caused if alterations had to be made is the wells, culverts, and engine house. 1

would recommend that the Board proceed u this matter by appointing Messrs Bell and Miller, dock engineers, of Glasgow, to be consulting engineers Jfor the dock in all that concems the caisson, machinery, pumps, sluices, &c-, and that they be asked to suggest any alterations in the drawings already made which they may think more suitable for the class of caisson and machinery which they intend to adopt. The Board should intrust the firm with full powers to deal with the designs for those articles, and with the contracts for the supply and delivery of the same into this country. This is the usual course of proceeding in transactions of this kind, and, if approved by the Board, I should send copies of the plans and all necessary information by this mail. I submit a memorandum of the dock works which have been carried out by the firm of engineers which I would recommend.

[The memorandum referred to and read was from some of the principal Harbor Commissioners and others, for whom Messrs R. B. Bell and D. Miller had been engaged designing and constructing works or designing and reporting upon improvements. Messrs Bell and Miller commenced practice upon the Clyde as civil engineers in 1849, and are now the oldest engineers connected with works upon that river. A number of the large works upon which the firm had been engaged were enumerated.] C. Napiee Bell, Engineer.

It was resolved—“ That a schedule of machinery intended to be ordered, including boilers, be prepared and sent to Wellington for the opinion of members of the Board now in that city.” The report was adopted. HABBOB MABTBE’S BKPOET.

The harbor master reported as follows : Harbor Office, Lyttelton, October 28th, 1879. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that, acting under your instructions, Mr Miller and 1 took very careful soundings in the Port of Lyttelton on the 22nd and 23rd instant, extending from the Heads up to the westward of the Shag reef. We have also examined Camp Bay very minutely, where the dredgings from the harbor are deposited, and the result of numerous soundings taken within fifty feet of one another prove that the mud deposited in the bay has no tendency of spreading, and could not be traced until well within the bay, or about 800 feet from the south shore. Where the barges deposit the mud we found from twenty to thirty feet of water within 300 feet from the shore, as will be seen in the plan attached hereto. . The soundings taken by Mr Bell and myself in August, 1878, compared with the present soundings, clearly prove that no apparent change has taken place, the mud and sand found on the bottom being much the same as recorded on the Admiralty chart previous to 1849. I would most respectfully suggest for the Board’s consideration that two painted posts be fixed in Camp Bay, one on the east and one on the west side —the latter would guide the barges in keeping within the line of posts, and an easy guide in proving future soundings. I have the honor to bo, Your obedient servant, (Signed) H. McLellan, Harbor Master. The Secretary, Lyttelton Harbor Board. It was resolved to adopt the recommendation of the Harbour-master. FINANCE. Accounts, amounting in the aggregate to £2791 2s 2d, were passed for payment. The Chairman reported that one of the Board’s employes at the Port had been ill since the 6th of the month, and the question was raised as to whether his wages should run on. It was resolved that his salary should continue just the same. TBNDEES. Tenders were opened for making alterations to the Minna Bell. After consideration, it was resolved that Mr Mathew Brown's tender for £217 10s be accepted. For fencing the Board’s property at Naval Point, the tender of Mr E. Wells for £1 14s per chain was accepted. APPOINTMENT OP SIGNALMAN. With respect to the dismissal of Mr D. B. Wallace, Mr Turner moved—“ That the Board confirm the action taken by Messrs Craig and Allan in dispensing with the services of D. B. Wallace, and the Board approve of the promotion of B. Toomey to the vacancy thus caused ; also, that John Toomey be appointed acting signalman at the Time Ball station on promotion.” Seconded by Mr Murray-Aynsley and carried, TELEPHONE EBPOBTINO. The Chairman said the next business for consideration was the system of reporting by means of a telephone. There were certain matters of detail to be arranged in connection with the matter, and he thought the best way to deal with the subject at this stage was to appoint a committee to take the question into consideration and report to the Board. After some discussion, it was resolved—- “ That a committee, consisting of Messrs Turner, Craig, and Aynsley, be appointed to report on a system to be established for relotting the arrival and departure of vessels at Lyttelton for the convenience of the Christchurch office." GLADSTONE SHED. Correspondence was read in reference to handing over the Gladstone shed to the Board. Mr Turner moved, and it was agreed to—- “ That the Board approve of the arrangements under which the Gladstone shed is handed over to-them, and approve of the plans for adding to it and shifting it on to the Gladstone Pier, and authorise tenders being advertised to carry out the work ; that Messrs Harman, Aynsley, and Turner be authorised to accept a tender for the work ; such action to be reported to the Board for confirmation.” BEMIBBIOK OF PILOTAGE. A letter was received from the agents of the ship Pleone, asking for a remission of pilotage. After duly considering the application, the Board resolved that a reply be sent to the effect that the Board sees no ground for the remission applied for. PILOTAGE EXEMPTION CEETIFICATES. Pilotage exemption certificates were granted to the masters of the Ethel and the Sarah and Mary. INSPECrOE OF WOEKS. On the recommendation of Mr Bell, the appointment of inspector of works of the graving dock was conferred upon Mr J. Derbridge. It was also resolved to provide the inspector with house accommodation. OFFICES AT LYTTELTON. Among the items on the order paper for consideration was “ a draft lease” of the office site at Lyttelton. The draft was approved of and ordered to be forwarded to Messrs Harper and Harper, in the absence of Mr Nalder. BANKING ABBANGEMBNT. The following correspondence between the National Bank and the Board was read The National Bank of New Zealand Limited. Inspector’s Office, Wellington, October 10th, 1879. The Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board, Christchurch.

Dear Sir, —In the report of proceedicgs at a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, held on the 11th September, which was published in the “ Lyttelton Times” of 12th September, you are reported to have stated that the Board had decided that they were not satisfied with the way their business had been conducted by the National Bank in London. I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to inform me of the reason for such an expression of dissatisfaction, and to ask you to state how or in what manner the interests of the Board had suffered by the manner in which their business had been managed by our London office. I take this opportunity of calling the attention of the Board to the fact that, although according to the existing arrangement the maximum rate of interest to which the Board are entitled is 6i per cent, upon deposits for twelve months, the Bank offered to give the Board 6£ per cent, commencing from the end of August, This offer was ignored, however, and, by the course followed, the Board has been subjected to a considerable loss of interes i. Yours faithfully, (Signed) Taos. Buchanan, Inspector. Harbor Board Office, Christchurch, October 18th, 1879. Sir, —I have the honor by direction of the chairman, to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 10th mat., which was received in Christchurch on the 13th inst., in which you refer to a newspaper report of proceedings at a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board, held on the 12th of September last, in which the chairman is r--presented to have said that the Board hid decided that they were not satisfied with the way their business had been conducted_ by your Bank in London, and.'you request to he informed of the reason for such an expression of dissatisfaction, and further how or in what manner the interests of the Board had suffered by the manner in which their business h ad been managed by yonr London office. In reply lam to state that the chairman is of opinion that it would serve no purpose at the present stage to eater into a discussion jaf the reasons which led to theßoard’adetermination to remove their account from the National Bank of New Zealand, but 1 may inform you that the Board unanimously expressed their regret that as high a price was not obtained for their debentures as they were justified in expecting, judging from the prices obtained for other New Zealand bonds of a

somewhat similar nature. In reference to the concluding part of your question, quoted above, the chairman is not aware that the Board expressed their opinion that their interests had suffered by the manner in which their business had been managed by your London Office. With regard to the concluding paragraph of your letter now under reply, I am directed to say that the chairman did not understand that your Bank made a specific offer to the Board to supersede the banking agreement subsisting between them to the 31st December next, by allowing 6£ per cent, on a fixed deposit for twelve months from the 31st August, 1879, but you have, doubtless, been advised by your Christchurch manager that he was informed by the members of the finance committee, who interviewed him on the 27th August lust, that they were not empowered by the Board to make any banking arrangements beyond the 31st December next, and it is hardly necessary for me to point out that to have placed a fixed deposit for twelve months with your Bank at that time, in view of the possibility of the Board changing their bankers, would have resulted in the entire loss to the Board of three months’ interest (which they now get at 55 per cent.), as the deposit in question could not legally remain with the National Bank if the Board transferred their account to another Bank, as the Board are so advised by their solicitor. 1 have, &0., C. H. Williams, Secretary L.H.B. BALE OF SHIPPING GBAB. Authority was given to sell the spars, sails, and gear on the Minna Bell, subject to the approval of Capt. McLellan. SINKING FUND. Rssolved that the sinking fund be invested on first mortgage of freehold security in Christchurch. TIDE GAUGE. A letter was read from Messrs Watt and Co., of Dunedin, stating they had patented a tide gauge which had been found to work successfully, and which they believed would prove superior to the English. They asked for a trial. It was resolved that the purchase of a tide gauge from England be deferred for the present. gotbbhob’s bat. A petition was read from residents of Governor’s Bay, asking the Board to act on the engineer’s recommendation re the new jetty. NOTICE OF MOTION. Mr Allan gave notice of motion—“ That in compliance with the petition of residents of Governor’s Bay and the recommendation of the engineer, the harbor improvement committee be requested to have plans of a jetty prepared for the Board’s approval.” The Board then adjourned till Thursday, the 20th of November, at Christchurch.