LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1807, 5 December 1879, Page 4

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Thursday, Dkcbmbbb -4. A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board waa held at 2 p.m. Present —Messrs R. J. 8. Harman, P. Gjrnmngham, R. Allan, H. P. Murray-Aynsley, D. Craig, O. W. Turner. On the motion of Mr Craig, Mr Harman took the chair.

Tho Chairman said he had received a letter from Messrs Hawkins and Co., slating that the reclamation having so far proceeded —550 yards—afforded a favorable opportunity for the hoppers to discharge within it. He had brought this letter before the Board with a view of taking tha opinion of tho Board as to whether it had not belter be sent on at once to the chairman at Welling on.

Mr Ayns'ey explained that what wa3 wanted by Messrs Hawkins and 00. was that the hoppers, instead of taking tho mud to Camp Bay, Bhould discharge at the reclamation works, so as to help tho filling up. The Chairman aaid that as the engineer wo s not present that day ho would suggest that the letter bo sent on to tho chairmau. It was resolved to refer tho matter to the harbor improvement committee, with power to act. The Acting-Chairman reported as follows: Since cur last meeting the following have been p-iid into the Board's credit|: Wharfage, £GOO ; pilotage and port charges, £172 9s Id ; towage, warps, rent, &0., £126 2s 9J ; total, £893 lis lOd. The engineer's monthly report will be read on the progress made under the several harbor works contracts. Tho engineer recommends the Board to authoriso him to proeuro n cenjent tosting machine. A report from the harbor-master is on tho table, showing tho tonnage of vessels entered inwards and outwards at the port of Lyttolton during tho month of November, 1879. The harbor-master alao reports on tho circumstances which led to Captain J. W. 01i.rk taking charge of tho steamer Taiaroa to Wellington on the 2nd inst. Tho dredging return for tho month of November bliowb tho following amount of dredging to have bet>n dons—l 22 barge loads amounting to 21,960 cubic yards, or 30,500 tons. The tonnage return for November is on the table. A number of accounts for payment will come before you to-day. Mr Turjin furnishes a report and plan of a wbeelhouse proposed to be placed on tho bridge of tho tug Lyttelton. The harbor-master strorgly recommends the board to authorise the work to be done. There can bo no doubt, I think, as to the advisability of acting on Captain Clark's suggestion, and it appears to mo that as all the materials could bo supplied under our existing contract with Messrs Hawkins and Co., the work would ba best carriod out by day work so as not to interfere with the uso of the vessel. An application will ba read from Mcsoro Hawkins and Co., asking for an extension of limo under thoir reclamation to the East of tho boat jetties contract. In my opinion the consideration of the question is at present premature. A telegram will be read from our chairman at Wellington, advising that our Land Exchange Bill has b- en thrown out by tho Upper House. Our solicitor has consequently been instructed to take tho necessary Bteps under our existing Act for closing the roads at Naval Point. A telegram has also been wired that tho Minister for Public Works has taken action ou our secretary's telegram again urgir.g the laying of rails on the Screw Pile Jetty extension. I understand the delay t">ok place through tho necessary authority not boing forthcoming from Wellington, I may here say that the Railway Department is proceeding wi(h the work of laying tho rails on tho Officers' Point breakwater, necessitated by the removal of Gladstone shed. Our secretary has asked the Resident Engineer to have the line of rails on the breakwater at the back of the shed first laid, in order to enablo the cuter end of tho Gladstone pior, where the lines are already laid, to bo worked in the event of the arrival of some of the English ship? now overdue. A draft deed in connection with the handing over of the Gladstone shed will be laid before you. The contracts for stores and coal expire on the 31st December, 1579, and it rests with the Board to order action to bo taken in tho matter. A letter has been received from the National Bank of New Zealand covering further accounts connected with the sale of our debentures. Letters received this afternoon from Meesrs Hawkins and Co. and Mr Lance on behalf of tho Lyttolton regatta cornmitteo respectively, will be read ; the former in reference to the barges being allowed to discharge inside the embankment running from the inner end of Officers' Point Breakwater, and tho latter asking for tho use of the tng Lyttolton as a committee ship on next regatta day. The report of tho Engineer was read, as follows :

'■ I have to report on the stato of the works at Lyttelton for the month of November. The Gladstone shed has been taken down, and two of tho new sheds are nearly completed on the new site, and foundations for the third one are 1 laid and the material prepared for erecting it. ' The widening of the seaward elope of the Gladstone Breakwater is nearly completed, and this part is now protected against the waves and high tides. Tho reclamation between tte boat landing and Officers' Point is progressing satisfactorily. Tho contractors for the dock are making very good progress with the excavation of Navai Point Hill, and the embankment towards Peacock's wharf. They have also commenced excavating in the body of the dock, and have broughton the ground a considerable amount of plant and tools. I have had a plan and section made for the Bite of a landing stage on the seaward side of Officers' Print, but have not had time to make oat drawings for it. This work will ba very costly from the rocky nature of the ground and the exposed position. It will be necessary shortly to get a cement testing machine, which I believe can be made here, and 1 would request your authority to procure one I have, &c, C. N. Bell, Engineer. The required permission to procure a cement testing machine was given. A report was read from Captain McLellan, explaining the circumstances under whioh Captain Clark had left in charge of the s.s. Taiaroa. After some discussion, in which Mr Turner commented on the Taiaroa not being provided with officers to supply the place of the captain in case of illness, &c, tho matter dropped. The following return of the number of vessels and registered tonnage entering the Port of Lyttelton during November waa read : Tone. 41 steamers 15,487 1 sailing vessel from foreign ports ... 252 57 sailing vessels coastwise ... ... ,876 9 sailing vessels from intercolonial ports... 3,892 Total 22,507 Accounts to the amount of £4005 wero passed for payment. A request for the erection of a wheelhouse on board the tug Lyttelton wa3 read from Capt. J. W. Clark, and supported by McLellan. It w&3 resolved that tho matter bo referred to the Harbor Board improvement committee. A letter was read from Messrs Hawkins and Co., asking the Board to grant them an extension of time on their contract. The mattor was referred to the engineer to report on. A telegram was read from Hon. Mr Richardson, stating that the Upper House had thrown out the Land Exohango Bill. Tho chairman waa requestod to advertise for the necessary stores and coals for the ensuing year. A letter was read from tho manager of National Bank of New Zealand respecting the debenture account. Mr Turner said that the fact of the transaction was that £50,000 had been raised by tho Bank on the Board's debentures at £lO2. This rate had baen made to a firm of brokor3 who had been lent by the Baok £49,250 of the Board's money to pay for them at 1 per cent, for twelve months, whilst the Board paid 6 per cent., and 1 per cont. sinking fund. The matter was roferrcd to tho finance oommitiea to report fully upon, after some discussion.

A lottor was read from Mr W. H. Lance, hon. sec. Lyttelton regatta committee, asking for the U3O of the steam tug Lyttelton as a committee ship on the Ist January next. The request was acceded to, provided the vessel was not e.tgaged in towing on the day in question.