HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1874, 25 February 1880, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held at the offices, Hereford street, Christchurch, yesterday at 2 p.m. Present —Hon. E. Richardson (chairman), the Mayor of Lyttelton, Messrs. B. J. 8. Harman, P. Cunningham, O. W. Turner, D. Craig, B. Allan, H. P. Murray-Aynsley, and Dr. Turnbull.

The first business before the Board was the election of a chairman for the ensuing year.

Mr Harman said that he desired to move the re-election of their present chairman. The services of their chairman, both in the Assembly and at the Board, had been of such value to the Board that he felt they could not afford to lose them. He had, therefore, great pleasure in proposing that the Hon. B. Richardson be re-elected as chairman for the ensuing year.

Mr Cunningham had much pleasure in seconding the motion. He, in common with Mr Harman, felt that the services the Hon. Mr Richardson in both capacities referred to had rendered to the Board, were of such an eminent nature that they could not afford to lose them, and he therefore trusted Mr Richardson would allow them to trespass on his good nature by consenting to act as chairman for the ensuing year. The motion on being put was agreed to unanimously. Hon. E. Richardson said he desired to thank the proposer and seconder for the complimentary manner in which they had referred to his services and the members generally for having re-elected him. He should continue,'as he had hitherto done, to take a lively interest in all matters connected with the Lyttelton harbor, and he trusted the result of their operations during the ensuing year would be as successful as he was glad to say they had been during the present one.

The Chairman said:—Since our last meeting there has been paid in to the Board’s account at the Bank, amounts paid in wharfage, £1402 16s lid; towage warps, &c., £lO9 14s 8d; total, £1512 lls 7d. Shortly after our last meeting I received a telegram from the Hon. Premier, advising the day on which his Excellency the Governor would arrive in Lyttelton, and I accordingly met his Excellency on his arrival. The Board will doubtless he glad to see that H.M.B. Cormorant has visited Lyttelton, and has been anchored inside the breakwater. Commander Bruce has expressed his satisfaction with the berthing arrangements provided for his vessel. In connection with this matter, I have unofficially been informed that if a portion of the inner harbor now occupied by the Cormorant is deepened by dredging sufficiently to allow the larger vessels of war now on this station to be moored there, it is more than probable that all of them in turn will visit the Port, and I propose that the dredge, before resuming her dredging to the west of the Tunnel Wharf, should do this work. A few days should suffice to complete it. A report from the engineer will be read, forwarding plan and estimate of the cost of a proposed jetty at Governor’s Bay. These particulars are furnished in accordance with a recommendation of the harbor improvement committee adopted by the Board gome time since. The overhaul of the dredge and barges is being pressed forward with all possible despatch. The dredge came off the slip yesterday, and the two barges will at once be placed upon it in turn. The Waimate has just arrived with the spare dredge plant, and it is hoped that it may be landed in time to meet the present requirements, Mr Turpin will furnish a report on the state of the dredge and barges at our monthly meeting at the beginning of next month. A number of accounts for payment will be laid before you to-day. A letter has been received, and will be read, from the Ashburton County Council, forwarding resolutions passed by them — the first, requesting the Board to reduce the wharf charges upon grain for export from two to one shilling per ton j the second, asking the Board to co-operate with the Ashburton County Council ;in obtaining legislative enactment to provide for the representation of that county on the Board. The office accommodation committee met Mr Strouts, and agreed to certain modifications recommended by him, and tenders have been called for the building, but owing to the large number of applications for use of plana the time for receiving the tenders should be extended to the 18th proximo. Tenders will be opened to-day for the extension of the reclamation towards the Screw Pile Jetty. Letters have been received from the National Bank of New Zealand, in reply to the letters addressed by the Board to that institution as directed at our last meeting. The manager of the Bank states that he is unable to comply with the Board’s request in reference to excising from the Board’s account with their London office all entries connected with the loan by the Bank to Messrs Soritngeour. I referred the whole question to our solicitor for counsel’s opinion. It has now been furnished, and coincides with that of the Board, “ that the action of the National Bank of New Zealand in the matter was illegal,” and it also states that the Board have their remedy. I would suggest that the case be referred to the finance committee to deal with. In consequence of the graving dock embankment being run across to Peacock’s wharf, it became necessary to determine the occupancy of lessees of slips and sheds along the Dampier’a Bay foreshore. Messrs Louttit and Co. and Mr A. Shaw have sent in applications for other sites to be used as slips for small vessels, and for boat repairing and building. I think the matter should be referred to the harbor improvement committee for consideration. A cablegram was received yesterday afternoon from Messrs Bell and Miller, accepting the appointment aa consulting engineers for the Lyttelton graving dock machinery. A letter from Mr Nichols, mate of the Heathoote, asking to be transferred to some lighter work, will be read

The Engineer’s report was read respecting the Governor’s Bay jetty, and forwarding plans proposed for the same. The works in Lyttelton had progressed satisfactorily during the past month.

The Chairman said he was not at all aware that the jetty would cost so much as now estimated by Mr Bell. It would perhaps bo as well to refer the matter to the committee who had been appointed with respect to this work. There was one point which had struck him, and that was, if this was held by the marine engineer to be a breakwater —as it certainly appeared to him to be —then it would be necessary to have a special Act for the construction.

Mr Harman said he should move—“ That Mr Bell’s report and plan he referred to the harbor improvement committee, with a view to modification as to cost.”

Mr Allan seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Accounts to the amount of £179 8s 6d were passed for payment.

A letter was read from the Ashburton County Council, forwarding two resolutions, one asking for a reduction of wharfage rates on grain from 2s to Is per ton, and the other for a representation of the Council on the Lyttelton Harbor Board, and requesting the co-operation of the Board in obtaining an amendment in the Act in this direction. The Chairman said he did not see how the Board could agree to any reduction of its charges as they were borrowing money, and were also engaged in very large works. It had been said in the Ashburton County Council that they were charging Is more than Otago, but he desired to point out that though the Harbor Board did not charge for wharfage the Government did, as they had paid some £50,000 for wharves, &0., in Port Chalmers. The charge as a whole was the same as theirs, though not appearing on the surface. With regard to the second resolution, he might point out that all the interests had been very carefully considered when the constitution of the Board was before the House, and if they now began to disturb it by the admission of a representative from the Ashburton County Council, it was hard to say where it would stop. If this were done, the Ashley County Council and the Akaroa County Council would have an equal right to claim representation. Mr C. W. Turner said that he did not think the Board could accede to the resolutions. In view of the exercise of the borrowing powers of the Board they had decided that no reduction could be made. Nothing had transpired since to alter this resolution. He did not think that it was expedient to alter the constitution of the Board by the addition of a representative for the Ashburton County Council.

Mr Craig agreed with Mr Turner. He thought that if the Ashburton people wished their views advocated at the Board the Chamber of Commerce was opened to them, which was supposed to represent the whole of

Canterbury, and through the members of which as that Board, their views might find expression. Dr. Turnbull thought that the requests of so large a contributing district to the revenue of the Board as the Ashburton district should be treated with some courtesy. He therefore thought it should be postponed until next meeting. As regarded the constitution of the Board, he thought it would be much better if they got the ex-officio member struck off the Board. He moved—“ That the question of the representation of Ashburton be postponed until next meeting.” Mr Cunningham seconded the motion. He could not see why the Selwyn County Council should send two members and the adjoining counties, who contributed quite as much, none. The Mayor of Lyttelton desired to say that the principle of representing the Port town by the Mayor was recognised throughout the Harbor Boards of the colony. If there was any intention of increasing the number of the members of the Board he should do all he could to get one or two members added for Lyttelton, which he now held was decidedly under represented. Mr Aynsley said that the constitution of the Board had been very carefully considered, and it was thought that the Selwyn county should represent the country districts. If they considered the alteration of the constitution of the Board it would, perhaps, take the shape of considering whether one of the members now returned by the Selwyn County Council should be returned by the Ashburton county. As regarded the ex officio member for Lyttelton, he was fully of opinion that the proper person to represent the Borough Council of Lyttelton was the Mayor. Without such a representative it was impossible for the two bodies, closely connected aa they were, to work harmoniously together. The motion was then put and agreed to. Mr Allan then moved—“ That in the present incomplete state of the harbor works the Board is not prepared to enter into the question of the reduction of wharfage rates.” Mr Harman seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Letters were read from the inspector of the National Bank of New Zealand and the manager of the Bank here ; also the opinion of the solicitor to the Board and of the counsel consulted by him. The opinion of counsel was that the Bank had acted illegally, and the Board had its remedy. Mr Cunningham thought they had drifted into an action with the National Bank of New Zealand without cause. The Board had entered their protest, and the law would hold them blameless in the matter.

Mr Harman said if the matter were referred to the finance committee, as suggested by the chairman, it should be on the understanding that it was so to see how the matter could be arranged, and that before taking any steps towards a law suit the committee would refer the matter again to the Board. Mr Cunningham moved—“ That the matter between the National Bank and the Board re Scrymgeonr’s account be referred to the finance committee to report upon,” Mr Turner seconded the motion, which was agreed to. A petition was read from a number of residents in Lyttelton, praying that sites should be reserved in Lyttelton Harbor for boatbuilding sheds, &c. A letter was read from Loutitt and Co., asking leave to erect their slip in a bay beyond Naval Point Breakwater where the bathing sheds were, the improvements made by the Board necessitating their removal from the present site. Mr Aynsley moved—“ That both letters be referred to the Harbor Improvement Committee to report on.” Dr. Turnbull seconded the motion, which was agreed to. Tenders for reclamation were opened as follows : A. Stenhouse £2490 J. Stinson 1557 15s Hollis and Williams 2783 10s Hawkins and Co. ... ... 1850 The tender of Mr J. Stinson was accepted for £1557 15s, subject to the report of the engineer. A letter from Mr Nioholls, mate of the Heathoote, asking for lighter employment under the Board, was referred to the staff committee to deal with. The Board then adjourned to March 4th, in Lyttelton.