LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2037, 3 September 1880, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held at 2 p.m. yesterday. Present— Messrs K. J. S. Harman (in the chair), P. Cunningham, H. Sawtell, C. W. Turner, K. Allan, Murray-Ayneley, and the Mayor of Lyttelton.

The Chairman said—As our chairman has only returned from Wellington this morning, and he is suffering from a severe cold, he is unable to be present to-day. Tho following sums have been paid into the Board's credit since our last meeting on the 12th August, 1880 :—Wharfage dues, £l4Ol lis 6d ; pilotage, port charges for August, *£556 4s 9d ; towage, warps, &c, £l5O 8s; £2107 4» 3d. The engineer's report on the progress made under the harbor works contracts during tho past month will be read. Tho dredging and towage returns for the month of August are on the table. The former Bhows that 143 barge loads have been dredged during the month, amounting to 25,740 cubio yards or 35,750 tons, exclusive of the Minna Bell's work, which amounts to 1760 tons. The dredge has completed dredging a trench parallel to the proposed breastwork between the Scrowpile Jetty and the Gladstone pier, as recommended by Mr Bell, our engineer, and the dredge is now at work at the entrance between tho moles. On the 16th August M-ssrs Hawkins and Co. signed their contract, £15,741 16s 6d, for timber breastwork and jetty, and they are now proceeding with the work. My attention being called to the necessity of having the accumulation of dirt, &c, removed from between the planking of the wharves and jetties, I immediately requested the harbour-master to report on the subject, and his recommendation was that the work was much required, and should be done at onoe, and further that if the wharves were thoroughly cleaned now, it would serve for the next twelve months. I therefore authorised the employment of as large a number of men on the work as could be put on to carry it out thoroughly and expeditiously, and I will ask the Board to confirm the action I have taken in this matter. The cleaning of the decking discloses the faot that a number of planks require removal, and I will also ask the Board to authorise our engineer to have this work done, and it will have to be done by day labor, and I bolieve we have timber of our own in stock sufficient to meet all requirements in the present case. The tug's lire engine has been very successfully used to assist in cleaning down the wharves, and I propose that it should be similarly employed periodically in future, as it will serve to keep it in thorough working order. The last mail brought advice of the purchase of a cement testing machine for the dock works at a cost of £94 17s fid. This is within the expenditure authorised by the Board. Yesterday I reoeived from our chairman at Wellington copy of the Publio Works Amendment Act, just passed, and he points out a clauso he has caused to bo inserted in it, by which land taken or to be

[taken for harbor improvements shall bo vested in the Harbor Board. This is a very necessary provision. Acting under the_ authoi rity given by you at our last meeting, the harbor improvement committee met Mr Stephen Fisher on the 17th ultimo, with a i view to purchasing from him either the wholo i or portions of seotions 231 and 234 at Naval Point, which are required by the Harbor Board. As Mr Fisher stated he was not then prepared to name a price, a letter was, at his request, addressed to him on the subject on the same day. His reply, which was received on the 30th August, stated that he required £2OOO for these two seotions. The oommittee decided that the price was mucn higher than they could advise the Board to pay, and Mr Fisher not having nominated a valuer to act for him, as requested by the committee, they had no alternative but to inform Mr Fisher that his offer could not be accepted, and, therefore, it became necessary to instruct the Board's solicitor to at once serve Mr Fisher with the notices for taking the land under the provisions of the Harbors Act;, 1878, and the Publio Works Act, 1876. The committee much regret they have been forced to take this oourse, ae thoy were prepared to deal with Mr Fisher liberally, making full allowance for the quasi compulsory taking of the land, but the price named by him (£2000) was so high that, as I beforo stated, they had no alternative but to take the action indicated above, without prejudicing the Board's position in the matter. A report from Mr Turpin on the five tons of Springfield coal on the Heathcote steam barge will be read. I would suggest that the question be referred to the harbor improvement committee to deal with when next calling for tenders for supply of coal, and with a view of affording the very fullest opportunity for using it daring the ensuing year. Our present coal contract expires on the 31st of December next. The Board having decided not to avail themselves of the alternative offered under the specification for the pumping machinery, of making Messrs Eastern and Anderson responsible for its erection in Lyttelton, our secretary was instructed to make inquiries as to securing the services of a man specially qualified to superintend its erection here. I stated at our last meeting I believed we had an officer experienced in this kind of work in our own service, and this opinion is now justified by the letter on the subject received from Mr Turpin ; and his testimonials show his special qualifications for work of this nature, and his previous experience in such work. Mr Turpin's papers show he was foreman of engineers during the whole of the building of the Bermuda dock, and he was principal foreman for five years to a ship and dock building firm of the highest class at Millwall. As the opinion previously expressed by Mr Richardson at Wellington on the subject of the erection of this machinery hus been somewhat misunderstood, I think it only fair to him to state that his opinion was based on the importance of sheeting home to the makers the whole responsibility of making the machinery thoroughly efficient, and it is hardly necessary for me to point out how entirely the success and efficiency of the graving dock is dependent upon the proper working of the pumping machinery, and he did not doubt that there were men here capable of superintending its erection. The specification already laid down showed that had the makers been made responsible for its erection in Lyttelton, they would have had to employ all the local labour necessary for its erection, Mr Richardson has asked me to mention that if it be decided that the erection of the pumping engines be retained in the Board's own hands as now proposed, we cannot do better than entrust the work of erection to Mr Turpin, who is fully competent for the work. In the matter of the supply of six trucks to be set apart and used for the disposal of ship's ballast, the General Manager writes in reply to our secretary that he has referred the matter to the Commissioner of Railways, but he has not yet received a reply. If the use of these waggons is granted, it will be necessary that the Board should add some side-tip arrangement to them to enable their being easily and cheaply discharged, as the ship will be made responsible for this work. Mr Burnett, the assistant railway engineer, hus also asked for authority from Wellington to extend the line along the edge of the ships' ballast deposit ground to the west of Peacock's Wharf. The ground is quite useless until this is done. Members of the Board may have Been a paragraph in the local papers mentioning the probability of the P. and O. boat 9 becoming regular traders to Wellington, and that Wellington is likely to become the distributing port. From inquiries I have made I am inclined to believe that the report is at least premature. It is satisfactory, however, to consider that in the event of any extension of the route of the P. and O. boats to New Zealand, the Port of Lyttelton, specially when the graving dook is completed, will offer advantages for shipping of all descriptions which certa'nly cannot be equalled in any other New Zealand port. The engineer's report was read as to the progress during the month of the works und r his charge. He reported that the contractor for the dock was proceeding with the woik of excavating the extended length and cutting the hill extension. The embankment was completed of the contract width as far as Peacock's wharf, and the outer bank on the S.W. side had been finished and pitched. The contractors for the breastwork Messrs Hawkins and Co., had commenced their work. The engineer also reported having received advioe of the shipment of a cement-testing machine. Mr O. W. Turner moved Board endorse the action of the chairman in having the decking of the wharves cleaned down by day labour, and authorise the repairs to the planking to be carried out as recommended by the engineer, and in the same manner."

The Mayor of Lyttelton seconded tho mo ion.

Mr Turner said that he found that only 6s per diem had been paid for this work. Was not this rather a serious reduction in the price of labor, and did it not look like taking advantage of the necessities of the men ? The Chairman said that, in view of so large an amount of surplus labor, he had thought that 63 per diem was sufficient. The secretary had told him that there was a very largo number of applications at that rate. Mr Turner said he understood that the men were put on at 7s per day, and then reduced to 6s on account of the number of applicants.

The Chairman said this was a mistake. Tho idea was that 61 per diem should bo paid, and 7s per day was paid by mistake. In answer to Mr Sawtell,

The Chairman said that the work was not of a skilled character at all. Mr Turner said that it was a very serious matter for a Board like that to take the initiative in reducing the pay of laborers. He did not think any man could pay taxation and live respectably on 6j per day. The resolution, after some further discussion, in which the Mayor of Lyttelton and Mr Allan took part, was put and carried. Accounts to the amount of £2845 were passed and ordered to be paid. The question of taking the land of Mr Stephen Fisher at Naval Point, required for dock excavation, was discussed. On the motion of Mr C. W. Turner, the Board went into committee on the aubject. The Board resumed, and the following resolution was reported to the Board aa having been carried in committee : — " That the Board approve of the action of the harbor improvement committee in declining to entertain the offer of Mr Stephen Fisher to sell to tho Board sections 231 and 234 at Naval Point for £2OOO, and also the instructions givon by the committee to the solicitor to prepare the necessary notices under any Aots authorising the'Board to take lands for public purposes, and that the harbor improvement committee be instructed to take the necessary action to carry out the details." Tho resolution from tho committee was then put and approved. The Chairman read the following report from Mr Turpin on the use of the Springfield and other native coals, as compared with Newcastle coals : August 24th, 1830. C. H. Williams, Esq. Sir, —I have the honor to lay before you the following report with regard to New Zealand coal:— Grey Coal—Burnt thirty tons on board th 9 tng Lyttelton. This coal steams a 3 well as Newcastle coal. Consumption a little in favor of Newcastle. Clean coal, but more destructive to the fire bars than Newcastle. Burnt fourteen tons on each of the barges with good results. Consumption as near as possible the same as Newcastle, but more destructive to the bars.

Springfield Coal (Canterbury)—Burnt 5 tons 6 cwt. on the barge Heathcote. This coal was all burnt in three and a-ha!f days, the barge making ten trips to Camp Bay. This coal steams fairly on tho barge, and could ho used for that purpose, that is if tho price can bo brought to compare with tho Newcastle, taking into consideration

the relative proportions burnt in each class of coal. The average consumption with Newcastle coal is one ton (I ton) per day. Relative proportion 35.58, or, in other terms, 35 tons of Newcastle coal does tho same amount of work that 53 tons of Springfield coal would do. There will, also, hare to betaken in consideration the extra cost in taking off to the dredges and barges in the same proportion as the consumption. At present I coal the vo=sels twice in tho month, but if Springfield coal sbonld ho used on the dredge, I should have to coal of tener, as the bunker will only hold fifteen tons of coal. Good Grey coal would answer very well for tho dredge and barges if the prices and supply could be made to compare with Newcastle. I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant, (Signed) Henry Turpin. The Chairman said ho thought the Board would agree with him that tho matter could scarcely be discussed now, until all the information aB to prices, &e., of the relative coals was tabled and placed before the Board. Therefore ho thought the subject] had better be referred tho harbor improvement committee to report to the Board upon. Mr Turner said that the price of Newcastle coal had been reduced recently by about 4s per ton. The Chairman said with regard to Grey coal he would like to ask whether the supply could b 9 depsnded upon. Mr Turner said that the supply could be got, he thought, continuously. Mr Sawteil thought that the matter might be loft open until the expiration of the present cor.tracts.

The Chairman said that tho contracts expired on the 31st December, and ho thought it would be as well for the Board to be in possession of all the particulars in connection with the subject, and also to prepare coaling for stations and for new fire bars, &c. Mr Allan moved—" That Mr Turpin's report be referred to the harbor improvement committee for their report thereon." Mr Sawtell seconded_the resolution, which was agreed to. A. letter was read from Mr Turpin, stating that he was fully prepared to undertake the superintendence of the erection cf the dock pumping machinery, &3., and forwarding copies of his testimonials from various dock and engineering companies. Mr Turner said that with respect to this matter ho might mention that at half-past nine o'clock on the morning that the paragraph appeared in tho papers a gentleman called upon him who had served his time in the office of the vary firm who were sending out the machinery, and who had been entrusted with the superintendence of very large works. He mentioned this to show that the idea of paying some £9OO for the superintendence of a man from home was quite unnecessary, as they had men in the colony perfectly competent.

The Board resolved—" That the testimonials sent were satisfactory." The Chairman said the president of the Chamber of Commerce had drawn his attention to the report that the Government intended to place tho Maori prisoners on Ripa Island, which was the only quarantine station in the port. He suggested that if the Government intended to send the Maori prisoners they should be placed on Quail Island. Mr Wihon had Bent the following telegram to the Government: —" Hon. Minister of Justice, Wellington.—Telegrams report that Government propose placing Maori prisoners on Ripa Island, and trust such action is not contemplated, as thereby Lyttelton would be deprived of a quarantine ground, which is an absolute necessity for the interests of the port.— A. C. Wilson, President, Chamber of Commerce, Christchuroh." Mr Wilson had pointed out that though immigration had practically been stopped, so far as the Government went, the vessels coming hero all brought passengers, and that serious inconvonienco might ensue if the regular quarantine station was not available. The Mayor cf Lyttelton said that Quail Island was suggested to the Government.

Mr Turner enquired whether the Government intended to get rid of the Maoris by placing them on these islands. The Mayor of Ljttolton said that whilst the Maori prisoners were treated as they were, thoy would never desire to leave.

It was resolved to wire to the Government, suggesting that if they used any of the islands in the harbor for the Maori prisoners, they should take Quail Island, leaving Ripa free for quarantine purposes. The finance committee were authorised to make arrangements for meeting interest due in London in December, 1880. It was resolved to adjourn till the 16th September, at Ohriatchurch.