LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2049, 17 September 1880, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held at 2 p.m. yesterday. Present —Hon. E. Richardson (chairman), Messrs Harman, O. W. Turner, D. Craig, P. Cunningham, R. Allan, Sawtoll, Murray-Aynsley, and the Mayor of Lyttelton. The Chairman said : The following sums have been paid into the Board's credit since the beginning of this month :—Wharfage dues, £5lO ; towage and warps, £173 13s 6i; total, £633 13s 6d. It will be seen on reference to the pass book on the table, that a transfer of £IOOO has had to be made from our general account to our contract deposit account, that sum having been by a mistake paid in in the first instance to tho former account. Among the accounts for payment to-day is one for £6OOO for interest due on our debentures in London on the 31st Dacember next. The finance committee arranged with the Bank of New Zealand to remit a sixty days' draft for that purpose, by the mail which left hero on Saturday last. This was the best arrangement possible in tho Board's interests, having in view the amount at present to oredifc of our current account. In the matter of taking sections 231 and 234 at Naval Point for harbor improvement purposes, j. may mention that Mr Nalder, our oolicitor, has been requested to take the neceseary action aB directed by law. Ab the furnishing an authentic plan under the provisions of the Public Works Acts was in the former caße a matter of difficulty, and, in order to avoid any question or delay, I asked the chief surveyor to furnish it here at once, and he has kindly done so. The certified plan is now in Mr Neilder's hands. Tenders for the removal of the cottago now occupied by Mr Dsrbidge will be opened to-dt,y. Its removal must tako placo within a fortnight's time, as the deck contractors will by then be firing a large blast immediately undssr it. Correspondence is on the table relating to the statutory declaration furnished by Messrs Hawkins and Co. in terms of the breastwork contract, relative to the Jarrah piles proposed to be uaed in the work. Also correspondence 'rotating to charging wharfage dues on the material used in the construction of tho graving dock. The Board will recollect that this question was raised by several of the tenderers in September, 1879, and prior to the letting of the contract, and it was then decided the Board had no alternative but to charge it, and inquiries were at that time answered accordingly to tho present contractors, as well as all other tenderers. Acting under tho Board's instructions immediately after our last meeting I telegraphed to the Government in reference to their proposal to locate the Maori priaonera on Ripa Island, and in reply I learned thut the matter had arrived at a siwgo too late to alter. I however suggested that the Government should make provision for sliiftiog them to Quail laland in the event of any v&s eel arriving in port with infectious or contagious diaeaee on board, and I received an assurance that they would be prepared to provide for such a contingency. A letter will be road from the manager of the National Bank of New Zealand at Christchurch, stating that ho had no authority to interfere with the Board's account in London, and declining to take any action in regard to excising the entries relating to the loan to Messrs Scrimgeour, of London. I may state that the manager in a previous communication with tho Board on the subject in April last stated that the matter had been referred to the head office in London, and that, at any rato

J until he was in reoeipt of their reply, he declined to withdraw the entries referred to. This is Bomewhat inconsistent with the reply just given. As the District Auditor, when auditing the Board's accounts for last year drew special attention to the illegality of the proceeding, and as the Board subsequently took counsel's opinion, which entirely supported that expressed by the auditor, I think it would be wise to ascertain what action that gentleman will take when the aocounts again come before him for audit. I feel bound to express the opinion that the Board are not justified in letting the matter rest where it does, and think it is most desirable that some definite understanding should be arrived at before the accounts come forward for audit at the end of the ourrent year. I, therefore, suggest that the finance committee be requested to further oonsider the matter and recommend what stops should be taken. A letter will be read from the Coroner, Dr. Coward, communicating the opinion expressed by the jury, and concurred in by him, at the inquest held on the body of Thomas Biohardson, a seaman of the ship Loch Awe, who was found drowned in the harbor on the 3rd inst., that nettings should be plaoed under every vessel's gangway at the wharves. The harbor-master's report on the subject clearly shows that it is quite impossible to do so in all cases, and beyond this, it is well-known that accidents of this kind do not generally occur at the gangways, but at other parts of the ship where men clamber onboard so as not to bo seen by the night watchman of the Bhip. An application was received from the Oimaru Harbor Board last week, asking whether we would sell or let our dredging plant when our dredging is completed, arcd if so when delivery could be given. I instructed a reply to be sent that we were not at present in a position to entertain any offe. >f the kind, having still a considerable amounts 1 work to carry out. The harbor improvement committee have arranged with the contractors for the Harbor Board offices in Lyttelton to furnish the necessary outbuildings, &0., for the sum of £143 153. This you will remember is somewhat under the architect's estimate as reported at our last meeting. A reply from Mr Allison Smith, the locomotive superintendent, in reference to the cost of the graving dock model constructed in the railway workshops, will be read. Messrs Hawkins and Co. applied to purchase from the Board for use on the breastwork, sixteen short length piles at 2s 6d per 'lineal foot; and as the engineer recommended their sale, I agreed to it, subject to the Board's approval. The contractors have now asked the Board to sell some of the longer pilcß wo have in stock, but I cannot recommend the Board to part with all of them, as it is necessary that we should always keep a few for emergencies. We have still forty-seven short and medium length piles on hand, and only five long ones. I have received a document signed by a number of Lyttelton tradesmen, representing the creditors in J. N. Priest's bankruptcy estate. Priest being an employe on board the dredge, the writers ask the Board to adopt a rule similar to that in force under the Government, namely, " that any employe filing his schedule forfeits his situation." While I agree that the special case of Priest which has been brought under notice requires the attention of the Board, I cannot agree that a hard and fast rule of the nature referred to should be made, as to my own knowledge there are often cases of insolvency brought upon hard-working men through no fault of their own, and I think that the Harbor Board should not adopt such a rulo, but that it should be notified to the employes of the Board that in any case where they may become insolvent, such insolvency should be held to be a notice of termination of their engagement with the Board. The Board ran then consider each case on its merits, 'and decide what steps it will take. In the case now before the Board I think that the insolvent should be allowed the opportunity of an explanation to the Harbor Staff Committee, and that they be authorised to deal finally with the matter. The Chairman submitted the following resolution :—" That the Board accept the statutory declaration of Messrs Hawkins and Co. with reference to the jarrah piles to bo used by them in the breastwork to tho eastward of the screw-pile jetty." Mr Turner and Mr Cunningham objected to this resolution being passed, as relieving tho engineer from a certain amount of responsibility. The Chairman said it was laid down in the contract that there should be a statutory declaration of the jarrah piles being cut at the proper time of year, and they had got it. Mr Cunningham objected to the engineer placing a special clause like the one read in tho specification without informing the Board of it.

Mr Turner said the Board by aocepting the statutory declaration stated that the timber, according to the wording of the specification, was the best procurable jarrah. He objected to the Board taking up this position. A considerable discussion took place, at the conclusion of whioh Mr Cunningham suggested that the following resolution should be passed :—" The Board, in accepting the statutory declaration of Messrs. Hawkins and Co. aa to the timber to be used in their contract of the breastwork to the east of the screw pile jetty, desire it to be distinctly understood that such acceptance by them is not to bo construed into an acceptance by them of the'quality of the timber, of which the engineer must be the sole judge." Further discussion ensued, and ultimately the matter dropped. A letter was read from Mr A. D. Smith with reference to the cost of the model of the graving dock, stating that the account in the work book of the department stood as follows :—Carpenters' wages, £2l 6s ; painting, &3., £1 4s 9d ; materials, £4 53; charge for depreciation, wear and tear, and commission for the department at 15 per cent., £4. The Chairman explained the circumstances under which tho model was ordered to be made. Mr Cunningham moved—" That the acoount be paid." Mr Harman seconded the motion, which was carried. Tenders were then opened for the removal of the cottage at Naval Point, and that of Messrs Bedpath and Hague, for £llO 5», accepted. The correspondence with regard to tho National Bank was referred to the finance committee, to report so soon as the final accounts have been received. It waß resolved that the Board authoriae the sale of the piles to Messrs Hawkins and Co., as recommended by the engineer. Some correspondence was read referring to tho inquest on tho body of a seaman named Richardson, of the Loch Awe, aa follows : Coroner's office, Christchnrch, September 4th, 1880. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you that at an inquisition held by me at Lyttelton this day upon the body of Thomas Richardson,, a seaman of the ship Loch Awe, who was found drowned in the harbor on the 3rd inst., the foreman and jury requested me to inform the chairman of the Harbor Board that they were of opinion that a netting should be placed under the gangway of every vessel lying at the quays in the Harbor, in which opinion I fully concur.—l have, &c, John W. S. Coward, Coroner. The Harbor Master—Please report whether the above suggestion of making Bhips provide nettings under the gangways is necessary and likely to save life. Are nets used in any other New Zealand ports ? Also report whether the regulation for making ships provide proper gangways as described in the Harbor regulations has been rigidly enforced since the time the question came before tho Board in 1879, when a number of gangways were provided by them for the use of vessels until they got gangways of their own.—C. H. Williams, Secretary. September 6th. To uae netting in the Port of Lyttelton is impracticable, on account of the great rise and fall of the tide, and the Blight range experienced at times. I may add that nettings are not used or compulsory in any port in New Zealand. Steamers use them at times when discharging cargo, such as tea and small packages that are liable to accident by slinging'. The regulations re gangways are strictly enforced, and many masters of vessels complain to me against the rale. They sf ate that in no other port iu the colonies are they put to the expense and so strictly looked after as they are in this port.— H. McLellan, Harbor-master. September 15th. Mr Turner said that tho real fact was, that the Licensing Bench should bo asked to limit the number of licensed houses in Lyttelton. Tho drunkenness going on in Lyttelton was positively disgraceful. Tho Mayor of Lyttelton protested strongly against the imputation thrown out by Mr Turner. The seamen really got drunk in Ohristchurch, and if the whole of the houses in Lyttelton were closed they would still get drunk. Mr Craig thought that if they went in for this netting they would have to place it all over the harbor. The Mayor of Lyttelton thought that the suggestion as to netting the wharves was a very good one, and he should take tho opportunity of moving a by-law in Iho direction.

The matter then dropped. Accounts to tho amount of £6954 were passed and ordered to be paid. The new wharfage and pilotage chargo by-laws were referred to the harbour improvement committee. The Chairman said that he had taken advice whilst in Wellington as to the slipping of the tug, and he had been informed that she should be put on tho slip at least once every three months. The office accommodation and staff committee were instructed to procure the necessary furniture for the "jew offices in Lyttelton. A letter was read from several tradesmen in Lyttelton urging that tho Board should bring in the same rule as applied in the Government service, that any employe of the Board filing his schedule should oease to be employed. Mr Allan moved—" That the employes of the Board bo informed that in case of their insolvency that will be regarded as the immediate termination of thoir engagement with the Board, but that the insolvent be allowed to make any explanation he desired to tho staff committee as to the ciroumstancea of the case, such insolvency not necessarily to render the insolvent ineligible for further engagement by the Board." The motion was seconded and agreed to. Mr Allan then moved—" That the letter of the Lyttelton tradesmen be referred to the harbor staff committee, and that they be requested to report on Priest's case." The motion was seconded and agreed to. The meeting then adjourned to September SObb, to meet at Christohurcb.