LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2152, 18 January 1881, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A inflating of the Board for the reception of the annual accounts, &a., was held at the offices, Hereford street, at noon yesterday. Present—Hon. E. Richardson (chairman), the Mayor of Lyttelton, Messrs R. Allan, if. Cunningham, D. Craig, 0. W. Turner, H. Sawtell, Murray-Ayneley. , The Chairman said—We have met to-day, as you are aware, in obedience to the terms of the Harbors Act, 1878, for the purpose of considering the accounts of our Harbor Board for the year ending 31st December, 1880. As you will have seen from the printed accounts, which I hope reached all the members on Saturday at latest, the accounts are audited by the Government Auditor, Mr Olhvier, and it is only fair to Mr Williams to state that Mr Ollivier has again expressed to me the great pleasure he experienced in finding our accounts so satisfactorily kept. The Board will see that Mr Williams has prepared all the usual returns, and has supplemented those submitted last year in several directions, with detailed information that he thought would be of use bo the Board. The Board has been kept so fully informed at its regular meetings of the state of its affairs, that I think it unnecessary for mo to take up your time in commenting on these accounts. But seeing that the Board has been called upon to re consider the rates it imposes for wharfage, it is perhaps as well that 1 should point out (in addition to what Mr Williams has done in his annual report to me), that if the Board carries out all the works it has already determined upon, and after making • fair allowance for extra and unforeseen works in connection with our dock and the proposed slip for small vessels, that the estimated surplus of £10,994 10s for this current year will be materially reduced, and I think it very doubtful whether Mr Williams’ estimates for wharfage and port charges will be realised, as on the result of the coming harvest depends in a very great measure the amount of our revenue. The Board has been called upon to reduce the wharfage on coal and timber, but I think that if any reduction is made in this direction a similar reduction should he made on the export of grain. In any case, taking away the temporary revenue received by way of interest, which will cease after this year, and making a fair allowance for maintenance of such an extent of wharves as wo have, the Board will have to be very cautious in dealing with this matter. As it has been suggested lately that the cost of dredging should be charged to loan, I think it right to point out that when application was made to Parliament for the £200,000 loan, the statement prepared by the Board, which I made very great and practical use of in both Houses of Parliament during the passage of our Loan Bill, showed that we did not intend to charge the dredging then in contemplation against loan, but against our revenue, and all our estimates of ways and means have been calculated on the same basis. Probably the Board will see fit to refer this matter to the early consideration of your finance committee. The following sums have been paid into the Board’s account since our last meeting . Wharfage, £1269 13s ; towages and warps, end rent, £66 2> 4d ; pilotage and port charges for December, £638 16s lid ; interest on Bank deposits, £6800; total, £8664 12s 3d. There are a few accounts requiring payment to-day. A question has arisen with one of onr harbor staff, and if the Board will permit me I will bring the matter before them. A careful comparison was made of tenders for the supply of stores and for ironwork tenders, and resulted in the acceptance of Mr J. Pope’s tender for iron castings, boilerwork, &o. ; Mr John Anderson’s for ordinary forgo work ; Mr E. Forbes’ for the ■npply of stores for 1880. The comparative statement is on the table. The committee appointed to consider the question of insurance have been in communication with the Insurance Association, but the committee would like to postpone bringing up their report till our next ordinary meeting at the end of the month. As yon are aware, the harbor elections take place on the 14th of next month, and in connection with the matter a question relating to the appointment of a returning officer was raised, and our solicitor advises it i<i necessary to appoint one officer. The treasurer’s annual report for 1880 was submitted as follows Harbor Board Office, Christchurch, 14th January, 1881. Hon. Edwd. Richardson. C.M.Q., Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board, Christchurch. —Sir,— 1 have the honor to submit my annual statement of accounts of the Lyttelton Harbor B card for the year ending the 31st of December, 1880, and in doing so I accompany them with an explanatory report. At the outset I may be allowed to congratulate the present Board upon the sound state of their finances

The proas receipts for the year, exclusive of the credit balance at the Bank of .£155,216 17s 4d at the beginning of 1880, amounted to £43,442 lls 6d, or with above-mentioned balance, a total of £198,660 4s 7d. Taking the first item of receipts, namely, wharfage, I would explain that the amount set down as received does not represent the actual sum earned daring the year, by reason of the wharfage dues from the sth to the 27th December, 1830, not being paid by the Government to the Board’s credit until after the 31st of December, 1880, A reforonco to Estum C attached shows the actual wharfage amounted to £27,607 6s 6d, or £6077 13s Id above the amount collected for theyear 1879. Attached to the wharfage return is an abstract showing the tonnage of the several classes of goods upon which wharfage dues were paid during; the year 1880. The receipts from pilotage and port charges and harbor master’s fees for the year 1880 amounted to £6950 Is 2d, and show an increase of £493 9s 4d over those of 1879. The receipts from towage fees, ns shown in my treasurer’s statement, do not represent the actual towage earned—ns £383 Is of the amount •was earned during the previous year. If you will refer to Ksturn B, you will observe that the actual towage earned during 1880, including the 2d a ton off pilotage for sea towages, amounted to £3317 10s 9d, and is £3lB above the receipts for 1879, but with the sum of £5lO off for insurance, leaves a debit balance of £135 17s lid.

The remaining items of receipts, consisting of warp fees, licenses, rents, &c., call for no special remark. The Bank interest on fixed deposits actually earned during the year 1880 was .£7673 12s, bnt as £6761 5a did not mature till the 2nd January, 1881, it had therefore to be shown as an asset. As B ink interest forma a considerable item in the current revenue for the past year, I think it well here to point out that it does not represent a permanent sonreo of income, and will disappear as soon as the works now in hand are completed. I now turn to the expenditure side of the account, the total amount paid during the year being .£92,414 7s 3d. The first item culling for special remark is that of £118,143 11s lOd for interest on debentures. £I6OOO of this sum, however, belong to the year 1879, bat was paid through the National Bank in London, and not bronght to account till 18-0. Including this amount a total sum of £127,641 3s 4d under ordinary expenditure was paid during the year 1880, to which has to be added the dredging expenditure, £19007 6s lOd, which the Board previously decided should bo charged under this head, in order that it might relieve balance of the loan for expenditure upon other necessary works. Tho sum of £255,293 4s 9d was also spent upon harbor works during the same period ; the remainder of expenditure is made up of charges in connection with the floating of the loan, £l-169 3s 41, of which the sum £1409 13s Id is subject to refund by tho negotiation of a draft which has been drawn upon tho National Bonk of New Zealand in London. The total expenditure for the year, as I before stated being £92,414 Vs 3d, and leaves a credit balance in the Bank of £106,245 17a _4d. This brings me to tho assets and liabilities of Board on the 31at December, 1880. It will ho seen by n reference to the audited statement nnder this head, that after estimating the value Of tho Board’s properties, reduced by certain anms for depreciation thereon, and deducting the Board’s existing liabilities, including the £2OO 000 loan, them ramoins a credit balance of £222,629 19s 4d. This sum. however, does not represent tho cash balance of tho Board, which would ho as follows : £ 8. d Balance at credit of the Board on 31st December, 1880 106,245 17 4 Outstanding assets on 31st December, 1830 8,812 0 8 115.057 18 0 Outstanding contracts and l;a----bilities on 31st December, 1880 06,25-1 1 3 Balance available for proposed works, mentioned at foot of Return B attached 48,803 17 9 115.057 18 0 This £18,803 will about never tho cost of tho new works mentioned in Kotnrn B which tho Board have in contemplation. I wish here to draw attention to Return B being the expenditure chargeable against loan, and it will be noted that after meeting tbe outstanding liabilities. amounting to £65.834 Is 3d, there wanld remain an available balance for additional works of £16,442 11a 2d of tbe loan. This balance is, however, supplemented b; tho accumulated surplus from current revenue for the past two years, which amounts to £32,369 6s 7a, bat £10,710 Mid £4479 for Bonk interest

and Government Refund respectively, form part of the latter surplus, or, in other words, that -£17,161 represents the surplus balance of ordinary revenue proper to the 31st December, 1880. . , I think it right, here, to again draw the Board’s attention to the fact that a very considerable expenditure will become necessary in renewing the decking of the wharves and for which, at present, no provision is made. The depreciation at 5 per cent, per annum on the timber wharves and jetties amounts to_Xs7oo a year (see statement of assets and liabilities, 1880) and 10 per cent, depreciation on the tug, dredge, and barges, to about J 63400 a year, or, in all, say .£9OOO a year. I am, however, not losing sight of the fact that the Board’s_ ordinary income is likely to be, largely supplemented by the leasing of shed sites on this reclaimed land to the east of the screw pile jetty, which should be available for that purpose by the 13th of August of the current year, being the date for the completion of the breastwork contract ; also from the leasing of sites on Peacock wharf property and upon the graving dock reclamation, which should be completed under contract in April, 1882. Bevenue from this source, however, would hardly materially affect the Board’s income for the current year. I Return F shows the quantity of dredging done during the four and a half years and the eost. It will be noted that the coat for the past year is rather more than 2d a cubic yard above that for 1879. This is fully accounted for by the special expenditure of .£1412 3s 8d incurred last year in obtaining from Home a new set of dredge buckets, spare wheels, and fire bars, &«. The quantity of mud dredged in 1880 was 272,340 cubic yards, against 283,360 cubic yards in 1879. The decrease in 1880 may be accounted for by the fact that the yearly overhaul took the whole month of February and to the 23rd of March to complete, by reason of having the new set of buckets to gear up, &c., some little time also being lost in waiting for the ship Waimate, which brought out the dredge buckets in February last. The dredging return also shows that the total average cost of the dredging in Lyttelton harbor for the past four years is 6£d per cubic yard. This includes the whole cost of the ordinary repairs, renewals, &c., connected with the dredging plant. In this connection I may be allowed to refer to the question of the dredging yet to be dene within the inner harbor. To give" an average depth of 20ft. it is estimated that eighteen months to two years will see the work completed, that is, at the rate at which the previous dredging has been done; and as it will ultimately be necessary to dredge a channel outside the Moles, towards the Heads, and as such work could be better and more economically done by a steam hopper dredger with one staff, it would be well for the Board to consider this question before the end of the current year. The dredging plant now in use, which is in very good working order, might, on the arrival of the hopper dredge, be disposed of to one of the other Harbor Boards who have already made enquiry for purchasing it, and the proceeds of the sate shonld go far towards covering the coat of the hopper dredger suitable to the Board’s anticipated re- | quirements. I have thought it right to refer thus fully to this question, as it is one which must affect the financial arrangements of the Board. I may add I have fall details of the cost, and cost of working the steam hopper dredgers.— l have, &c., C. H. Williams, Secretary and Treasurer Lyttelton Harbor Board

The Harhor-Master’a report was also submitted as follows;

Lyttelton, Jan. 3, 1881. Sir,—l have the honor to forward yon my report on the harbor department for the year ending; 31st December, 1880. I _ have much pleasure in stating that, although visited during the last winter by several severe gales and heavy seas, s.nd notwithstanding the great increase of large ships into the port, not one vessel received the slightest damage, nor moved their anchors, either in the inner or outer harbor. Indeed the Harbor of Lyttelton, with its increased wharfage accommodation, and the increased depth of water,, caused by dredging inside the inner harbor, and at its entrance, and also alongside of the wharves, may well be ranked _ one of the safest harbors in the southern hemisphere, for sailing or steam vessels, of any length or tonnage, now visiting the Australian colonies, up to a draught of 25ft, can enter and leave the harbor with safety. As regards the inward pilot station at Little Port Cooper, I may state that everything of the Board’s property is in a good state of preservation, being kept clean and in good order. Pour hundred trees have been planted there this season, but many have been lost on account of the dry weather. The boats at thin station are getting very old, and one should be replaced by a new one, as the boats at this station have for years been the condemned ones from the inward pilot station. Of course the boats at the Lyttelton station can never be kept in the same clean and good order as those at the Heads, as the mooring and unmooring ef vessels will always knock them about. I therefore again urge the necessity of a permanent hand being placed in the boat, as a great deal of time is now taken up cleaning offices; and I would strongly recommend that a single man be engaged to sleep on the lower part of the Harbor Board buildings, in case of fire. The time ball tower and signal staff are in good repair ; the signals mostly new, and the grounds well looked after. An additional flagstaff has been placed at my house to facilitate night signals when the Lyttelton Harbor Board tug is required. I may state in regard to the steam tug Lyttelton, as I did in my last report, that she is kept in the same good order and _ condition, and I may add that without her assistance for the removal of vessels in the inner harbor, the Harbor Department eonld not have given the satisfaction to the many masters of vessels that I have had to deal with during the last wool and grain season. Her returns may not be what it would bo if in private hands, but she has raised the reputation of the port, for the benefit of all concerned. She has also enabled me to remove more shipping with less hands than is done in any other port in the colonies, and at less expense to the owners of ships who have had to engage her. Telephonic communication between the stations has been of the g reatest value and importance for despatch and rendering assistance to the department and to the public; and everything in connection with it is at present in good working order. The wharf accommodation has proved sufficient for the last season, and I can state that no vessel, large or small, has been detained in the stream twelve hours waiting for wharf accommodation. It must be taken into consideration that although the tonnage return is not much greater than the previous year’s, wo have had a different class to provide for, being larger vessels than in the previous year’s, with less intercolonial and coasting vessels.

This year the greater proportion of vessels that arrived and left have had to be berthed at deep water wharves, and coaid not be berthed where the small class of vessels could bo placed. The amount of shipping that used the wharves for the year ending 31st December,_ 1880, was 314,804 tons register. The dredging at the breastworks (which was chiefly done by the Minna Bell scoop dredge) having been finished for the smaller class of vessels, I can safely say that the Port, when the present works now in coarse of construction are finished, will easily accommodate an additional 10 per cent, of all classes of vessels on last year’s returns. During the year two of the large ocean steamers arrived here direct from London, viz., the Norfolk and the Durham, and were berthed in the inner harbor, and when leaving steamed out direct from the wharf, without the least difficulty, the Durham leaving deep loaded for London. The berth between the moorings in the inner harbor provided for Her Majesty’s ships of war gave the greatest satisfaction to the commanders of the men of war that have last year visited the Port. The buoys and moorings are all in good order and condition ; it is urgently necessary to remove two of them that are at present very much in the way, the recent dredging round the one near the Screw Pile Jetty will enable this to be done more easily. Soundings have been taken by tbe Engineer and myself from tbe Heads to Quail Island, and show that the dredgings deposited at Camp Bay wore not spreading into the harbor, nor is there any indications of silting, as the soundings throughout very carefully taken are from one quarter to half a fathom deeper than those taken by the Admiralty in 1843. The pilots have given satisfaction. No complaints have been made either verbally or in writing against them, and I have had no fault to complain of. I may state that the facilities given by telephonic communication with the Heads has added materially to the duties and labor of the pilot and his crew stationed there. For instance, ships leaving at daylight in the morning, which they generally do, the pilot at the Heads receives his orders by telephone to bo on board the vessel going to sea, and in the meantime the harbor or outward pilot and his crew would be removing vessels at the wharves or from the stream to the wharves, so that few, if any, vessels have left the port or S been removed except under the charge of a pilot. 1 Xu conclusion, I beg to thank them and the whole staff through you, for the willing assistance at all hours given by them to me, in carrying out the duties of tbe department I have tbe honor to preside over—l have, &c., H. McLellan, Harbor-master. The Secretary, Lyttelton Harbor Board. The 01 airman said it had been customary at those annual meetings to take the accounts now laid before them in printed form as read. The treasurer, he might say, was ready to give any explanation that might be required. Mr Turner moved —“ That the accounts be taken as read, and that the same as submitted be adopted by the Board and signed by the chairman.” Ho thought the Board should feel indebted to Mr Williams for the admirable manner in which the accounts had bean placed before the Board. Mr Cunningham seconded the motion with pleasure. Ho thought that if they did not possess a secretary who had the knack of putting figures in a small compass, and so as they could comprehend them at a glance, they would require at least a month to consider

them. He felt that the time was far too short, and the Board should not be asked to take upon itself the responsibility of saying that these accounts were correct from Saturday night to Monday. There was no indisposition to do this while they had their present secretary, but if a change were made he could not undertake to do this. The Chairman said that last session he had

| endeavored to get the time for making up ’ the accounts extended, but had failed. He hoped to be more successful next time, as ho agreed with Messrs Cunningham and Turner as to the time being short. Indeed, it was too much to ask an ofHcer to do this work in the time. Mr Craig, after referring to a matter of detail in connection with the accounts, said he had pleasure in testifying to the admirable manner in which the accounts had been put before them by their secretary and treasurer. The motion was then put and agreed to. Mr Cunningham asked whether the value of imports shown in the return of the Customs as £1,241,068 was merely the foreign, and not the coastwise. The Chairman said that he believed it only represented the foreign imports. Mr Cunningham said he thought it was highly advisable that they should have returns of the value of imports between one port and another in the colony. The Chairman was requested to communicate with the Commissioner of Customs on the subject, and ask to have the returns so framed as to include the value of imports and exports coastwise as well as foreign. Accounts to the amount of £7B 3s lOd were passed for payment. The contracts of Messrs Pope and J. Anderson for ironwork, and Forbes for stores, were accepted, and the seal of the Board affixed. The Chairman said with regard to the election of members for Christchurch and Lyttelton by the ratepayers, a question had arisen as to the appointment of a returning officer. This had been referred to the solicitor of the Board, and he had given it as his opinion that the Board had power under the Local Elections Act to appoint a returning officer, and then he could appoint a deputy. The Mayor of Lyttelton said the real difficulty was this, that under the Local Elections Act a roll had to be made out of those en-

titled to vote. It might be that the burgess roll could be used, but the Act was clear that a roll must be made by every local body holding an election under it. He thought the Board should consult their solicitor as to whether they could use the burgess roll or had to frame one of their own.

It was agreed that the chairman should take the course suggested by the Mayor of Lyttelton.

It was resolved that Mr Geo. Leslie Lee be appointed by the Board as returning officer for the election of the two members by the ratepayers. The Chairman then said that they had now to deal with the serious subject of the suspension of one of their staff. It was for the Board to say whether this should be taken in committee or open Board, Mr Turner moved—" That the Board go into committee to consider the suspension of the harbor master.’’ The motion was seconded.

The Mayor of Lyttelton urged most strongly that the matter should be openly discussed, so that the public might see that they dealt with their principal officer in the same way as they dealt with their subordinate ones. He was ready to go on with his duty, and have the matter discussed in open Board. And he could not understand why Mr Turner should wish to deal with this matter in committee, when he had declined to leave the matter of a former case in the hands of a committee.

Mr Turner explained that out of four cases three bad been dealt with by committees. The fourth was so glaring that it was felt that it was not necessary to refer it to any committee.

The Mayor of Lyttelton thought that if they went into committee they should have the harbor master there present. Mr Allan supported the resolution, which was carried. The Board then went into committee to consider the case of the harbor master's suspension. After a lengthy discussion the following resolution was reported to the Board and adopted :—“ That the chairman bo instructed to express the deep regret of the members of the Board that the harbor master should have so far disgraced himself by his misconduct during the first days of the new year as to necessitate suspension from his office; and that the Board, giving full consideration to Captain McLellan’s length of service, and to his promise that no occasion shall again be given for complaint, withdraw the suspension and re-instate him in his duties.”

The Board then adjourned till February 3rd, at 2 p. m.