LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2338, 30 September 1881, Page 3

LYTTELTON HARBOR BOARD.

A meeting of the Lyttelton Harbor Board was held yesterday at 2 p.m. Present —Hon. B. Richardson (chairman), Hon. J. T. Peacock, Messrs 0. W. Turner, P. Cunningham, E. GK Wright, E. J. 8. Harman, H. P. Murray-Aynsley, E. Allan, H. Sawtell and the Mayor of Lyttelton. —Mr Wright asked why no notices were sent to the members at Wellington of the ordinary meetings of the Board, In connection with other bodies of which he was a member the notices had been sent. It was obvious that most important business might be transacted, of which the members absent in Wellington would be ignorant. He should like to know whether the secretary acted under the Harbor Act in this. —The Chairman said that the members who had to attend Parliament had applied for, and received, leave of absence. He believed that the secretary had acted strictly in accordance with the practice observed last session. If, however, members required notices to be sent, it might be arranged for in the future.—The Mayor of Lyttelton said that it was very important that the notices of ordinary meetings should be sent to the members at Wellington, as in case of any important business the members might desire to come down,—The Chairman said that he felt sure in a case of important business being brought before the Board, the acting chairman would take care that all members had notice. However, if it were thought desirable, the secretary would now take a note of the fact that members when absent in Parliament desired to have the notices of meeting sent them.—The acting chairman (Mr E. J- 8. Harman) said that ha desired to say that no blame rested on the secretary. He had simply carried out the practice which had obtained during all previous sessions. The Chairman said—The following sums have been paid in to the Board’s account since last meeting : Towage and warps, &c., £223 19s. The finance committee met yesterday and considered the Board’s financial requirements to the 31st December next, and they decided that it was necessary to place the £15,000 of fixed deposits, which mature on the 2nd prox., to the credit of current account; also that an additional credit of £I6OO on London, in favor of Messrs Bell and Miller, for the dock caisson, should bo established. The engineer’s monthly report will be read. In connection with it I would suggest that the question of the additional plant, &c., required in connection with the working of the dock be at onco referred to the harbor improvement committee. On the 21st instant I received a letter from Messrs Bell and Miller by the last San Francisco mail, dated the 291 h July, stating that the caisson will, they believe, be completed in another month. Now, as the contract date for completion was the 18th June last, and this would make it two months behind time, I cabled home to them at once asking when it was shipped, and to enforce penalties and explain delay, as the dock work here was drawing towards completion.

As yet I hare not received any reply. A* the present month is not completed, I am. unable to lay the dredging returns on the table; but, I may state that the dredge will commence the dredging in front of the new timber breastwork, between the screw-pile jetty and the Gladstone Pier, on Monday next. It ia thought that it will take about three weeks to complete. I may say the dredge’s boiler has again been troublesome, and requiring a stoppage of a day and a half for repairs. The harbormaster reports it will be necessary to employ the Minna Bell scoop dredge to the east of the screw-pile jetty, along the face of the breastwork where the ordinary dredge cannot reach. Mr Turpin reports that the Minna Bell will have to bo put on the slip for cleaning, &c. Two offers for slipping her will be laid before yon, and I will also ask the Board to authorise the Minna Bell being put to work as soon as possible, as I am of opinion, judging from such information as I can obtain, that this work will take from three to four months to complete, taking into account that the tug will tow the vessel to and from the place of discharge as often as her services CAn _ be availed of. Tenders for the export grain shed on the breastwork wore received at noon to-day, and will be opened this afternoon. The Government have replied, approving of the plan of this shed. In consequence of tho largo number of contractors requiring the plans and specifications, three copies had to be made. On the day of the Board’s last meet" ing, Mr Harman and the secretary saw Mr Drummond Maopherson, and that gentleman agreed to extend the Board's tenancy of these oiSces till the 31st of March next, pending the Board’s decision on tho question of the Christchurch office. A tender of 3s 6d per cwt. for the eight ton* of scrap iron was received from Mr a. Buchanan, of the City Foundry, and accepted. An offer of £5 has also been received from R. Norris for the old boat belonging to the engineer’s department, and will be accepted, I will ask the Board to pass a resolution today issuing an order to all their employes sot to take any part in the ensuing election ia Lyttelton for member to serve in the General Assembly beyond recording their votes. By this action I do not intend in any way to redact on the officers of the Board, but in view of the fact that two members of this Board have announced themselves as candidates, I think it right that there should be no misunderstanding upon the matter among the employes. On the 2nd of last June the Board passed a resolution postponing the consideration of the finance committee’s report on the proposed reduction of harbor charges. I mention this as probably it will be the wish of the Board to ocaaider the question at their next monthly meeting. The engineer’s rspsrt was read, reporting that good progress was being made with the dock, and that the body of it was nearly completed. The report was as follows : The Chairman Lyttelton Harbor Board. During a gale of wind recently, some damag was done to the Naval Point breakwater, which,

I think, should be repaired as soon as possible. I have arranged with the contractors for the dock to supply large stones to make good the breaches in the pitching, provided the Board approve of the work being done and the price asked as per letter herewith. At the same time some _ damage was done to the end of the screw pile jetty by the s.s. Hawea, which I had repaired at once. Tenders will be submitted for a single storey shed, to be erected on the new reclaimed land; this will be without a concrete or other kind of floor, as the time would not admit of this being laid down ready for use at the next grain season. It was also thought that after the ground had carried the weight of grain stored in the shed, it would be in a better condition to afterwards have a concrete floor laid down. The works of the dock are making very satisfactory progress. Nearly the whole of the floor is now laid, and not much remains to be done to complete the body of the dock : the excavations for wells and engine-house are nearly completed, and most of the material fer culverts, wells, and buildings on the ground. No word has been received of the shipping of the caissons, and as the dock will probably be completed sooner than was expected, some delay is likely to arise from the caissons being behind time. I would recommend that the Board procure a supply of Oregon and other suitable timber shores for the use of ships in dock. Plans for the small slip have been delayed for some time ; I propose, however, to have them ready before the completion of the dock, so that the work may be commenced as soon as the d;ck is finished. (Signed) C. Napise Bell. The report was discussed by the Board.— Mr Cunningham moved—“ That the engineer be instructed to arrange with the dock contractors for the supply of large stones for making up the outer slope of (he Naval Point breakwater at a price of 7s 6d per yard.”— Mr Harman seconded the motion, which was agreed to. The Chairman read a letter from the contractors at home dated 4th of July last, stating that the caisson would be finished in a month from date. He bad sent a cablegram to the contractors informing them that the penalty for non-performance of contract (they being some months behind time) would be enforced, as the dock was nearly finished.—The action of the chairman was approved.—Mr Harman moved—" That the harbour improvement committee be requested to report as to the plant necessary for working the dock.”—Mr Turner seconded the motion pro forma, expressing his hope that nothing would be done in the matter of procuring plant for working the dock until the whole subject hod bsen considered. It might be that the dock would be let, and then in that case the lessee would have to provide the plant.—The Chairman said that it was necessary that the Board should consider this question early, because the dock would bo finished by the end of tho year.—Mr Cunningham expressed the opinion that it was necessary for the Board to consider not only the point mentioned in the resolution, but also the whole question of the management of the dock. Ho thought it would be a good thing if this wore embodied in Mr Harman’s resolution.—Mr Harman said ho would add tho following words to the resolution: “To report as to the best system of working the dock, and the means which should be adopted to carry out the same.” The resolution as amended was put and agreed to. — The Board authorised the employment of the Minna 8011, as recommended by the engineer, and also accepted the tender or Mr Q-rubb for slipping the Minna Bell.—Mr Wright moved—“ That tho employes of the Board be ordered to abstain in the coming election from taking any part therein bsyond recording their votes.”—Mr Allan seconded the motion.—Tho Mayor of Lyttelton said that he wished to say that be had heard in Christchurch that the secretary of the Board had gone through the roll, and had marked off the names of tho voters on the roll, distinguishing those who would vote for each of the two candidates members of the Board likely to come forward in the coming contest. —Mr Williams desired most emphatically to deny that there was the slightest foundation in the statement of the Mayor of Lyttelton. He had never, as stated, gone through the roll and ticked off tho names of voters. —The Mayor of Lyttelton had of course to .accept the public denial of the secretary. At the same time he had been told in Christchurch that the secretary had done this. All he wished to say was that this prohibition came rather late in the day, because if there was any mischief dene, it was already dene.—The Chairman said that if the Board carried this resolution ho would take care that the employes of the Board were made aware of it. —The resolution was then, with the alteration of the word “ ordered ” to “ requested,” put and carried.—Tho tenders for the erection of tho grain shod on the Gladstone pier were opened, and that of Messrs McKenzie and Co., fer £5113 15s Id, accepted, subject to tho engineer's report.— Mr Wright gave notice of motion, as follows :—“ That, in consideration of the large proportion of revenue derived from the counties of Ashley and Ashburton and the Borough of Sydenham, this Board is of opinion that the said districts are entitled to representation on the Board, and requests the Government to make the necessary alterations in tho Harbors Act to effect this object.— Mr Wright asked the engineer when the dredging inside the limits of the inner harbor would be completed.—Tho Chairman said that there was a plan before tho Board showing tho dredging operations up to a recent date, and the engineer had reported that there was about fifteen months' work still to bedone. Perhaps it would be as well to ask the engineer to report at next meeting.—Mr Wright only desired to utk roughly the date when the operations would be completed. The Board adjourned to November 3rd at ' Lyttelton, after passing accounts to the ' amount of £B3IB 15s.

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