HARBOR BOARD.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2598, 4 August 1882, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the above waa held at 2 p.m. yesterday. Present—Messrs B. J. 8. Harman (obairman), O. W. Turner, P. Cunningham, H. Sawtell, B. Allan, and Hon. B. Richardson. The Chairman made bis usual statement. The sum reoeived since last meeting for wharfage, &0., was stated at £1346 18s 2d. The dredging returna for the month ahowed that 159 barge loads, amounting to 28,680 cubic yards, or 39,750 tona, had been removed. The ahipping return for July showed that ninety-two vessels had entered inwards during the month, the aggregate tonnage of which amounted to 25,703 tons. The Lyttelton Borough Council had expressed their desire to co-operate with the Board in the matter of eleotrio lighting for the port. The Government having handed over the site on Norwich Quay for the Sailors' Home, the Board could now take aotion in the matter. The granting the use of the tug to take the Olynder to sea on Sunday, July 23rd, was explained as being a matter of necessity. The aotion of the obairman with reipeot to harbor defence was referred to, and also the intention of the Government to send to England for four torpedo boats, and to construct the platforms for the heavy gune. A tribute of praise was paid to Sir John Hall, Hon. B O. J. Stevens and Mr Allwright for their assistance in the matter.

The report of the engineer was read refer. r>'ng to the oonstruotion of a permanent boat landing and the slip, also as to the condition of No. 1 intermediate jetty, which required repairing in the floor. The engineer submitted the interim plana of the slip. After consideration, the Board deoided to postpone any aotion on this matter until the engineer brought up the completed plans. It was resolved that the engineer oarry out the neoessary works for the strengthening of No. 1 intermediate jetty, aa recommended in the report.

The ohairman brought up the report of the harbor improvement committee, the salient points of which are as follows . Your committee having made inquiiy into the question of staking the estuary of the rivers Heathcote and Avon, recommend that the work be carried out at a cost not exceoding .£SO. The Sumner pilot to assist in the work, but so as not to interfere with bis pi'ot's duties. Aftar goicg fully into the question with Mr Meddinga of lighting the harbor by electricity, the committc a requested that gentleman to furnish the B'>ard with a report of the cost of establishing arid maintaining six 3COO candle power lights on the wharves; and ulpo to report on the question of whether the Board's electrio lighting airangements would adm>t of their, connecting with the lyttelton Borough's proposed system for lighting the town with advantage to both. Tour committee desire r d express their opinion that it wou'd be a vast improvement upon the present system of lighting the wharves and hirbor by the establishment of well placed electrio lights, and they have no hesitation in recommending the Board to take immediate steps towards initiating such a system as Mr Medilings points out as the most suitable to meet the requirements of the port. The committee fnrther reoommended that the dredge Erakine be lengthened end widened, so as to be enabled to dredge to the depth of 25ft at low water inside the molea. The committee were averse to the put chase of a planing machine, and to widening the screw pile jetty and building a shed thereon. They ' recommended the construction of a ship's berth, 450 ft lot g, with not less then 18ft at low water, near the graving dook, about 150 ft only to be built at pruent, with conorete base for shear legs. On olause 1 of the report, Mr Turner asked whether the Board had made any enquiries as to the fad of a steamer being employed on the estuary. Mr Allan said a steam launoh wr i now at work. The Ohairman said he had the same assurance.

The clause was passed. On clause 2, The secretary read the following letter from Mr Meddings:—" Ohristohuroh, A.ugast 3rd. Gentlemen —In accordance with your wish, I forward herewith an estimate for lighting the town of Lyttelton with the electric light. I find that it will be necessary to erect five lamps of 2000 candle-power each in the position 'shown on the accompanying plan. Haoh lamp would burn 1500 hours a year, or 276 hours longer than the present gas lamps. The wires, after clearing the railway, I would recommend to be erected on polos- to save expense. My estimate provides for this system.' The position of the lamps hn been fixed so as to take advantage of the light provided by your Board's wnarf lights. If your Board and the Borough Oounoil decide to light the harbor and town from one centre,' and by one set of machinery, the maintenance will be considerably reduced. One engineer and an r sistant could do the whole of the work, but, as the borough would be benefitted so considerably by your wharf lights, I consider it should pay two-thirds of the value, thus reducing the maintenance to £337 10s. The Board would also reduce the maintenance of its system to £430 16 j Bd, as against £SBO 16 j 8d in former report, by dispensing wi*"engineer and assistants. By dispensing the outer lamp on tho Gladstone Pier a saving of about £2OO would be effected, but I would strongly recommend the Board to ereot it, and thus carry out my plan in its entirety. I feel convinced that the lamp would be required before long, when the cost would be a great deal more than tho Bum that would now be saved. It, aB well as any other

lamp, need not be lighted except when required. In all probability three or four lamps will be found ample light for the harbor, except on foggy nightß or when working vessels. By working both systems from one centre a considerable saving would be effected in machinery and buildings, and the first cost would be reduced. " W. G. Mbddihgs." The estimate for lighting the tow a of Lyttelton was stated at £I4OO. The Chairman suggested that a special committee of the harbor improvement committee should be instructed to meet the Lyttelton Borough Council and oonfer with them on the subject of electric lighting, Mr Sawtell moved —" jt'hat the harbor improvement committee be requested to meet the Lyttelton Borough Council and confer with them on the subject of the electric lighting of the town and wharves." Mr Allan seconded the motion, whioh was agreed to. On clause 3, ra the drodging plant, the chairman stated that the cost, as estimated by Mr Turpin, of carrying out the lengthening would be £l2lO. This would inolude the lensthening of the dredge twelve feet. Mr Turner asked whether the Board intended to do the work by contract, or otherwise

The Chairman said Mr Turpin did not appear to contemplate oalling for tenders. Hon. Mr Bichardson moved—" That clause 3 be agreed to, and that effect be given to it aa eoon as possible." Mr Cunningham seconded the motion, which was carried. A slight amendment was made in one clause, and the report as a whole adopted. The Chairman read a telegram from Mr E. G, Wright respecting the date of election of the new Board, and also as to the postponement of the time of commencing the work of dredging the inner harbor ; and also telegrams passing between Mr Wright and himself with respect to the amended Bill. He had, so soon as it csme out of the Lower Houee, forwarded to Hon. Mr Peacock the resolution of the Board on the subject. The question of providing buoys and life lines for the outlying jetties under the jurisdiction of the Board was next considered, arising out of a letter sent from the foreman of the jury at the inquest held on the body of—Brricksonj drowned recently at Purau. The Chairman suggested that an expenditure ef £ls would very likely be suffioient. Mr Allan moved—" That the sum of £ls be expended in the purchase o£ buoys and life lines for use on outlying wharves and jetties under the jurisdiction of the Board." The motion was agreed to on the understanding that the ohairtnan would moke en.

quiries into the matter, bo as to see that the money was not spent fruitlessly. An application was reoeived from the harbor master asking for a month's leave of absence to enable him to visit Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland, with a view of inspecting the working of harbor arrangements in those ports. < The Board agreed to grant the leave required. A letter was read from Mr Sinclair, enclosing a letter from the City of Perth Company, asking for a reduction in the charge of £650 towage made for the services of the steam tug Lyttelton. The Board, after discussing the matter, declined to make the redaction. '

| The Board deoided, in referenoe to-the I letter of the timber merchants complaining of the oharges for transhipment, to co-operate with them in endeavoring to obtain a reduction of railway rates. Aooonnts to the amount of £1446 14s 2d were passed for payment. It was agreed that the harbor improvement oommittee meet the Lyttelton Borough Council re electric lighting on Monday next, at 11 a m.

The Board then adjourned till August 31st, at Cbristchuroh.