HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 35, 1 September 1887, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

A mektino of th»;U»rbour Board was held on Tuesday night. Present; Messrs Siev wright (Chairman), Townley, McDonald, * Porter, Matthewson, Dioksbn and Chambers. co&ttfidrosiißittits. From Hinds Brotlieis, acknowledging receipt of letter of Board expressing satisfaction with the way the Aikshaw’s cargo was worked. Telegram from Johnson and Company advising the Board of the arrival of the Blair Drummond with cement for the breakwater. —Received, Telegram from John Wilson, Auckland, asking the Harbour Board to carefully compare his cement with the Imported article. The Chairman stated that the Engineer had on hand- a series of testing experiments with regard to this eemeute—Telegratn received, From Robert Houlden, Attorney for T. Hcughey, respecting the block mould contract.

Mr Dickson thought that the Engineer should give, an explanation. Mr Matthewson thought there was something very irregular about this coutraot, and also in the way the Engineer gave certificates. He moved that the Finance Committee report on the matter to the next meeting of the Board.—This was carried, PUBLIC WOBKS COMMIMTKE, The Committee reported that Mr H. E. Johnston’s tender for coal at 35s 9d had been accepted. The Gas Company’s tender was 355. Mr Dickson understood that the Gas Company had offered to supply the coal at 9d per ton cheaper than Johnston and Co., he could not understand why Mr Johnston's tender had been accepted, Mr Sievwright said that the Committee had carefully considered the tenders, and he thought the report should be adopted, Mr McDonald moved the adoption of the report This was seconded and carried, Mr Dickson voting no. The Engineer reported •• I have the honor to report as follows:— Both the concrete walls for the first hundred feet of breakwater are finished, and the filling-in about half done. We have one hundred blocks made, and the greater number stacked. Tendc s for a small cargo of coal will be in to-day. Mr Bailey reports he is making good progress with the diver’s boats, and that the small one is finished. The Blair Drummond, with block-setting machine and cement, is now ia Wellington, and we may expect her here in three or four weeks. Messrs Wingate Burns 4 Co. have delivered above five hundred casks of cement; the remainder will be landed as the vessel passes back again to Auckland. The work generally isiprogresstug favorably," FINANCE REPORT. The Clerk brought up a supplementary financial report which had been asked for by Major Porter’s motion some weeks ago. The report was laid upon the table for the information of the members. The report was as follows :—

The accounts to December 31st last having been returned from the auditor and Con-..oiler-General certified to, enables me to uiaish the Board with an approximate state meat of its account* for the current year as asked for in May last. No. 1, General Account : After taking credit for the sum of £6680 interest paid by il.e Bank on fixed deposits during the year, a Dr. balance of £10,989 18s lid is shown, after paying the sum of £5141 15s lid inter, est on lom and expenses in remitting in May last. It is this overdraft which the Auditor says must now be paid. On September 9th a further.sum of £5OOO and exchange will need to be drawn from this account for remission to London to meet the coupons due on November Ist.

2nd, Loan Account: After recrediting this account with the sum of £4107 5s (surplus on Ioan) which was done by the Auditor but not admitted by the Board, now shows a credit balance to the total of £132,009 Is 91. The following contracts have been accepted by the Board and are now outstanding Cement contracts, £B7OB 6s 8,1; boats and lighterage contracts, £175 10s8d. Total, £BBB3 17s 4d. Nett available for works, after allowing for outstanding contracts, £124,026 4s 61. No. 3, Fixed Deposit Account; Of the sum of £130,000 now current the amount of £15,0C0 falls due on 14th October, yielding £3OO Interest ; the balance of receipts not falling due till 14th April next, no interest will be available from this source this year beyond tue £3OO above stated. The total amount of accrued interest on current deposits is LlB7B 18s Id ; amount of interest payable on 14th April next will be £5750. No. 4, the Rate Account: The rate struck by the Board of |d in the £ on Couuty properly and Id .in the £ on Borough property wilt produce £3OOO and £1057 6> nspeolively, in all the sum of £4057 6e, which, in accordance with the Act, will have to be credited to " interest account,” which practically up to the present time has not existed, As this rate has been made payable in two instalments on Ist Sept, and let March next, not more than half the actual amouut of the rate can be relied on as available bofoie the 81st Dec., the date of the annual audit.

No. 51 The total amount of monthly wages, Hilaries, and expenses chargeable to loan account averages about £466. The rest of ths information requested by Major Porter's leeolutlon with reference to plant has been fully furnished by the Engineer in hie returhs of 21st May last, Trusting that the above statement of the position of the accounts may appear clear to the members of the Board,—l have the honor to be, &c,, J. Bourne, Treasurer. PAYMENMB. The following payments were authorised Wharfinger £6, Weighbridge keeper £l, Harbour Master £l6 13s 4d, Secretary £8 6a Bd, Wharf acoonnts £7 9s 9d, C. Wilson £5 6s, Wingate, Burns and Company £390, R. Wheeler £1 14s 6d, H. E. Johnston £ll 19s 3d, G. Humphreys £8 9s 6d, J, Kennedy £l2 4s 6d, Brown and Smail £2 14s, Boylan and Croll £l7 18s Bd, W. O. Sheet £2l 7s 6d, J. Grady £9 3s, P, McLaughlin £7l 4s 4d, Wages £227 8s lid.; SPECIAL RATE. Mr Townley moved, and Mr Dickson seconded, a resolution in favor of the striking of a Harbour rate of id in the £ on town property and Id in the £ on country ditto. Mr Matthewson moved as an amendment that the discussion of tbe motion be adjourned until the next meeting when he trusted there would be a larger attendance of members. This amendment not finding a seconder the resolution was passed, Mr Matthewson recording his vote to the negative. THE HARBOUR BILL. The motion by Mr Chambers re the Harbour Board Act Amending Biil came up for discussion. The Chairman said he could hardly accept the motion which was, in one clause, against the spirit of a resolution standing upon the minutes. Mr Chambers contended that he was perfectly justified in bringing up the motion. After some discussion the motion was adjourned until a special meeting on Friday next.