HOKITIKA HARBOUR BOARD

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1929, Page 3

HOKITIKA HARBOUR BOARD

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31st. The Board met at I p.m. Present: Messrs G. A. Wood (Chairman), E. W. Ilecnaii, M. Houston. W. Ziegler and W. E. Richards. The minutes were confirmed and correspondence outward approved. INWAR i) COR R KSPONHENCE. From .Marine Department staff, Wellington. forwarding season's greetings.—. Received. From West Coast -Sawmills. Ltd., forwarding dues payable.—Received. From Harbours Association, forwarding order paper for conference.—Received. The Chairman regretted thatowing to ill health he bad been unable to represent the Board. From Ai.cArtlmr and Co., Wellington, acknowledging notification for master of Zingara.—Received. From Audit Department, Wellington, in reference, to receipt.—Received. From Paterson Michel and Co., Ltd., stating Boards letter would be forwarded to their principals.—Received, From Kanicri-llokitika Sawmills (published below). — Received: no action taken. From Paterson Michel and Co., Ltd.) in reference to the damage done to north wall by the Zingara backing into it. and offering £l6 towards payment. -Received. REPORTS. From Signalman as follows:I beg to report that the channel oi’i-r the bar is in good condition running straight out to sea carrying during llie past three weeks from eleven to I'm i id ecu dYvt of water. Tin* entrance to the river is wide and easy of navigation. (hi the morning of Wednesday. 10th January, at 1.60 a.in. the Zingara outward bound grounded on llie main south beach about 160 yards south of the souLli breakwater- —the vessel never actually reached the bar. Tile sea was moderate at the (inn* and (lie channel was wide and straight carrying no less: t linn thirteen teet o-l water. The beacons wore on the north wall with a west-south-west lead. The Gael entered the port less than an hour before the accident reporting a smooth bar. At about 3.16 a.in. along with Captain Bald and Air E. Keenan I crossed over the river to the stranded vessel. She was then driven bv the seas io within fifty yards of t.h,. south breakwater, where she finally took the ground owing to the tide leaving her. At daylight I noticed her starboard rudder chain was broken. The same day after 1 p.m. the tug Westland crossed tho liar for the purpose ol towing the stranded Zingara off. A line was successfully got aboard the Tug from the extreme end of the south breakwater when some three or four big surges carried the vessel up on to the spit close to the end of the old -south wall and the boo-in-ning of the new south brcak.w atei. The vessel was refloated the following day at about 3.30 p.m. with little damage. I beg to report that -the strain,cd Zingara came in contact with the south wall on Tuesday, 22nd, and io-maine-d in that position until Monday. 28th, when she was again re moved dear of the wall. No further damage may be expected as long as she remains in her present position. The damage to the wall consists of 21 hack struts carried awav as a result of the vessel sitting on the back slay | born flown to pulp. At tin's point the sheath piling i minus of struts or stays for a distance of about 116 feet: 13 spans averaging from 16 to 16 loot ol the t'-p I| work consisting of two 12x1-1. snac-d about <1 feet apart. erected shout- 6 foot above the main wall, have also been carried away.- Received. The Chairman and Mr Houston wort deputed to wait on the ship’s ropreit,ati’ms in regard to the damage to the south wall. ft was resolved to obtain an estimate of the cost involved to replace the lost struts and make the south wall safe, the Chairman and Air Keenan to attend and point out the required work. Accounts yunountiug to 6d->6 Ns ,‘)d were passed for payment. The Board rose at 6 p.m. letter and reply. The following corrcspondem-e was read at yesterday's Harbour Board meeting: ~~ FROM BO MI D. The Kanieri-Hokitika Sawmill, Ltd. Dear Sirs,—At a special meeting of (.ho Board held this morning T was directed to write you and say Unit the Board in granting your tramway right, did so, relying on your si a lenient that no limber would lie stacked on the wharf. Thai i< does not now nhi'-e imv depends nee on any assurance from von and that immedialelv uiiv more limber is placed by you on (he wharf your I ramway right will he cancelled and the timber removed at vour expense. R. WILD, Secretary, Harbour Board. FROM K AN I '*'R 1-HOI-.'' TIE A HAWAII LLS, LTD. Dear Sir,—With reference lo vour letter of 2nd insl., we take very strong exeeption to your statements regarding tin: placing of timber on the wharf, and the use of the tramway light granted to us. As you are aware- wharf facilities for the loading of limber are most unsatisfactory -due principally to the doeaved condition of the whaii. and in order to assist the position generally to faeiVitutb loading opera-

tions, we went, to the expense of constructing the tramline, thereby leaving tbe few skids available for other mills, and we consider our action should li ave been appreciated by your Board, whereas instead an unreasonable charge of £3 16s was made for the tramway right. With reference to placing 'timber on the wharf, several millers placed timber on llie wharf, bill as soon as we received vour instructions not to place it there, we removed it as soon as possible. We make bold to say that during the past thirty years the writer has been responsible for shipping considerably more timber from the Hokitika Wharf Ilian anyone else, and has therefore assisted in a practical way to keep tbe port of Hokitika open. We. fee! that instead of taking tin a hostile attitude your Board should endeavour to assist to promote local trade for Ihe benefit of this district, and the Hokitika Harbour Board. At times there will not be sufficient Umber •-'vil.ible to he: p ihe present boats trailing here regularly unless some supplies are obtained lroni outside mills that send their timber in by rail. Therefore we suggest that your Board should seriously consider the necessity of making facilities so that the boats can load timber from tho railway wagons, as is usually done at all other ports. This matter \\e consider is very urgent and necessary. Trusting your Board will favourably consider the matter of providing suitable facilities for timber at the wharf. ' D. I’. STUART, Manager.