THAMES HARBOUR BOARD

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4659, 8 February 1924, Page 4

THAMES HARBOUR BOARD

REGULAR MEETING. The Thames Harbour Board ,net 011 Tuesday evening, the following members being present: Messrs R. Coulter (chairman), S. J. Laughlin, A. A. Wagstaff, E. N. Miller, J. W. Danby, and S. Hetherington. The secretary, Mr E. V. Sanders, was in attendance, and was officially welcomed by the chairman. REPRESENTATION FOR PAEROA. Che Secretary, Marine Department, Wellington, wired that with regard to an additional member, the Law Office advised that there was no power under the Act for the Minister to appoint or for an election to be held under the Act as it stood at present. The change in the constitution of the board would only operate at the next election, and there was nothing in the Act to show that Parliament contemplated the increased membership operating prior to that date. He would write fully on the position. FIDELITY BOND. The chairman stated that he had called at the office, cf the insurance company in regard to the fidelity bond, and had discussed the matter with the manager. A letter should be recpiyed in a week or two. In his opinion' there was little chance of the company paying the full amount claimed, as there was a clause in the policy., providing that no claims for defalcations for a greater period than twelve months would be met. The ’fidelity bond,.was. therefore of little use to local bodies, as an audit was usually not made until twelve months after : the period concerned. He moved .that a remit on the matter be sent to the local bodies, conference Seconded by Mr Wagstaff and carvied. THE LOAN. A firm of financial brokers at Wellington wrote advising that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to place the Board’s loan of £60,,000 at less than 6 per cent., the principal and interest being payable in Australia. If the Board was prepared to pay this interest the loan could be placed for 36, years,, tlie sum to be advanced at par in such instalments as desired. The chairman reported having made several inquiries aqd had found that it would be”a difficult matter to raise the loan' in New Zealand owing, to the debenture tax. It could pqssilby be done in Australia, Negotiations, had been resumed, with the bank, and a favourable report was to .be expected next month. The interest rates would probably be high, hut this would be offset, by only lifting small amounts as required. This could not be done with some financial institutions Tn reply to Mr. Wagstaff.the chairman said that the. engineer would have the plans and specifications ready for the work to commence when the money was available. Everything was being done to push the matter on without delay. SHORTLAND, SPIT BUOY. Mr R. E. Thorp, harbourmaster, Thames River, wrote stat jpg that for a. considerable time the buoy marking the edge of the Shortland Spit had been out of position, and has been causing great inconvenience to vessels trading up the river. The writer asked if it was the board’s intention to replace the buoy in position, as vessels were frequently being stuck, on the spit through being misguided by the buoy. The secretary reported that the buoy had since been put in position. Mr Thorp later wrote that he had noticed that the buoy had been returned to its former position. As the channel had shifted, he suggested that the buoy should be shifted to a better position. Qu Mr Laugh 1 inis motion, seconded by the chairman., it was decided to siiift the buoy as suggested. PRICE OF POST LIGHT. The Acetone Illuminating and Welding Co., Ltd., Napier, wrote stating that their qoute in August, 1922, for a post light could now be reduced by 15 per cent. RECORDING OF VESSELS. Mr C. G. Collins, Audit Department, Auckland, wrote suggesting a system .of recording the arrival and deaprture of vessels to and from the Thames Harbour. The secretary reported that he had commenced such a system. MISSING LIFEBELTS. The official at Turua reported the disappearance of another lifebelt from the Turua - wharf. There was little chance of it having been blown away, as suggested, and it had not been seen floating in the river. He had not heard of any of the missing belts being recovered, and was forced to the conclusion that they had been deliberately removed from the peg. The chairman said that class of theft was becoming a serious matter. Apparently the police wore not very active On the motion of Mr Laughlin, kecomled by the chairman, it was decided to ask the Police Department to look in'o the matter. , INSPECTION OF WORKS. The chairman suggested that a tour of. the waterfront be made the day following the next meeting.—Agreed to. INSURANCE. It was decided to insure the board’-; property to its full insurable value. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £4'3l 12s 7d were passed for payment. The secretary reported that over £l2oo' was standing in accounts due to the board. He was taking action to recover these debts. ' PROPOSED WORKS. The engineer, Mr E. F. Adams, wrote forwarding a letter from the Public Works Department district engineer at Auckland asking for certain information and reports in connection with the new harbour works, and stating that he proposed visiting Thames in January to look over the plans of the proposed works. The secretary reported that Mr Baker had called on January 30 and had been s applied with, the information he desired.