FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2149, 13 July 1920, Page 3

FOXTON HARBOUR BOARD.

SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the Eoxton Harbour Board was held at Palmerston North yesterday afternoon. Present: Messrs J. Linklater (chairman), AY. Bock, T. J. Clapham, D. AY. Matheson, J. A. Nash, ALP., and E. R. B. Holben. An aponogy for absence was received from Air AY. E. Barber. The Chairman said that it was felt that the Board was not making as much progress as was desired, and the meeting was convened- for the purpose of discussing the bestmethod of speeding up the works. He asked the Engineer (Mr Jickell) to report as to the present position of works under his control. Air Joekell said that there had been considerable delay in. connection with the commencement of the building of the pontoon for the dredge machinery, owing to the difficulty in obtaining suitable timber. This, however, was now on the way, some of it being already in Eoxton, and a commencement with the building of same would be made immediately. ;

It was decided that the Engineer he requested to visit Eoxton as early as possible to arrange site for building pontoon for dredge, and immediate steps be taken for its construction and the installation of the dredge machinery. AVhen completed the first consideration to be the sand bars in the river, and arrangements be made with landowners for the spoil.

Mr Jiekell said that in connection with dredging operations four punts would be required to take away the spoil, and these would cost from £275 to £3OO each to construct. He liad made inquiries for second-hand punts in different parts of New Zealand, without success. Mr Nash said that before going to the expense of building the punts it would be advisable to get the dredge machinery installed on the pontoon and give same a trial to make sure that it is suitable for the Board’s purposes. This would not materially delay the dredging operations, and the Board Avould then bo sure, before going to any further expense, whether the dredge would answer the Board’s requirements or not.

The Chairman said that Mr Blair Mason and other engineers were confident that the dredge purchased would answer all requirements, and did not think there was any fear on this score. However, it would not delay matters to leave the question of the construction of the punts over in the meantime, and this course was adopted. The question of providing more storage accommodation at the wharf was considered, and it was decided that the engineer be instructed to proceed with the alterations to the building recently purchased from the West Coast Steamship Coy., in order to convert same into a goodshed, and that tenders be immediately called for the erection of the first section of the Board’s new shed and wharf.