HARBOUR BOARD.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 443, 28 September 1877, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Board was hskl to-day at the Harbour Chambers. There were present —Messrs. Sumpter (Chairman), Steward, Menlove, Keid, Meek, and Borrie. MINUTES, ETC. The minutes of the last meeting were read a.i:d confirmed, and the outward correspoud■ckco read and .approved. S U-K OF SECTIONS. The Board's Solicitor, Mr. Creagh, waited upon the Board with the conditions of sale and the drafts of leases for the various sections to be sold on Monday, which were adopted. On the motion of Mr. Steward, seconded by Mr. J-leid, it was resolved, "That the auctioneer be instructed to state that the Board will construct at its own expense the railway sidings shown on the plan, provided the sanction of the Government is obtaine .(; lessees to be afterwards responsible in terms of their leases for maintenance of the lines in good order and condition ; and the Board undertakes to release any purchaser, if he so desires, should it happen that the consent of the Government is refused to the construction of the sidings shown on any of them by which the access to either of the properties respectively is affe.jted." ( " BREAKWATER RAILWAY.

The following telegram was read from Mr. J. Knowles, Under-Secretary for Public Works : legal authority anywhere for construction and working of the Macandrew branch line.

It is proposed to. remedy this defect by declaring in t.ie Amended Public Works Bill—;that ib'be deemed a: railway under the PubWorks Act, 1876,. securing you power to deal with the public' traffic. The Minister supposes you have no objection." It "was resolved, '"That the Board approves of the proposal to bring the line in question under the Public Works Act for administrative purpo-es only, provided always that in so doing there is no interference witli the proprietary rights of the Board, and that care is taken specifically to provide for this in express terms in the amending Bill proposed." CEMENT. A letter was read from Guthrie and Larnach stating that there were 479 barrels of cement for the Board on board the Martha Scott, and 422 barrels on board the Waimea. THE LOAN. A letter was read from Mr. Herdman, Manager of the Union Bank, stating that the London Manager had succeeded in obtaining from the Committee of the (Stock Exchange an ofiic al quotation for the L(i5,000 loan in their list. CAPTAIN SKWELL'S CLAIM. A long letter was read from (Japt. Sewell, giving the result of his visit to Wellington and his interview with the Government on the subject of his claim to compensation as a retiring provincial officer. He also enclosed a letter from the Under-Secretary on the subject, which we are unable to publish through want of space. It was resolved that Capt. Sewell's letter be. acknowledged, and that lie be advised that the Board will take such action to further his claim for compensation as it may deem advisable." MR. HISLOP AND THE ENDOWMENT. Some diseiissi n took place on the subject of the letter from Mr. Hislop, read at the last meeting, intimating that he would oppose any Biil brought in to vest the endowment permanently in the Board. Eventually the following resolution was adopted on the motion of Mr. Steward, seconded by Mr. Menlove : —"That the Board expresses its regret that Mr. Hislop is unable to see his way to further its expre-sed wishes with reference to the endowment reserve, and respectfully requests to be furnished with his reason in writing for declining to do so. The Board will be g ad to be furnished with any suggestions on the subject which Mr. Hislop may desire to make ; and while on its j>art desiring that the endowment should be vested in the Bo ird itself, would prefer that it should be vested in local trustees to its being solely under the control of the Waste Lands Board, the special object of the Board being to prevent the alienation of the land by sale, and thus to secure the perpetuity of the endowment." ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of LII7S were passed for payment.