PATEA HARBOR BOARD.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 499, 11 February 1880, Page 2

PATEA HARBOR BOARD.

T mb regular monthly meeting of the above Board was held on Monday last. Present —Messrs Sherwood (chairman)* Milroy, Gibson. Balaforth, Adams, Horner, and Newland. Minutes of previous meeting read and confirmed.

The following letter was read from R. B. Mcßae—l am informed that in leasing section 73 to Messrs Carey and Bourke, the Board reserved the right to take at any time Ivr chains wide of river frontage, without valuation; the Board to fence such portion ;.t its own cost, and allow in the rent for the diminished area. I have the honor to apply to your Board for 6-j- chains of river frontage by chains, being one acre, at the bend of the river below Carey’s house, for the purpose of erecting shipping yards for cattle, for a period expiring same term as the present lease —viz, June 20, 1808. I shall be prepared to submit plans of yards, which I am prepared to erect and maintain ; and will conform to the usual shipping charges for all cattle passed through; and will pay as a rental any reasonable charge the Board may impose. The Harbor Master reported as follows: —The north spit has made a little, owing to the heavy sea which was running in at the beginning of the month. The bar has shifted a little to the southward of breakwater, with same depth of water as before—viz, S feet at neap and 12 feet at spring tides; depth at end of breakwater, 12 feet at neap and 16 feet at spring tides ; width from breakwater to north spit, 150 feet at neap and spring tides. Men and punt have been engaged lifting snags. A yard for shipping cattle has been erected. Would reccommend that a race be put up in the yard for slinging cattle, as they would then be shipped in much less time, and would not be knocked about so much.— A. Wood.

The Engineer reported as follows : Since my last report the work lias gone on steadily ; the channel is good, and very fair progress has been made.— hi accordance with a minute of last meeting a small stock yard was erected on the river bank, and I am happy to be abb; to state that the first cargo of cattle was shipped as soon as we were ready, and found a good market in the other island. —1 lay before you a special report and set of plans on the snagging question ; also another import on the progress of the work up to tiic end of the year, showing past expenditure, &c.—Letters were written to the conductors ol the two snagging parties, requesting them to remove all stumps lying on foreshore near wharves. The owner o( the worst ono informed me that he was only waiting for a suitable snag to balance Ids punt, when he would at once lift the large stump and cut it up. — John Thomson.

The following tenders for ironwork were received : Williams and Hons—lron beacons, 4-J-cI per lb; rod and bar iron,-Id per lb; ordinary smiths' work, Gd per lb; bolls and mils, Gd per lb; spikes, 7d per lb. McCarty and Hunger—lron beacons, 4-i-d per lb; rod and bar iron, 3id per lb; ordinary smiths'' work. Gd per lb; bolts ahd nuts from to |n, 7d per lb, from |in, sid per lb: spikes, Gd per lb. Proposed by Mr Sherwood, seconded by Mr Balmforlh, ,£ That the tender of Williams and Sons, for ironwork, be accepted.” Proposed as an amendment by Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Miirny, “ That as the tenders arc so nearly equal in price, and in fact the lowest tender will depend on the quantity of material required of different kinds, the work be divided, giving each tenderer alternative months’ work.” The amendment was carried.

Proposed by Mr Sherwood, seconded by Mr Gibson, and carried, " That application be made to have the limits of the Port defined,- and that the coastal limits be the Waitotara Kiver on the one side, and tire Manawapou on the other; further, that the inland point bo about 20 miles direct np the river.” Proposed by Mr Sherwood, seconded by Mr Balmforth, “ That the Government bo informed that in the opinion of this Board, the railway goods and' passenger stations, and wharves, should be on the town side of the river, as by such a course the interests of the Board would be best conserved ; and that if the stations and wharves wore erected on the east side of the river, the Board would be deprived of its most valuable endowments, the proceeds from which have been pledged by way of part security for a loan of £IO,OOO, the estimates being arrived at on the supposition that the station and wharves would be erected on the town side of the river; and further, that Sir John Goode having, in his plans and report, indicated the position of a wharf on the site in question, the Board have decided to erect it thereon.”

Proposed as an amendment by Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Horner, “ That ibis Board deprecate any interference with the Government in the matter of the site for station, but respectfully urge the Government to commence the railway from this port, irrespective of side, but in accordance with what the Engineers report npon as being the best line for the port. The amendment was put and lost on division. —Ayes Newland, Horner, Gibson. Noes —Babnforlb, Milroy, Adams, Sherwood. The original motion was then put, and carried on division, as above. It was resolved to scud a copy to Government.

Proposed by Mr Milroy, seconded bjr Mr Adams, and carried, “ That the present breakwater at Heads be completed at a further length of twenty-five feet, in accordance with the original plans and specifications.” The Board then adjourned.