HARBOR BOARD.

Patea Mail, 14 December 1880, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting was held yesterday. Present, Messrs Sherwood (chairman), Milroy, Adams, Balmforth, and Newland. K XGIX KKll’.S KK J ’OK T. 11 The contractor, Mr Dickson, has completed the cattle wharf in a very creditable and substantial manner. There have been some alterations in the contract, such as boarding in the cattle run on river side and making an extra yard for pigs and sheep, all of which is shown in the accounts relating thereto. It would bo an improvement if the two small yards and cattle run were paved, and a fence and open drain made under the cliff to keep the yard dry. “ Owing to the very rough weather and heavy sea we have had for the last month the entrance at the heads has not been good ; the sea having thrown up a great quantity of sand on the spit, causing it to overleap the end of breakwater.” I'JKOT’s report, Mr Wood reported : “ The bar has been completely blocked up since Dec. 2nd, with hardly any entrance. The heavy sea on the bar would not let the scour force its way through the north spit : the sand being banked up by the heavy sea brought the tail end of the spit below the boulder bank, with 9 feet at springs, and the channel very narrow, with a broadside sea up to the end of breakwater. But the fresh coming down yeserday drove through the spit, and made a straight channel. The fresh is running very strong now, scouring away the north spit, making the channel wide between breakwater and spit. The heavy westerly sea against the heavy fresh will likely bring the entrance to the southward of the breakwater. The works are standing tbs heavy sea and fresh well. Thirty-three vessels have crossed the bar since last report. Two crossed at night. Man and punt have been engaged lifting snags.” The Board adjourned at this stage to inspect the new wharf prior to taking it from the contractor. APPRO ACHES TO WIIA UK. After inspecting the wharf the Board resumed. The Chairman proposed, Mr Milroy seconded, and the Board resolved “ That the reclamation works from the end of Yorlc-strcot to the lower side of the present store be taken over from the contractor.” WHARF SHEDS. The Chairman moved “ That a plan and estimate be prepared for the erection of a warehouse on the reclamation works size to be 40x30 feet, sides and roof to be of galvanised iron; also that the store at the upper wharf be removed to connect with the new store ; the whole to be in one contract. This was agreed to. OBJECTIONS TO WHARF CONTRACT. The Engineer had presented a certificate to the effect that the new wharf and cattle yards had been completed satisfactorily according to the contract specifications. He had also certified that a farther sum of £470 due for work might be paid, leaving a small balance to be paid after a month’s maintenance of the finished structure. Mr Newland: I think the metal on the wharf will not stand the traffic. Mr Balmforth: It is nothing but sand. Mr Adams : The same gravel is used by the County Council for roads. Chairman: The gravel is bad, but it is the only available gravel in the district. Mr Balmforth : About this sinking of the front of the wharf: what is to be done ? I think the filling-in should be taken out three feet and rammed well. The clay should be brought to the top, a foot wide. Mr Adams: Did not the Euginee 1 ’ sec that the clay was filled in to the proper height ? Mr Newland : If that metal is to be passed let it be so. I as a member should not allow it to be passed. If I were on a Road Board, I would not pass such metal.

Mr Adams: The County Council

pass it. Mr Newland: Look at tlie County road—it is more than two-thirds sand. Mr Balmforth : Out of five loads on the wharf, there is not a load of metal in it.

Chairman : I think something must be done about the clay. What power has the Engineer under the contract to compel that clay to be brought up to the proper height ? Engineer : The specification provides for that. The clay has to be brought within four feet of the top ; that is, above high water mark. Chairman : It appears there has not been proper supervision in the lilling-in of the clay. 1 am satisfied the clay was never put in to the full height. I dare say it was done up to an average height, to what would bo considered a safe thing, but it could not have been put according to the specification. Therefore I move “ That the filling inside the planking of the new wharf be removed a clear width of two feet, and the space filled in with clay to the proper height as specified, and the same be well rammed before replacing the filling.”

Mr Newland seconded the motion. Mr Balmforth : What safeguard have you that the clay will be pat there, because it was supposed to be put there before, and the Engineer was supposed to see that It was done ?

Mr Adams: Aye, that’s just it,

Chairman: I am perfectly satisfied that the sand has been washed out below the water-line, because there was no clay in front to prevent the sand running out through crevices in the boarding. This appears to be part of the maintenance which the contractor lias to do. The front should be opened out and properly clayed and rammed before filling-in again. The motion was adopted. The payment of £470 to the contractor for work done (since last payment) w.is authorised, SNAGGING, Resolved, on the motion of the Chairman, that one or more sites be fixed where snags recovered from the rive’’ may be placed. Ho said snags are now placed anywhere, and after being cut up the root is left to fall again into the stream and become a fresh obstruction. LESSEES ASKING FOR RELIEF, An application was received from Messrs Thomson, Tregcar, and Fraser to be released from their obligation to pay rent for blocks 11, IC, and 20, cither by cancelling lease or upon fresh terms. Six months’ rent is in arrear, and a year’s rent is due next February, Mr Thomson (before withdrawing) said the applicants are unable to continue the payment, that the land is not yet turned to any use, and that about £2OO have been paid in rent without any benefit to the lessees. Mr Milroy moved that the Board decline the application. Obligations of this character ought to be adhered to. Other lessees would want similar relief if the principle were conceded, Mr Balmforth seconded the motion. Mr Adams and the Chairman concurred in the necessity of maintaining the conditions of lease. The motion was adopted unanimously. Mr Newland had been obliged to leave before this subject came on. The Chairman suggested that an extension of time might be allowed to pay arrears in this case. After conversation, it was tacitly agreed that this would be inexpedient. The Secretary has a standing instruction to recover arrears. The Board then adjourned. Retrenchment. —The Victorian Government, in dismissing its Civil Servants, through retrenchment, is giving them a month’s leave of absence with full pay, and a month’s pay for every year of service. In fifteen years the public debts of Europe have been increased by nearly 70 per cent., or by the enormous sum of nearly two thousand million sterling, Germany, in spite of her vast war booty, has added a hundred million to her indebtedness.