CABLE NEWS

Patea Mail, 22 February 1882, Page 3

CABLE NEWS

♦ Renter's Despatches to Patea Daily Mail

This Day.

Prince of Wales on the Australian Exhibition.

Loudon, 21st.—A meeting of the English Commissioners for the late International Exhibition was held today, the Prince of Wales presiding. In the course of a speech which he made on the occasion, His Royal Highness expressed his gratification at the success which had attended the two Australian Exhibitions, and stated his opinion that they had vastly tended to further the interests of Australia, and strengthen the bond of union between England and the colonies.

Mining Swindle. Sydney, this day. The Milbnrn Creek trial is expected to be concluded to morrow.

Three Men Drowned.

Brisbane, this day.—News has been received that a boat capsized near Flat Top Island, and that three of its occupants were drowned.

STOPPING OBSTRUCTION IN PARLIAMENT. THE CLOTURE.

London, 21st.—In the House of Commons last night Mr Gladstone introduced a motion providing for new rules to govern the procedure in Parliament. The Premier made a lengthy speech, and expressed his willingness to modify the rule for the adoption of the cloture, so as to provide that the minority by which the same may be opposed should exceed one hundred, instead of being less than forty, as set forth in the motion before the House. Sir Stafford Northcote formally opposed the motion, explaining his objections. The debate was then adjourned.

BBADLAUG-H TAKING THE OATH SCENE IN ’THE HOUSE.

London, 21st. —This evening, in the House of Commons, a motion was introduced by Mr Labouchore in favor of the seat to which Bradlaugh was elected for Northampton being declared vacant. A debate ensued, and the motion was finally rejected. Shortly afterwards, Mr Bradlaugh entered the House, walked to the table, and in the temporary absence of the Clerk swore the customary oath. The Speaker at once ordered him to withdraw, and Mr Bradlangh obeyed, but subsequently returned and claimed his right to take his seat. Lord Randolph Churchill thereupon moved that a new writ should be issued for Northampton. The debate on the motion was however adjourned till tomorrow.

The Outrage in Turkey.

Constantinople, 21st.—Commander Selby of H.M. S. Falcom, died to-day of injuries received during the attack made on him recently by Turks near Artaki, in the Bay of Marmora.

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR WORKS.

In a report on the. progress of the New Plymouth harbor works, the Herald

says: It is about twelve months since the first stone of the New Plymouth breakwater was laid by Mr F. A. Carrington, ami great progress has been made towards the carrying out the designs of Sir John Coodc for a harbor which will offer shelter for vessels in stormy weather, Mr Rhind, who has been in charge of the works not quite six months, has given ample proof that the Board now has a practical Engineer at the head of affairs, and proved conclusively that he. is able to carry out the works in a manner most satisfactory to the public. BLASTING FISHING ROOK. On Saturday, the 18th February, Mr Rhind again proved his competency to deal with matters which he undertakes;

and notwithstanding opinions, professional and otherwise, to the contrary, has succeeded in breaking down, by means of a powerful blast;-a very large portion of the Fishing Rock, and without any ot the stone being wasted or “ thrown into the sea.” The blast was fired at about half-past two on Saturday afternoon, and was witnessed by a few gentlemen who happened to be on a visit to the works. The height of the rock was eighty feet, the face forty feet, and the least line of resistance thirtyeight feet. The drive into the rock to form a chamber for the powder was made under the direction of Mr Fitzhern, who is experienced in such matters, and who took care that the four thousand pounds of blasting powder to be used should not be wasted, but that the explosion should have the desired effect of breaking down the shore end of the Fishing Rock. Capt. Davidson was allowed to fife the blast, which was done by electricity—he, with Mr Rliind, and others concerned, being ensconced in an excavation made in the bank a few hundred yards from the scene of operation. The explosion was instantaneous. The earth at the top of the rock was seen to rise, a little smoke oozed out, and then a large mass of stony matter was seen to crumble away and roll down the side : part going into the ravine which divides the Fishing Rock, and the remainder falling into a convenient place, where it can be easily put into trucks for the stone-breakers. The rock has been broken into pieces weighing from half-hundred weight to three hundred Weight, and over twelve thousand yards of stone are ready to be carted away to the mixing-house. LENGTH COMPLETED. The length of the breakwater at the present time is 450 feet, 90' of which have been added since the Btb December last; and as the weather during a great portion of the time was very unfavorable for marine works, greater progress may be expected during the next few months, which are usually fine. There are about 300 concrete blocks, measuring 12 feet 6 inches by 6 feet by 5 feet, and 9 feet 6 inches by 6 feet by 5 feet, and weighing 23 tons and 18 tons respectively, on the drying ground, and are being added to at the rate of from 18 to 20 blocks per week. BATE OF PKOOBESS. If Mr Rbind can succeed in adding, say forty feet, to the breakwater every month, he will by the end of the year have got out to a distance of nearly nine hundred feet, at which spot there should be from eight to ten feet at low spring tides, or nearly double that at high water. The total length which it is proposed to complete with the money at command is 2220 feet, so that at the rate the work is now proceeding it will be at least three years before it will be completed.

WANGANUI HARBOR.

At the meeting of the Wanganui Harbor Board on Tuesday, and before retiring from (he chairmanship, Mr Ballance referred to what had been accomplished and what remained to he done for the improvement of Wanganui harbor. The total estimated receipts of the ordinary harbor fund for the current year, with a balance of £650 from last year, were set down at £7,363, Expenses were estimated as follow: Wharf account £234, pilot station £540, bridge account—incidental £SO, do. do. interest £IO2O, interest and exchange on £60,000 loan £3682, sinking fund £6OO, management £275; leaving a balance of £962. Mr Ballance said: The estimated income here assumes the moderate increase of 10 per cent, on the wharf dues, and with respect to the reserves an additional revenue of £3lO for the year. The expenditure contains ail the charges likely to he made in connection with the ordinary services. If a contemplated arrangement be carried out, it is probable a slight saving will be effected in the amount of interest payable. A surplus of £962 is shown, which allows more than an ample margin for all possible contingencies.

WORK BONE, AND COST

The Harbour Improvement Fund shows a credit at the beginning of the year of about £3OOO, and this is available for dredging. The improvement in the river in consequence of dredging and the scour, is generally admitted by the masters of vessels, and would have been greater but for the unfortunate accident to the dredging machinery. Pending the repairs of the crane, the spoil is removed from the punts by manual labor. An accurate reckoning, I believe, of the cost of this method of removal has been made up for the week ending February 18th with the following results ;—Cubic yards dredged 952, wages, coal, oil, &c., £46 16s; cost per cubic yard, 1 l*Sd, or a fraction less than a shilling. It will be remembered that the Engineer’s estimate of the cost of dredging, based on the actual results of the work done by the Otago Harbor Board, was a shilling a cubic yard. But it is beyond doubt that when the crane can be applied again the cost will be reduced by at least one-third. The dredge is doing its work well, and is maintained in good order. The dredgings are being placed at the back of the south training wall, strengthening it, and increasing the scour in the channel. It might be desirable, as soon as the Engineer can make a survey of the river, to call for tenders for dredging, by which time accurate data will no doubt have been obtained of the cost under the direction of the Board, thus admitting a comparison as to the cheaper method. WORK AT THE HEADS. By far the most important work done by the Board during the year has been the acceptance of a tender for the improvement of the bar. If this work should answer expectations, as I have no doubt it will, a larger class of vessels will trade with the port, and encouragement will be given to enter into farther contracts to obtain still further results The projected railway to the Heads would render practically available for shipping every foot of water gained on the bar, even should the deepening of the river not proceed with equal pace. The Board has recognised that this railway proposal, if carried out, as it is likely to be, will in several respects be a valuable auxiliary in developing the trade of the port, as well as enhancing the valne of some of the reserves, and is accordingly anxious to afford every facility and assistance within its power to promote the enterprise. resources. I have tried to estimate the extent of the Board’s resources within the next few years to carry out the designs of the Engineer for the making of this a firstclass harbor. The portion of the loan authorised but not raised is £40,000. The raising of this depends on the

Board’s revenue. When the £60,000

portion was floated, an improvement rate of one shilling' per ton, estimated to produce £2,000 a year, was pul down as revenue. The Board not having occasion to resort to this rate, it is still held in reserve, and may be drawn upon when required. Within the next two years, it is not unreasonable to suppose, the Board will be in a position to place the remainder of the loan on the market. The punctual payment of the interest on the existing issue, and the cautions and prudent use of the resources of the Board, will inspire confidence, and enable any further issue of debentures to be a comparatively simple and mattter-of-course proceeding. The 25,000 acre endowment in the same time should be realised, placing at the disposal of the Board say £25,000. With the £17,000 and £3OOO in hand, we have here apparently available within the next few years the handsome sum of £95,000. Some may be inclined to discount this estimate, but with a moderate revival of trade and prosperity I think it will be realised. With respect to a further landed endowment, it is not improbable the Assembly will change its opinions on the subject of endowing harbors. Many leading men are strongly in favor of making grants of land under certain restrictions for the purpose, and in view of the reaction it would only be prudent to have a block ready to be put into the schedule of a bill. The subject is one which might be dealt with in a Select Committee of the Board. SLIP FOR LARGE VESSELS. It has been frequently suggested that the time has arrived for the erection of a slip capable of taking on the largest vessels trading with the port. I would recommend that information be obtained of the cost of and best situation for a slip, as well as an estimate of the probable receipts. The advantages to the port, apart from the amount of dues, would be unquestionable.