HARBOUR BOARD.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1370, 18 October 1883, Page 3

HARBOUR BOARD.

i?HE usti.'J fortnightly meeting of the Gisborne Harbour Board was held last night. Preheat: MembersE. K. Brown (Chairman) Tutchen, Hepouia, Townley, Brown, Kenny, Lewis, Joyce, Tucker and Smith. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The outgoing correspondence was next read. Incoming Correspondence. ♦•rorii Wells and Gardiner, acknbwledging receipt of letter, and agreeing to put in the six extra pil js for the new wharves, if the Council would pay for them. It was decided to let the matter remain an “pen question and discuss it after the work Was completed From Mr Prim, asking the Council to favourably consider his error in tendering for printing and painting the wharf tariff Boards, in which lie ommitted 1000 letters, and in tendering only reckoned for 800 odd letters instead of 1800 odd. Member Lewis said the matter ought to receive favourable consideration by the Board, and explained the mistake. The Chairman pointed out if the Board was to do that it would be unfair to other contractors. In the future tenderers would contract recklessly, and would always be relying on the Board to allow them something extra if ahy mistake was made. ' Member Tutchen moved that he receive a bheque for £2O, inclusive of all demands in connection with the Board, as undoubtedly he had made some mistake when tendering.

Member Kenny would second the motion. Member J. Brown would move as an ’ amendu.cnt, that only the amount contrac* -** ted for be paid. There being no seconder to this. Member . Tutchen’e motion was carried. L From Mr C. H. C. Webb, re printing the Harbour By-laws and Regulations, stating B that when he tendered he was under the imK pression that the Harbour Regulations were to be supplied by Government, and th it he would only be required to bind them in with IV the Harbor By-laws, instead of having, as he F had done both bound and printed them, and

asking the Board to take the matter into favourable consideration, and allow him extra. The Secretary explained that he had shown Mr Mogridge the Habour Regulations and By-laws, and if he reuiemborod rightly, he told him that they would have to be printed and bound, and he (Mr Mogridge) understood that when he left him, Member Tutchen wished to know how the specifications were worded. He thought there was no tender for this. Member Brown said the amount ought to paid. It was tendered for. Member Townley stated that when the tender was before the Board, he asked the question whether the Harbor Regulations were to be printed by the tenderer or not, and he was given to understand that they wJre to be printed by him. The reason he asked the question was because the tender seemed so low.

The Chairman said it was very galling for gentlemen to assemble together, to hanky panky about such small and trifling matters, but he thought those who carried the previous motion should vote for this amount being paid. Member Lewis said he would vote again?*' the amount being paid. He considered the previous tenderer’s (Mr Prim’s) mistake was allowable, us he had only made a slight mistake in adding a certain column of figures, but this was not as the tender spoke fcr itself. Member Tutchen concurred with the previous speaker. Member Brown said he had opposed the other amount of Mr Prim’s being paid, but as it had been paid, he most certainly considered this ought to be similarly dealt with, be would move that £5 extra be allowed. Member Jovce seconded t»<e motion, he was not in favor that either of them should be allowed, but the Board had acknowledged the mistake of the one, and therefore ought to do the same with the other. Member Tutchen moved as an amendment that nothing extra be allowed, as it was a totally different case from the other. Member Townley seconded, on the ground that two wrongs could not make a right. The amendme it was put and carried by two votes, Members Smith and Tucker not voting either one way or another. From Captain Andrews, acknowledging twelve copies of the By-laws, together with forms and receipts, and notifyng that he would supply them to the masters of vessels. C. 11. C. Prim, £2O. Extraordinary Business. 'Che Secretary asked the Board to name some date when the licenses would fall due f k the Snark, Noko, and other boats. He supposed 12 months would be the time. In reply to Member Tutchen the Secre

tary stated that all watermen had now to have licensee under the new by-laws. The Chairma proposed that licenses commence from the beginning of next mouth, till the beginning of November of the following year. Seconded by Member Tutchen and carried. Deepening the River.

Member Tutchen said if it was not out of place, he would move that the Harbor Engineer in conjunction with Harbor the master, be instructed to survey the river, and ascertain if it could be deepened to allow small steamers entering, so as to come alongside the wharf, and to report on the a»m<i at th* next meeting'. Member Joyce seconded the motion and thought such a movement was necessary, as homething of the sort ought to be done. Anyhow no harm would be done in ascertaining. Member Smith would like to know what the mover meant,

Member Tutchen said he put the motion that the Board might have some information as to whether the river was narrow, whether it had a sandy or rocky bottom, and learn whether such a scheme was feasible.

Mr Smith would again ask the mover if the Board was in a position to go to the expense. They all knew that the river oould be deepened, but had he (Mr Tutchen) any reason for Supposing that money could be found for carrying on the work, after the Engineer does report. That was the real question.

The Chairman said that the only thing was, that a start on this must be made 3dme time, and it may be done now as ever. Member Joyce did not think much expense would be incurred. The suggestion was a good one. Member Kenny asked if Sir John Coode did not report unfavorable on this same question. The Chairman replied he had done so wit regard to an outside breakwater. Member Smith would recommend that a bonus of £lOO be offered for the best scheme of deepening the river to allow steamers of ordinary tonnage to come inside. He had intended to give a notice of motion to-night to that effect. He would ask member Tuichen to suggest what expense would have io be gore to, to 'nable the river to be deepened as per his motion. This would then give the Board some data to go on.

Alter further debate Member Tlitchen’s motion was altered as follows That the Harbor Engineer be imtructed to survey the river and its entr tce from the north side of the present wharf so as to admit I'teamers drawing 12 feet to come alongside the wharf. The Engineer to report on the same one month hence, and to submit the means by which it could be done, also to find out the cost of so doing. The motion was put to the Board, and there being no amendment it was carried. Tne rough minutes of the meeting were then read by the Secretary.