HARBOR BOARD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2594, 14 July 1881, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the above was held at 2 o’clock this afternoon, to consider the report of the committee on the working of the wharves, and also that of the committee appointed to report on the purchase of the Landing Service boats. Present —Mr F. Archer, (chairman) and Messrs T. W. Hall, J. H. Sutter, K. F. Cray, W. Evans, R. Barker, Mee, and Postiethwaite. The Committee appointed to report on the boats, recommended the purchase of four boats belonging ■ to the Loan c.nd Mercantile Agency Company for £560. The boats belonging to the N.M. and A. Company were so old that in the Committee’s opinion their purchase would be undesirable.

The report was adopted. The report of the Committee on the working of the wharves was as follows :

That while admitting the advisability of the port of Timaru undertaking its shipping and transport business in the most' direct manner (as in Auckland and Wellington), they regret that in the meantime they cannot recommend the Harbor Board to attempt this for various reasons.

Ist. The absence of working room at the Landing Service, necessary for doing such work properly. 2nd. The incompleteness of the constructive part of the Harbor works, which at present prevents the carryingout of the original plan for traffic, that being as £»on as practicable to utilise the Breakwater itself for dray traffic.

3rd. The belief that for some time to come the most of our import traffic of a bulky kind such as coals and timber will be brought ashore by the surfboats as at present, and consequently about the same cost. Taking into account the drawbacks existing at present and the uncertainty us to the actual requirements of the Board’s shipping arrangements after the working results of the yet uncompleted wharf have been seen, this Committee recommends awaiting for that experience to guide the Board in providing for shipping requirements, and in the meantime to arrange with the Railway Department for working the wharf on the understanding of month’s notice being given on either side. The report was adopted, Mr Evans alone dissenting.

Mr White, manager for the L. M. and A. Company, was then sent for, and stated that the price of the four boats referred to in the report was £BOO, and that was, he thought, the lowest price the Company would take. Mr Barker moved that in the event of the Board’s offer for the boats being refused, the Chairman be authorised to order from Messrs Anderson one more boat of the same size as the last, and that he be also authorised to Lire the boats necessary for carrying on _ the work of the port in the meantime. Carried.

A telegram was received from Mr Maxwell, General Manager N.Z, Railways, in reply to a letter of the Board’s enquiring whether in the event of the Railway Department having charge of the working of the wharves the Department would be prepared to arrange for the delivery of goods at stores in town by carts. ' As no two members of the Board could agree as to what the telegram meant nothing was done with, respect to it, and the Board adjourned.