TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2781, 21 February 1882, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The annual meeting of this Board was held to-day. • Present— ; MessrsF. Archer (chairman), T. W. Hall, W. Evans, J. H. Sutter, A. Mee, W. Moody, M. Studholme, and R.A. Barker. The Secretary stated that the ,'first business was the election of a Chairman for the ensuing.year. ; . On the motion of Mr Studholme, seconded by Mr Hall; Mr F. Archer was re-elected Chairman of the Board. Mr Archer, on taking the chair, thanked the members present for the expression of their confidence by again electing him to preside over the meetr ings of the Board. He.was indebted to the members of the old Board for the courtesy they had always'shown him, and he had no doubt they would get along.well: together . during the cqming year. :: ■ ; ■, The Chairman said the first business was the consideration ,of the, proposal made by Captain Sutter 'at last meeting to run out a pier at right angles with the present mole, so as to protect. vessels lying alongside the wharf, r , •; ‘ . The Engineer submitted plans of the scheme proposed by Captain Sutter. Jn ansvyer to members of the Board he said the proposal, was to construct s. pi?r at, right l ' angles with the present , imple, commencing at the termination of .'the' last contract. The structure was : intended to prevent the waves rushing in alongside the wharf, and it would also; answer the pur-; pose of a wharf And be very useful fpr loading and discharging vessels. The proposed structure looked "strong enough, bufhe did not believe it would ' stand’ the force of heavy seas running: straight in. . Placed, however, where it was proposed to be placed, there would: be a length of 400 feet of mole Ueyphd it and the mole- would otter a large amount of protection to the pier. He r shpuld like further time to consider the proposal, as the suggestion was not his own.

After somei discussion the further consideration of the plans wasdeferred till next meeting, by which time the Engineer, would fully report on , the proposed work, •. . v • %' • A letter was read from the Harbbl - - master, stating that as -the moorings inside the Breakwater were now being : a good deal .used by .vessels, it would be advisable to order obe *full coil of large sized manilla hawser, to be used for stern lines. ;r- " i 1 It was decided■ to order ■ the hawser recommended by Captain Mills. The Chairman drew 'the attention of 1 the Board to the result of new sound ings that had. been taken inside the; Breakwater. 1 It Had been discovered that Within three months a sand bank five feet high had formed inside the Breakwater, and only a short distance from the wharf. ‘ The diver had been sent down, when it was found that the depth of water did not agree with the result of former soundings, and then it was discovered that there Was an unfortunate rock in the place most used by the shipping. This rock would have to be removed without delay. He thought it would be wise to take periodical soundings inside, the Breakwater.

The diver was called in and in reply to the Board he stated that he bad discovered a large rock between 12 and 16 feet from the wharf. He was certain it was a rock as it was covered with mussels. It was not a boulder.

Mr Moody said it was time something was done’to get vessels but of danger in the event of accidents or bad weather in the Roadstead. A great loss * was being experienced by the district on account of the way in which the business of the port was being mismanaged. He, with one or two other members of the Board, had advocated the purchase of a stoUm tug some time ago, but other members bad'done everything they could to obstruct. The loss now occasioned in shipping grain from Timuru would soon nay for two or three tug boats—it would pay for the City of Cashmere, which could not have been wrecked if the Board had purchased a steam tug when they were asked to dp so. The owners of vessels would not send them to the port 1 of Timaru, if they could help it, while things were in their present state. Insurance rates had been raised and there was at present a black mark against this port. It was absurd to try to disguise it. Mr Evans quite agreed with Mr Moody, and stated that insurance rates at the port of Timaru had been increased

fifteen ski lings per cvnt. it was lime that snob members as lii.s friend Mr Hall stopped throwing legal obstacles in the way of purchasing u steam tug. The Secretary stated (hat Mr C. W. Turner had informed him that if vessels could be brought alongside the wharf in Timaru the insurance rates would be the same as at Lyttelton. Mr Evans gave notice of motion that at next meeting of the Board he would move that steam tug be purchased for the use of the port.

It was resolved on the motion of Mr Moody—“ That the railway department be informed that the steam crane now in use is not sufficient to work the wharf, andthatthey be asked to provide another crane.” , ,

The Engineer's report was read as xiilows :

‘‘l have tbo.honor to report that a bank oi; sand has been formed on tho nor(h side of the Breakwater, and close to the wharf, extenoing about 100 ft, and is about 40ft. at the widest part, . greatest depth, Slit Gin. Should it be‘ deemed advisable so dredge it out of the' Way, the Pricstman’s dredge will be abld to reach over the deepest of it. Arrangements\vill have to‘bo made with the railway authorities to draw the dredged material away. A rock appears protruding out of the silt in the- position marked thus ■(: ■ ; this can be removed at the same time as the dredging is going on, I herewith submit plan of wavescren as suggested by v .Captain Sutter, the cost pf which,will be about.£7so.o, I refrain ,from , commenting on ,it at present,- preferring to do so at the next monthly meeting after more mature consideration.” - j The meeting then .tcrminutedT '