Timaru Harbour Board Election.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7063, 8 February 1893, Page 2

Timaru Harbour Board Election.

Mr John Talbot held a meeting in the schoolroom at Scotsburn on last Saturday evening. About twenty ratepayers were present. After being introduced to the ratepayers by Mr Q. J. Dennistoun, who was in the chair, Mr Talbot began by saying that he had asked them to meet there that evening that he might explain matters in connection with the shingle accumulation. He was afraid that many of the ratepayers did not agree with the outgoing Board’s action in ordering the dredge, but he considered the case was a desperate one, and needed desperate and prompt measures. He felt that the Board had acted wisely, though he would have been willing to let the ordering of the dredge stand over for the new Board to decide on. The breakwater was 1200 feet from shore to the cant, and the shingle had already accumulated 1000 feet, leaving only about 260 feet clear. In 1865 Mr Balfour was asked to make a survey and report, and ho then considered it useless to attempt to construct a breakwater, but in 1868 he again reported on t the matter, the result being that 100 feet of mole was constructed. The shingle at onoe began to accumulate. Mr Oarrnthers also reported on the breakwater scheme. He said that it was not safe to start a breakwater from the shore. Sir John Goode confirmed this idea, and bis estimate for a breakwater was £300,000. Now es regards shifting the shingle, the experts called in had no doubt that it was quite practicable, and would not be more expensive than the present mode of dealing with harbour works. The new dredge was to have power to lift 400 tons per hour, and he considered that it would be quite able to cope with the shingle. He was sure that the members of the Timaru Harbour Board bad had the interests of the ratepayers at heart, and had done their level best in the matter. He was confident that the report of the commission had not been influenced by Mr Marchant’a views. He took his scat on the Board after £200,000 had been spent, and he then thought that £IOO,OOO should be borrowed. Subsequent events bad proved that he was right. He thanked the gentlemen present for their attention and patient hearing, and trusted that should they not re-elect him he might still retain their good opinion. He would now ask Mr Thaw to give his views, and say if he thought the danger to the harbour imminent. Mr Tbew said that it had been suggested that the shingle should be shifted, but be was entirely against shifting it, as there was a ground current and shore current which would sweep all shingle clear of the harbour mouth should it reach the end of the breakwater. What he would suggest was that the breakwater should be extended in an easterly direction 200 feet. Then the shingle would be carried north by the ground current and would not damage the harbour in the least. He asserted that when the shingle got to the end of the breakwater it would pass on and not close the mouth of the harbour. In answer to a question by Mr D. McKay, Mr Talbot said he considered than quite 100 feet clear of the cant should be kept clear of the shingle. Mr D. McKay proposed a vote of thanks, hut not confidence, to Mr Talbot

A ratepayer proposed a vote of confidence in Mr Talbot, and the meeting terminated.