HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 98, 19 May 1900, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board met on Friday. ■Present: Messrs. Maxwell (chairman), Connett, McLean, King, Cliff, Ward, Sarfcen, Hignett, and Ralfe. The Chairman reported that he had opened the tenders for the flax on the foreshoreadjoining Mr. Morris's section, and had accepted Messrs. Rutherford's of 4s Id, the only other tender being that of A. Bayly at 2s. The quantity was estimated to be 800 tons.

1 A report was read from the Engineer (Mr. Marchunt), estimating the quan- | tity of soil removable from the Mt. .Eliot Keservo at 67,400 yards.—The j Chairman stated that if the Railway < Department took the amount arranged, ) the whole of one'hill would be removed E and 10,000 yards from the other. The Harbourmaster reported that 1 the soundings this month were the ' same as those for last month. The Foreman reported that owing to the rough weather no headway could be t made last month with the new sand i pump plant; also, that the wharf had ' been cleaned and tarred right through. ! The Engineer reported on the required repairs to the dredge, and stated that six weeks would be about the time that the dredge would have to lay up. I 1t w;i3 moved that a new boiler and : duplicate parts of machinery bo obuiiimd and that the dredge be overhauled. i Mi- Sarten stated his experience of the fnnd along the const, and moved shut : o further expense bo incurred unii l ;!:() noir .-sand pump was at work. The 'enuiiK-ufc was not seconded, and jtliir Hwaovi v.'js then put and carried. | Tilt Harbourmaster reported that i'd'iii.!;.: kisr month 111 steamers were at the wharf, the aggregate l* ■■■■' • "in;/ 14,208. The total of lirI ir : 1 ■ "'-'I ' wye. H'.lTSl tons. | t'.,: b':.d v/.-a-Jier nc! i. '' :i the shipping.| "pjutigas jb!«{ beeii'

greatly interfered with. The dredge had made 129 trips, removing 7740 cubic yards of sand and the depth of the harbour was still improving. On April 27th, the Mapourika (Captain Farmer in charge) struck and knocked off the head of one of the mooring piles, whioh the U.S.S, Company were renewing. The Engineer's report on the means for improving the water supply at the wharf was read. He recommended the enlargement of the lagoon so as to obtain an available supply of 150,000 gallons. The estimated cost of pipes for temporary supply was £7O, and for excavating the lagoon £IOO. In reply to a question by Mr. Oonnett, the Engineer stated that with a fall of 10 feet it took 15 gallons of water to raiee one gallon into the reservoir. After some discussion, it was decided that, provided the Freezing Works Company pay one-half the cost, the work be carried out under Mr. Marchant's supervision, and that separate contracts be ealled for, in respect of the preliminary work and the excavation. The Engineer submitted a plan and report on his scheme for the extension of the harbour. The chief features of the scheme were:—Extension of breakwater by means of concrete blocks for 900 feet—the wharf to be elongated and widened—4oo x4B feet. An island eastern wall—dredging a large area to a depth of 25ft., L.W.S.T., and to a depth of 30ft, alongside the wharf. The estimated cost was: —Breakwater, £67,000; wharf, £12,000; island eastern wall, £22,000; dredger, £16,000; dredging harbour, £17,000; moorings and engineering, £7000; total, £142,000.

The Chairman said the plans were very interesting, and would be available for use when required. Mr. Hignett inquired where the money was to come from to carry out the work.

Mr. Sing said that now there was some data to go upon, as without a plan and estimate they werg completely in the dark. He hoped that some day the scheme would be financed. Mr. Sarten considered that for £60,000, which could easily be borrowed, all that was required could be done, and the interest paid out of the money now wasted in dredging, Mr. Cliff advocated the plan being lithographed and circulated. Mr. Ward thought there was no hurry, and that it would be better to wait and see the result of the working of the new sand pump. Authority was given for the purchase of stores.

Accounts amounting to £507 0s 4d were passed.

It was decided that the signalman should receive 2s a week extra for lighting the additional lamps. The Board went into Committee to oonsider tlie Tariff Committee's report.