HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 151, 20 July 1901, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

Tho Board met on Friday. Present; Messrs Maxwell (Chairman), Connett, | McLejn, Ward, Sirten, Hignett, and ".ilfe. Mr. Price, who was recently appoint d to the Board in place of Mr. Cliff (res'gnefy took his siat for the first tim». Mr. W. Courtney wrote in reference to get'ing the New Zealand Shipping | Company <o »'low one of their b : g , to rail at the port, and ask«ri what fici'it es could bagiveo for workin" her.—The FTarbourm? .rer wfi authorised to supply (o Mr. Courtney the iDfarmaiion necessary as to th' suitability of the anchorage for large boats.

The Transport, a London publication, wretein reference to a ra-publica-tion of an artielo rel 't'n» to the harbour.—No action wis taken. The Timaru Harbour Board wro'e asking the Board's support in the effort to get legis'ation pass"d to enable trus> funds to be invented on harbour board securities, as could already be done on secuti ies of other public bodies. It. was pointed out; that this would b« a matter of considerab'e importance to hirbour beards. Ths Chairman moved, That this ! Board is in hoirty ac-ord with the end avou s of the Timaru Board to go* legislatioa passed te eoable trust funds to be re-iovested on harbour beard securities, and tha 1 ; the members* of P'ulument for Tarmaki, E|B*->nt and Hawera be requestel to assist the ma'tor.

3 Seconded by Mr. Hignott. 9 M". Conne't also suppertei the " motion, which was carried. Thi Sc'ie 1 Commissioners wro l e in rfife> encn to the removal of stone from tha beach, and express : ng surprise nt the Board's action in allowing the removal to continue. / On the motion <f Mr Conned, j seconded by Mr. Word, the Oommis- ' |Bio era wi'l t e ii formed that the 11 Borough Council w'B given permission Y to remove ston in o d#r to complete a a certain contract. '• Tha Un'o« C rapany wrote asking 8 for a refund of a charge made (lg 6d ® per ton) on coal transhipped frem one of their steamers to anether, A refund of 6d per ton will be made. The Chairman said hj« understood the Railway Department bad charged the Company full ra'es for use of trucks' 8 just for sh : fti»g this coal, and as this a was a?aimt the trade int rst-ts of the pert be thought some ac'ion ought to fc3 taken in the matter. e Mr. J. B, Mason, Marine Engineer, 6 wrote offering to undertake engineera ing work, e'c. —Acknowledged. 8 The harbour foreman, l.£r. Jas. ® Lindsav, fur warded bis r signation of " his position. 6 The Chairman said Mr. Lindsay was 11 will'ng to continue till after the visit 6 of Mr. Napier Bell. 0 Mr. Sartfen movad thst tho fo eman be ssked to racon«ider his decision. J 1 The Chairman se-onded the resalu- '• tipo. Mf. Wa-d supporte 1 the motion, and • , asked if the resignation was the result '• ,6f any faction at the work*. e | The Chairman s'id he understood | there was no such reason. ®| Mr. Ward said he had heird the say in no uncertain language 11 j that he wou'd not wait for his discharge. The Board knew tha 1 ! a 9 re-'olu'ion had he-n passed that if a 9 : certain pump did no' do certain work, • j the men responsible would be dis--I.charged. 5 j Mr. Hignett thought it was not for 9 j the Boird to go behind the reasons adk vanced by Mr. Lindsay as to why • be was for retiring 3 Tha Chairman said that the werks "•had, ben proceeding satisfactorily " i late'y, and Mr. Lindsay was well " I p'eas "d with what had bann do"e, and ' he was row desirous to leav* entirely : for private reasons. He had been a 1 good serving but he (the chairman) > thcught it uowi6e to try to keep him if ■ he wanted to go. Messrs. McLean, Ralfe, and Con- ' nett supported the Chairman's conten- ' | tion that it would be better to let the foreman go, though they recognised that be had done his work well. | The motion w»s withdrawn, and the r resigna'ion was accepted with regret. » Tie Ohnirman moved that in recognition of Mr Litid«ay'g past services, he be given three month's salary from ' the time he leaves the Board'B nryicea. S<>conded by Mr oo*uett and carried. The Chairman's act ion in signing the address of we'eome presen'ed to L : eu tenant-Colonel Da vies was confirmed. The Chairman said they could hardly expre-s too great an admiration for ; Co'onel Davies, who bad been a member of the Boerd, and who left it | hurriedly at his country's ca'l. ITe had iP'oved himse'f a gillmt soldier, and th y no doubt all heartily welcomed him home. Mess-8 Price nnd Higne v t also spoke I similarly. j The Riilway Department drew at.tmtion to the inadequacy of Jighting J arrangemontg at the harb ur, which , made it dangrrous for at I night.

} Messrs G. V. Tat* and 0. M. Leppei ! waited on the Board as a deputation i from the C.ranty Council in referercc jto the Breakwater-road. Mr. Tate t s\id the road was in a diplorab'e eonI dition ard it was nece s ß*ry that something should be done. He did not see ,nny stona in the quarry that wfes fit for (road work. The Council's objection to ( having to take 5000 yards of the metal I within twelve mouths, as required by the Harb.iur Board, was that it wou'd i ba more than it could manage in the time. The read would require 1600 ya> ds of met*l to put it in order. He j thought the Board ought to allow th« , Council five years for th=) removal of I the me'al. Mr. I.eppcr said it would be well for 'the Council if the Boird would allow I it a longer period than twelve months i to remove the metal, as the Government subsidy of .£IOO could be oh tained tow, but if the matter could j r.ot be arranged the subsidy would I be lost. The Chairman said the Board had had trouble in the past with the Councit through it b-<ing impossible to properly check the amounts of mttal taken, and if the time was extended tha- difficulty would be greater than ever. A'ter tha deputation had withdrawn, Mr. Connett moved that an extended time bs given to the Council for removal of the stone, on condition that not leas than 500 yards of metal be tak*n at any one time. Mr. S.irte* seconded the resolution. Mr. Hignett piirted out that it would be necemry tj rescind a motion p-.ssed on 7th June. Mr. Connett then meved that the rssolution be rescinded, wi-h'a view to altering the terms. Seconded by Mr. girten. Mr, Hignett opposed dealing with the matter so hurriedly, and protested

against the resolution to remind the motion.

The Chairman said the Council had for years received rates and licenses from the locality, and the Harbour Board was not tbe responsible body for the maintenance of the road. Tbe Board bad assisted the Council to get £IOO, and he thought if the Council :euld go to the quarry for twelve months free of cost it was getting a vary goad thing. Mr Sar'en Mid ha was sorry to s:e che Ohairmia incline! to practically prohibit the Couocil takiog metal after twelve months. The Council wa i inly a iking to be met in a fair way, which he thought it would not inconvenience the Board to accede to. Mr Price agreed with Mr Sartsn. Mr Ralfe alto could see no objection to granticg a longer period for removing fctoue, though be thought parhaps three years would be long enough. Tbe motion was then put and carried, the Chairman and Mr Higaett dissenting. Mr Connett thin moved the re* solution above mentioned, but said he would reduce the time to three years instead of five. ' Mr Sarten seconded the motion, which was carried. The Chairman moved,' " That in view of the fact that a through daily railway service to Wellington is being established, the harbourmaster be empowered to fix the hour of berthing of Ueamsr* at 5 a m." The Govvrnmeot Analyst's report on samples of water from the harbour water supply was read and favourable, the water being good for boiler purposes aad f*ir for d« inking. Copies of the report will be sent to the shipping companies. Mr. Marchant, engineer, wrote in reference to repairs to the sand-pump. The attention of the Bailway Department will be drawn to the fact that the rails had beea removed from the r«strve opposite tbe station, and that they be asked to complete the work and take the full 40,000 yards of earth which they contracted to do, Mr. Connett drew attention to the fact that a stone wpII outside of King's yard at the old foreshore, was being buried up. It was a sbame to waste the stone like this when it had ocst ss much to build. Tiie Chairman and Mr. Connett were appoint*d to ei quire int> tl>e matter and tike what action they think fit. Tbe Cha raan reported the result «>f a conference with the Valuer-General on the subject of valuat'ou. As a result he (the Chairman) reciimnpndfd that tbe Bjard pay a sum cf £B6 in satisfaction of the claim made ou it. This recommendation was adopted. The Chairman's action in accepting the tender cf the New Zea'and Accident C rnpany to insuie tfce Board's employe s was confirmed. The Bye-laws R vislon Committee were gramed til text meeting to report on the bye*!aws,' The Board's solicitor will be instructed to proved against Mr. King don for removing stone without leave. Accounts wt,re pissed for payment, totalling £492 0s sd. Mr. Sarten's notice of motion re shelter she 1 at the wbarf was brought up. He mived tha'an accommodation house should be put up for the convenience of travellers. Mr. Ward seconded. Mr. and the Chairman opposfcd tbe motion. Tbe Chairman Slid that th« Railway Department bad control of the wharf to the exclusion of other wheel triffic, and almo t of fo>t traffic. Under those o'rcumstsneestbo Department ought to provide a decent shsler. Mr. Conne't disagreed vith the Ohair.man. The Boatd received revenue from pjsseogers, ar.d should provide ilijp nece-ifaty imp ovetnen'.. H-) was sorry the Chairman was al ways willing to throw away thousand' on a useless s.md pump, and yet h<■7O. il(l not spend a few pounds on tbircally required work. Mr. Hignott: We l !, you voted fir i Mr. Connett: I know I did; but I hava been sorry ever sine*. The Chairman: I can't al'ow any discus ion on that. Mr. Pi ice thought the shed was s necessity, though it might be better to co-operate with the Riilway Department. Mr. McLean did not see any nrel for the Fhed. Mr. Ralfe would like to see a shelter sbed there, but he thought the railway authorities should attend to the want-. The motion was. Ist on the casting vote of the Chairman. M-\ Hi){nett's notice of motion re lighting the wbarf came up. Mr. Hignet said thut since giving ooticj he had learned more, and now wished to amend the r«°soluton to make it read that an electric light plant be installed. This the Board agreed to, atvl th*Chaii min seconOvd the motion. H» thought it t-me some action was taken. It might perhips b> possible to get ' the Railway Dap irtment to share thi cost. I

Messrs Ooonett and Ward al«i supported 'he mo'ion, which was cirriei unanimously, and Messrs Maxwell, Oonnctt and Hignftt were appointed * comavt'ee to enquire into tie matter and ct 11 for centra

App'ica'ions will be called for a practical mechanic, capabl. of aetir gas working foreman at the harbour. , The Chairman's noice of motion re j berthage charg s came on and was h-1 over till mxt meeting, and me ntiiiii the shipping c impjuies will b tu.;; • to nbli:e»:it« ill mention of " p>»s.«t.w tax'' ard "poll ux" in tl.vir tiuii! tables. Thpy wi'l »ls-j be nske.l to guv! an assurance tfciit iu future 110 extra ch»rj;e will tie made on passe-ig+r?, but the charg* treitd pimply a bertbog charge. The Hrliou m rtei'sand Fore ma n't repsrti were read.

The Chairman referred to a notice o f mot'oa he h id given re the distribu'ion of the boundries of the electoral ward of the district, but consideration w>e> held over til next meeting. The m e ing then adjourned.