HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 217, 21 September 1901, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board met on Friday. Present: Messrs Maxwell (chairman), Connote, McLean, King, Price, Ward, Sarten and Higuett. Consent wai given to the transfer from W. G. Y. Hasluck to T. S. McGuinnes-, of the lease of pirt sec. 811, Grey (site of Breakwater Hotel). A formal les lu ion confirming a : lease to C. 0. tUwke was passed. I Mr Walker, Breach Manager of 1 Union S.S. Co,, wrote stating that the Company did not think it advisable to ■pecify a fixed hour for berthing their steamers, on the ground of low water, heavy sea, or thick weather. Under the circumstances, they thought the Board would see at once how detrimental it would be to the port. They considered that except in bad weather, two hands, with the Harbour Master in attendance would suffice, but extra assistance would be necessary in bad weather. The Waitsra Hatbour Board inquired if in the event of the New Plymouth Board obtiining a larger dredge, it would be prepared to negotiate for the sale of the Thomas King, and if so, at what price. It was decided to inform the Waitara Board that the New Plymouth Board had no present intention of disposing of the drodg.i. The District Engineer New Zealand Railways wrote with reference to his interview with Messrs King and Cjdneti", as to facilities for enabling the after hatch of s'eamsrs to be worked when lying at the end of wharf, near the Board's office, and s'atirg he had marked on the decking the b: st position for the siding. The Board's Engineer wrote stating l e had advertised for tenders for the electric lighting plant. He also stated that Mr Napier Bell was still too ill to attend at New Piymmth. With regatd to the applications for foreman, he thought he might be as welt able to judge .of the mirits of thn applicants while at Tinuru as at New Plymouth. The Chairman stated hit had replied to Mr llarcha.i 's letLr relative t« Mr Napier Bj.l, aaJhaJ since beard that Mr Bell mifct sxpeated at New Plymouth prior to the next meeting of the Boird. Mr Sarten moved that a wire be sent to Mr Marchant informing him that the Board prefer that the visit of Mr Bell and himself to New Plymouth should take place during the week of the Board's next meeting, but that the visit should not be delayed if it did not suit Mr Ball's convenience.— Carried. A telegram from the Postal Depart ment was read relative to the proposed site for a Post Office on the Board's reserve, and stating the Department's intention to adhere to its present site. After some discussion, the Chairman moved that the Department be informed that the Boird had n ver asked for 4553 acres of land in exchang , but at th» Department's request, the Board had placed a value on the land considerably less than the market price. He considered tbe public should know, and the Board's minutes should record that the Board had acted liberally in tie matter. Mr Scott. applied for the position of resident electrical engineer. He is t be informed that tbe Biard has no intention of making such an appointment. The Taranaki County Council notified the Board that on condition that tbe Board supply 5000 yards of suitable stone, and deliver same at the root of the Breakwater at a cost not exceeding 2s a yard, the Oounoil would take over the road. Mr Sarten moved, and Mr Price seconded, that the ofter be accepted.— Carried. The District Valuer, Mr. S. Hill, waited on the Boird relative to the valuation charges. He said he wafinstructed to come to a settlement with the Board, whose offer of ,£B6 would oot'be accepted. He was prepared t take off one-third of the charges (£323) which was the same rate as allowed to the County Council. The Board han □ever previously been called upon to pay any other charge except the bare cost of copying the roll, this being the first occasion on Which a proportion of valuation charge was made.

The Ohairman stated that the fact of the County Council accepting the department's concession of one-third was no credit to the department. He considered that most of the Boards concerned felt that the sum charged was enormous and exorbitant. Most of the work work was done for the benefit of tbe department, Mr. Hignett asked for information as to tbe basi* on which tbe charges were framed.

Mr. Hill replied that in the New Plymou'.h district there had been 2352 alteration;, and each alteration wa9 estimated at 2s 9d taking the to'al cost throughout tbe colony. He had no hesitation in spying that the work dona in tbis district had cot been excessively charged for. In reply to the Chairman's observation tbat no reply had been received from from tho department to the offer of £B6 made by the Board, Mr. Hill stated tbat be had seen the press copy of a le'ter from the "ValuerGeneral to the chairman statiDg that the work, which had here'ofore, at. some paint and trouble, been done by the Board's secretary in relation to alterations in the valuation list, would in futuie be cirri-d out by the department, and asking the chairman to convey the thanks of tbe department to the seer tary fpr past service'. The Chairman said he had not teen the letter, but the secretary s'ated it had come to band, but was one of tho-o departmental communications which he received in ordinary course. Mr. Hignett moved that the Board sees no rjason for departing from its previous ofier of £B6. The Ohairman seconded the motion. Mr. Sarten pointed out the motion was part of a policy which had for its object antagonism to the Government. He moved that the offar made by Mr. Hill be accepted. Mr. Price seconded the amendment, Mr. Hignett contended the amendment was out of order. I The Ohairman ruled that the B >ard's previous resolution must first be re-' winded before Mr Sarten's amendment j could be pu v i. Mr. Connett pointel out tint Mr.' Hignett and the chairman hid both| made loog speeches, but it appeared the chairman now rued that the matter could not be settled without notice of motion. The matter was on'd 1 that would be better settled thera and then. 1 After some further discussion Mr.' Connett moved that the matter be dealt with without no'ice of motion. On a division the motion was carriei, Messrs Maxwell and Higcett voting with the noes. A motion to reaoind the previous

resolution was then carried. Mr. Sirten moved, and Mr. Price seconded, That tho otter nude by Mr. Hill, on behalf of the department, be accepted. Mr. McLean did not thick the Government was to blame, bus that the fault lay with the who had made a false chirge. Toe Chairman contended that the c ffar of £B6 would have bpen accepted had the Boird sufficient ba:jk bone to adhere fiumly to that offer. He depreca' ed the system now in vogue whereby the Board passed resolutions at one mealing only to resci> d them at a succeeding mebt ng. If the Depart ment could, as it did in a case he koew of, reduce a charge of £45 to £l2, it showed there was a gro.sovercharge in the firat instance. He considered wheo the Board arrived at a decision the resolution should hi strictly adhered to, unless something new turned up. To his mind the Department recognised the charge was preposterous and un - fair. Mr. Hignett moved as an amendment, that the D-partment be asked to | furnish a detailed statement as to how the accouot was made up. The Chairman seconded the amendment. Mr. C jnnatt advocated that some finality should ba arrived at. The chairman always found a way to m*ko a long speech and then somehow manage to throw over or hang up business, thus the time of the Bjard was wasted over unimportant matters. Th=t Chairman: 'Do you call this matter of somo hundred pounds unimportant ? Mr. Connett: It is unimportant as compared with tha thousands was'ed on the sand pump which you, Mr. Chairman, (purchased, and which has now been use'ess for over six months., The Chairman: It is distinctly untrue that I purchased the sand pump. Mr. Co inett: We will deal with that later on.

After some further discussion the amendment was lost and Mr. Sarten's motion wesson a diiiaion, carried by 5 to 4, Messrs, Maxwell, McLean, Rufe, and Higcett voting with the noes. The Chairman- moved thW the 'bje? laws regulating theconduct of business which bad bean drawn up an 4 printed be confirmed. Se ond.d by Mr. Ralfe, and carried. Mr. Sarten's motion to agree to the County Council's off*r of 2s per yard for atone taken from the breakwaterquarries was brought up. Mr. King thought in should be made clear that it must be " waste" stjne The Chairman said he did not think the Board would be jus ificd in entering iuti a definite contract'to supp'y such a large amount as 5000 yards of stone. It m ght be possible to get it out for 2s, but he was doubtful, and they were not Bure that they had the required amount. Mr, Savten said tbe Chairman could not say that the am unt of stone was not forthcoming. He' believed- the stone could be got out for Is per yard. Mr. Ptice supported the motion. Mr. Connect thought it would be batter, and tbe Council would be pleated if it were done, to allow that oody ten years, if necessary, to remove the ttone, at 500 yards a year. If this were not done he would vote for tbe motion as it was. He wished to see the matter finally settled. Mr, Hignett said tbe Board had made reasonable concessions in tbe past, but it would be unwisa to make any contract which might result in a IcSS.; . Mr. barfcen asked leave to amend' his resolution to read that the term of years be made ten. Mr. Ward supported the motion. If, however, the Counsil was going to mike so much out of the metal, let the Board make tbe road itself, and effect the swing—if thera w->s 'o be a saving. He wanted to see tbe ro.id made. Mr. McLean spoke. On division the motion wns carried by five to foi-r, the ayes being: Connstt, King, Ward, Sart m ; noes: McLean, Hignett, Ralfe, and.Maxwell. Mr. Stubbs, Wai'ara, asked if tbe Board would sell or loan a s'eam crane for snagging work on the Mokau Rivt r. —The Board has no crane to spare, but will sell a Prie->tm%n grab if required, Tne Railway Depirtment wrote in reference to removal of spoil from Mount Elliot Res-rve. The Department had taken all the soil, agreed upon, ard it was not convenient to go back there ag' in. Referring to the stone taken by the Department, the Chairman said the Board should pull together ani resist the Department taking so muoh s'one. If the removal went on there would ba no hope of tbe Board being able to expend the breakwat'-r. Mr. Oonne.t said the chairman would not pull with tbe oth»r member?. hen he (Mr. Connstt) bad referred to the removal of spoil and poin'edou* to Bond that the Department dd not intend to remove any more of the Mount Elliot R serve the chairman pooh-poo>.ed the idea, Mr,- HigneV; pro'ested against Mr. Connett continually refe.riug to p<st Actions of the chairman in such a deprecatory manner, Mr. Connett: What I have said is quite true. The Chairman related the circumstances uf his appointment <o g< to Wellington to interviaw the Minuter regarding the spoil. Mr, Connett reiterat <d that he was right, The occasion to which he referred occurred prior to tbe ono mentioned by the chairman, Mr. Hignett rnov. d that the Bvrd protest that the full amoui.t of earth i has not been removed, and tbat another 10,000 yards should be removed, a* more s k one hid been taken than the Board expected. The motion was carried.

lhe Oounty Olerk forwarded a sum of £1 9s 9d, royalty on 119 yards of stone taken from the Board's quarries. Tbe sum claimed by the Boor 1 w »s £5, at 6d per yard on 2QQ. The Secretary wis instructed to sue for tbß full amrunt if not paid forthwith. The County Oouooil applied for a permit for Messrs Berridge and King don to remove shingle from baach; ,—Granted. A similar application from Ohas. i Kmgdon, for 500 yards, was granted. | Several of removal of t-hingle without permits were reported, aodth m-n who took the shingle will be prosecuted, Messrs Connett and Ward were appointed to sign the rate bcok. Some repairs required a"s one of the Board's co'.tagas were authorised. ! The erection by the Union Company j of a telephone on the wharf was agreed to. It was decided not to deJuot any pay from permanent hand* who had been I laid np with influenza, but tbe conces-1 sion was hot to be regarded as a precedent for future requeue. ' The Harbourmaster reported a case of a' tibipmister entering the harbour

against the signal", an actim which I was agAinst the regulations of tbe ' Board and tbe ruUa of all porta. The entry in this case had caused a good deal of trouble and inconvenience. He | asked if his authority was to be upheld. The Chairman said it would be fatst for the harbourmaster or tbe Board condoning such an offence as entering against the signals. Mr. Sarten suggested that the Union Comproy should ba written to asking why one of its captains had gOM against thd harbourmaster. On the Chairman's motion it was resolved to uphold the harbourmaster in enforcing rules for the msnagetteot of the port, Supplies required were authorised, to be obtained. ' The Harbourmaster reported as follows: The Harbourmaster reported that during August 36 steamers ?ett borthed, of an aggregate of 29,781 tons. Imports were 2843 tons, and exports 365 tons. Although'there had been several heavy gales with rough sea there had been no delay to. the shipping. The dredge had worked 17 days, removing 11,040 cubic feet of sand, the depth of water improving ia the harbour. Should the weather be favourable he hoped to show a great improvement in tbe dapth of water la the harbaur. Mr Sarten asked where the spit was on which tbe Rotoiti was reported to have touched. The Harbourmaster said there was a tongue of sand near the breakwater which the vessel jnet grazed when coming in at deid low water spring tide. This sand had now been removed. • • .The Foreman reported that all tbe pip'-s between the lagoon' and the reservoir had been connected, ««k( that they were waiting for the shaft, tiki. Railway Engineer had marked off the line of beams, which would aKKHitrii the removal |of the' shel'er abed two feet. Eighty tons, of stine had tipped over tbe wall atthe wiUMk - phces. The diver- reported several piles to be to a. b^l.«ta^.';'TWi'lmK** spector of-Mwhinery oondsmpedtte dyiver of the sand {Huapengineioo the giound that he-tauit b« * till vkm ' stationary driver..' : . AcoouQts Vwfte ' passed totaffing £77314 a 2d. , , The Board went into committee to consider tendtrs for installing' ad *" electric light servi» at thu «haif. On resutning,' a recotnmen4a'i(fti was made that. Messrs Stewart and Fetutfa (Auckland) tehderbe accepted. After disouseioh, the Board deot'ded to adjourn until Friday next, whan a spesial meeting fill be held