HARBOUR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 54, 19 February 1902, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

The Harbour Board met on Tuesday owing to the statutory annual meeting falling on that day. Present: Messrs Maxwell, C'onnett, King, McLeaii, Price, Ward, and Sarten. On the motion of Mr King, seconded Toy Mr Price, Mr J. B. Coanett was elected chairman of the Board. Mr Connett, on taking his seat, briefly thanked the members for the honour conferred tin him, and expressed his intention of using his bent endeavours to till the position worthily. Mr Newton KiDg was then appointed treasurer.

An apology was received from Mr Ourtis for absence from the meeting. 1 Mr Hignett wrote resigning his seat 1 on the Board. The secretary stated he had taken towards filling the 1 vacancy. The secretary reported that a concrete mixer had been sold for £ls plus [ £6 expenses of removal. Messrs Stewart and Ferm wrote explaining the cause of delay in the arrival of the electric light installation, the fault resting with the firm at Birmingham, A letter was read from Mr Black quoting .£54 per ton f.0.b., London, for manila rope.—Referred to Works Committee to compare with price paid for rope in Auckland. The Chairman referred to a letter received from the Borough Couacil applying for permission to cart a few loads of shingle from the beach e ist of the Henui River. Mr Sarten moved that the resolution prohibiting the removal of gravel fiom the boacih be rescinded, in so far only as it concerns the baach eastward of the Henui R'ver —Seconded by Mr King. Mr Maxwell would not oppose an urgent request liks that under discussion ; but be vsamed the Beard that if the resolution was made general, the same condition of things may occur in a few years eastward of the Fenui, as now obtained opposite New P.ymouth, tbreugh the removal of gravel and sunl. Mr King said if the removal was dangerous at the Henui, it must sorely be the same west of the Breakwater. Mr Maxwell: No, that desen't follow.

Mr King thought that as people wore allowed to remove gravel from the westward of the breakwater, they should surely be allowed to do so eastward of the Henui. Mr Ward thought the removal of gravel could do no harm. It was the washing away of the sand that caused the troublo, and the Board had built a breakwater which stopped the sand coming along east of the mole. He suggested an amendment that gravel be omitted from the embargo. The Chairman said the land was making at the place mentioned in the Borough Council's letter, so that no harm could be done by acceding to the request.

Mr Sarten replied, and the motion was carried. Mr Berry wrote that suppliers ef piles had notified that fresh piles are ready for shipment in place of those rejected. He suggested that the Board state waether it will accept the faulty piles which would do for work above water.—The Board is not prepared to make any offer. W. J, Shaw (New Zealand Accident Insurance Company) wrote re accident insurance.—A new policy has been taken out. The Mangorei Dairy Company wrote asking for price of old piping.—The matter wes left in the hands of the Works Committee. Mr Bdsicl applied for permission to erect a refreshment stall on the Board's St. Aubyn-street reserve during Band Contest week, and offered 25s for the right.—Agreed to. The Works Committee recommended that a screwing machine and a drill be obtained. The usual amount of stores for the harbour works was authorised. The Chairman said some of the material requisitioned for had evidently been ordered without authority, especially cement. The Harbourmaster explained that the foreman had required the cement suddenly, and some had to be borrowed. It was, perhaps, not the usual brand nsed by the Beard, but it was the best obtainable. The Chairman and Mr King thought it was. a question whether it was the harbourmaster's duty to order these things, or to consult tbp Committee, which had been set up to meet cases of this kind, Mr Maxwell said it seemed to him the Harbourmaster had only followed the course adopted for years past. Tho Harbourmaeter reported thati during the month 37 steamers and one i sailing vessel were berthed at the' wharf, aggregating 40,854 tons. Imports were 3451 tons (including 243 tens private coal), and exports 1434 tons. The dredge worked 19 days, making 169 trips and removing 10,140 yards of sand, the greater part from the spit at the end of the breakwater. The Railway Department had finished the new line on the wharf extension. The Foreman reported that several new chafing pieces had been put in the wharf and others repaired. Fqur new piles had been prepared for driving, and the diver had been engaged in examining and repairing piles. The sand pump engine had been cleaned and painted. The windmill was working well, and the old one had been sane away. The main water pips burst on the 6th inst., and he had it repaired. Several other improvements had been carried out. An accident occurred to the crane on l§th inst,, owing to a large stone being blown on to it, breaking pipes on the engine. These had since been repaired. The accident was due to the inexperience of the quarry foreman, and a new man had since been engaged. Accounts were passed. Mr Sarten moved, in accordance with notice, that all dredging work be stopped and the money used to put stone over the end of the breakwater. Seoonded pro forma, by Mr McLean. Mr Sarten briefly raplied, and the motion was put and lost. The Board rose.