Harbour Board.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 251, 21 November 1903, Page 4

Harbour Board.

The Harbour Board met yesterday. Messrs Comiett (chair), KiTg McLean, Dingle, Price, Ward, Hornby. Maxwell. Mr Marchant, the Board's consulting engineer, was in attendance. in offer from the Hawera County Council of £2O for steel girders, f.o.b. at New Plymouth, was accept-

or H. Uumberson, Swedish Consul at Melbourne, wrote, asking, what draught of water there was at the Breakwater. He had a timber freight to bring in, and his vessel drew 13ft 3in. The Harbourmaster had already replied that there was ample water. The Chairman said that he had given the Borough Council permission to stack pipes on the Board's reserve in Brougham Street. The Mayor (Mr Cock), Crs. Bellringer and Carter waited on the Board an behalf of the Borough Council with some requests they wished granted. The Mayor said that the Council wished to encroach on the Gill Street extension with the septic tank, but the tank would be completely covered up, and would be no nuisance. Permission was also "asked to remove stone from the beach for erecting a wall to protect the bathing shed. The reqjuest for stone was agreed " to, and it was decided to inspect the septic tank site at the luncheon adjournment. Correspondence was read from the Wellington Harbour Board re the Harbour Board legislation, suggesting co-operative action. The Dredgeuiaster wrote making complaint regarding the conduct of the foreman, and the Board went into committee to consider the mat-' " ser. On resuming, the report was that the Board would hear both men before taking action. Chas. Hales, of the Trocadero, ! wrote, asking that a portion of the hill in Ariki Street be removed, as it hid his hotel from view.—No action taken. . The foreman reported that five wharf piles had been prepared for driving. This was all required at present. Fifteen tons of stone had been shifted, from the inside to the outside of the Breakwater.. The sand pump was being re-chipped and painted. # The . Harbourmaster reported that during the six weeks ended November 18th 40 steamers and one sailing vessel were berthed at the wharf, of an aggregate tonnage of 40,944 tons. The imports totalled 288 tons, including railway coal and 262 tons of private coal. Exports totalled 928 tons, making a total of 5336 tons of cargo bandied. The dredge worked 21 days, and removed 19,140 cubic yards of sand in 219 trips. The result was a great improvement to the Harbour. A report and plan was also submitted shewing an increased depth of water at the end of the wharf and outwards, but from the wharf to the line of beacons no improvement was recoiled. The dredge was unable to remove the large area of silt. They were doing a lot of pumping, but could not retain the fine silt in the hopper. He had consulted Mr Marchant on the matter, and tl» latter would send in a report. The Board then adjourned for lunch. The Board resumed after lunch. The committee set up to report regarding the reserve at Bell Block were unable to report, and on the motion of Mr McLean the committee was granted «ne month's . extension of time. Mr Pikett asked for use of the The request was granted, aw* th« aontractor will have the use of the Biixsr for six months at a cost of £5 ;_'. the mixer to be returned in good order at the end of the term. Mr Maxwell moved that the Board will hand over the land in Gill Street to the borough on the condition that the Borough Council will open up Ariki Street to Brougham Street. If the borough did not care to do this tTiey could take the land under the Public Works Act. Mr Ward seconded, and considered they had a right to ask the Council to-do the work. The borough got a concession from the Board, and it was only fair to expect something in return. Mr King moved as as amendment that Ariki Street be left out of the question altogether. The Chairman . seconded, and thought that Ariki Street construction should be left out of the question. Mr McLean said the question bad to lie considered as to deterioration of the Board's property by the proximity of the septic tank. He thought they should ask for full value for their property. Mr Price said the land offered the Boaixl was very valuable, and it would cost the borough just as much as the Board asked if the land were taken under the Public Works Act. He favoured a committee being set up to make terms with the Council on the lines of the resolution.

Mr Maxwell, in reply, thought the reojuest was ijuite reasonable, and the cost would not be as great to the borough as if fcbe land were taken under the Public Works Act.

The amendment was then put and lost.

The resolution was p«t and earned, the Borougfc Council being' .allowed three and four years respectively to complete the construction of the two streets.

The Board then .went into committee to consider the trouble between the Dredgemas-ter and Foreman. On resuming, it was reported that the services of the Foreman would be dispensed with, and applications invited for the position. A committee was set up to deal with the applications. v Mr Hornby fflowd that Captain Hood be reimbursed for payment of a substitute during the holidays Mr Price seconded.

Mi ftngle did not think it wise to make payment in full. He favoured paying half the amount. Mr King seconded, and the motion was carried..

Accounts were then read and pasrose : ° r payment > and th « Board