Harbour Board.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7766, 18 March 1905, Page 2

Harbour Board.

MONTHLY .MKL'mtl. The monthly meeting of the Xew Plymouth Harbour Board was lield on Thursday. There were present : Messrs J. H. Comiett (Chairman). Newton King, McLean, Thompson, Hornby, lline, and Price. A letter was received from Sir Alfred Cadman, at Auckland, giving permission under his lease on the foreshore to remo\e any sand retpiireil for experimental purposes or for ships' i ballast. This permission was to cease as soon as they laid I own plant for the manufacture of iron, according to the terms of the lease.

It was pointed out tin) this was the condrtion on which live extension of the lease had Invll •■ranted to Mr Merry, as Sir All's: d -C-utman's atrem, for a term of two \ ears from .lan. 'J. r >, at £IOO per an num. Mr Newton King thought that the lease, might hamper the obtaining of ships' ballast, but the chairman said thill as the boa id hud plenty of material available he did not tlhink ! there would be any ditliculiy in this direction.

Other members also thought that this matter had been overlooked in grunting the extension of the lease. The Chairman undertook to consult Mr Berry on the subject,

—Orass for Sand-drifts.— A letter was received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, asking if the board would receive from the Government a supply of marram grass for pluming on sandhills, covering land invested in the board. April was 1 the best tiune for planting the roots, and several sections required attention, notably section 137, Omata district, and 157, Hua district.

The secretary was instructed to inquire whether the tiovernment were prepared to supply the grass free of cost.

—Coal Supply.— Correspondence was read from the agent, Mr Stuljbs, explaining the delay in the supply of Mokau coal. The secretary stated that he had ordered coal on Feb. 13 to ho delivered at the end of the week. It was not supplied that week or the iollow ing week, and as It was urgently required he had wirqd to the Minister for Railways and got iiO tons of State coal. That was being sent forward.

The Chairman said that as the contract had been broken, he had given instructions'that if coal was not delivered by the contractor when required they should order the coal elsewhere. They would have been in a predicament but for obtaining the State coal, as there was no reserve stored. When the new coal bins were laid down, they would be able to store GO tons supply.

The harbourmaster stated that the agent contended that he had the exclusive right of supplying! coal to the board.

I It was thought advisable by soma members to terminate the contract, but the terms of the agreement were that in such circumstances the board liad only power to obtain 'temporary supplies, and charge the contractor with the dilVerence in price.

At a later stago tho matter was discussed in committee. It was agreed to write stating that the board has no intention of discontinuing tho use af Mokau coal, and that as the contract is only for J2 months the board cannot hind itself to extend it.

I Mr F. W. Marchant's plans of the coal bunkers to be put down alongside the wharf extension were considered and approved. I —Consolidating Acts.—

Tho Under Secretary for Justice wroto re the move to consolidate the statutes. A list of the statutes affecting the board was enclosed, with tho reffiiftst 'that the board should suggest which rctj'uircd repealing or consolidating. The Chairman : We don't want to alter existing conditions in any way.

The matter was referred to the board's solicitors for advice.

—Company's Oflice.— An application from the Union Steam Ship Company for permission to erect o small office l2Pt by 111 ft. on the wharf for the use of their clerk, was referred to the engineer lor report. —Proposed Tin Works—- . J. S. M. Jacobson, metallurgist. of Nelson, wrote Hint ho had patented a process of extracting till from the black sarjd (titaniferous iron sand), of New Plymouth. He was desirous of making an early start with the works, and had initiated his son into the process. He asked the board to grant hiui an area 12 chains southerly of und adi Joining the breakwater. For remuneration he would, if the lease wore granted, gay tho board a royalty of £2 on every ton of tin extracted. If the iCase were granted he I would imuredilabely erect a small plant, in Nelson in order to produce a low tons of the tin, thus giving him an opportunity of determining what was required in working it on a large scale. He would then, with his son, go to New Plymouth and erect works. As it was necessary for his son to go to Auckland to purchase the necessaries for a smalt preliminary test plant at Nelson, he asked for an early reply.

Tile secretary was instructed to inform Mr .lacohsou that tho "board could not deal with tlnit portion of the foreshore, as it was included in the lease held by Sir Alfred Cadman ; but that the bpnrd would be willing to grant him 30 tons of sand free from royalty. —Xeiv Light.—

Captains Robertson and Norbury submitted very favourable reports on the new harbour liglA at the end of the breakwater. In clear weather the red light was distinctly visible for a distance of from three to s-ix mih's. At all times and at all distances the light showed a distinct ruby red, and ill this respect ii was much superior lo the previous light, which at times was difficult to distinguish from the surrounding lights. —Foreman's Report.—

I The foreman of works, Mr F. Tien- , derson, reported that the wharf . where damaged by the s.s. Takapuna had been repaint! by driving . three new piles and putting in sev-i era I new beams, braces, and fenders. The alteration's to the new five ton crane, as authorised by the engineer, had been effected. A housing of corrugated iron had been erected over (he machinery, und the crane was now working at the wharf extension, pile driving. The new cylinders for the 10 ton crane had come to hand. They were fitted into ' position and a start made to lift concrote blocks on the oth inst. 'The working! of the crane was'greatly iuiproved, the driver reporting that only about half the coal and watel formerly used was now required to keep up the steam. Seven concreto blocks had been made, and thirteen had been lifted and slacked. After six more blocks were niailc a clem start could be made at the breakwater extension, probably on the -1 st, inst. The foreman suggested that Mr Marchant, tho engineer, bo requested to make a visit one vveok later, in order that he might personally supervise the laying of the ! first section, Work at the quarry had been carried on steadily during the month, and a large supply ol stone was now on hand. On account of most of -the carpenters Jb'eing engaged in repairing the whurf nothing had been done to the wharf extension work, beyond polling down , in portion of the old cattle wharf', and removing the sheds thereon, j. The new lighting apparatus supplied by Chance llros., Hirmingham, had . been erected in the lighthouse, ait.l had been in constant use sinre Thurs- i day, the 9th inst. The lighthouse ' seemed well-suited for the new light, '' and there was ample room for 0 everything. . —Finances.—

I Accounts amounting to il(>0 2s 1 3d were passvd for pa.wnent. The cost of the new |ighj was JI2IO. I Tiij_- statement of general accounts ishpwed 1 that (he overdraft of j I'ls 3(t reported at last lneetr i<if? had inr)'('nsr(l (0 13s Id, j owing to the work in progress. The sum o!irs}au'ding- fur tho month was | JIS.'Ki Is lil, made up as follows: : Sundries. £ I I lis: rents. Jtl'.l.l 2s ; wharfage to March 1. JMmI Is <)d. shipping- dues. £22, : i Ms Id. :—Next Meet ing.— ) Owing (:o the usual meeting day I falling- on (iooil Friday, the next meeting of the board was fixed for the si-pond Frj-dny jn April. —C'urrie Street.— ■V deputation from the liorougli Council, consjtting of vhe Mayor (Mr 1!. Cock). Ob. Wilson, I'rascr, Brooking, ami Wood, and the Town Clerk and engineer, waifed on the board with reference to the Curric St reel extension, etc. The Mayor explained thai the bonj-J hucl some ttuwajfo ugried to

{live the council £123 to lnctai ami take over the C'urria Street extenrh.n. Tho council now found that they alrcad hold part of the extension referred to, and now wanted tho hoard to grant a strip of land in order to mako that; jportion (56ft wide, and to continue tho street thnt width. A second request was for a grant of portion of Ihe Harbour Hoard's reserve adjoining tho lower ernl of Gill Street through to Ilrouglmm Street to provide another thoroughfare and relieve thte hea\y trallic which was now concentrated in Devon Street. The proposal included the purchase of property held liy Mr Newman. | The of the board adjourned and made an 'inspection of the to'calit.v in company with tho deputation, and notices of motion to bo tabled on tho question will be doalt with at next meeting.