NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8162, 21 July 1906, Page 2

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was held on Friday. Present: Messrs J. B. Connett (Chairman), G. McLean, J. Thomson, R. Price, R. W. Hornby, J. c lline junr., and E. Maxwell. t THE DBEDOE. S The Board's engineer wroto in f reference to the new form of nozzlo c recontly affixed to the ilredgo for s md- 1 pump dredging. From the informa- c Uon at hi 3 disposal he did 1 not think this fitting offered any I promise of success at New Plymouth. ' "An appliance," he said, " that may, i and no doubt does, suit admir.ibly in ] the very light sand of tho Mersey i roijht not be of any use in dredging our heavy compact sand at New Plymouth." His idea was that the area of opening in the shoe was too large to be likely to givo good results here, as there would not be sufficient velocity of water through the apertu-es to give the required scouring power in through them to move this heavy sand. " Then, again, the old hood apparatus which I : fixed to the dredge allows the vessel i to heave several inches without hoist- ; ing the bottom of the hood off the sand. With the ilersey pattern shoe \ every heave of our little dredge would r lift tho shoe clean off the sand and for such period nothing but water would be pumped. . . one has to be humble as one'B forecasts in these \ matters are frequently badly upset by actual experiment." Mr Marohant suggested that the two fixtures should ' be tested under exactly equal con--1 ditions, and the actual results should 8 placo the matter beyond dispute. He " doubted whether the new pattern would give anything like as good - results as the old hood when there is ■- sufficient motion on the sea to make s tho dredge heave, and this was the e case more often than not.

Tho foreman, Mr P. Henderson, asked permission to have a 6-inch grid made for the new nozzle on tho dredge. The present one admitted stones only up to 3 inohes in diameter, whereas the old one took 6-ihch atones. When the alteration was made the two could be compared under equal conditions. Mr McLean complained that the foreman now wanted a new nozzle, but when he asked the Board, through the Chairman, some time ago to sanction the improved dredge nozzle he told the mombers that the new nozz'e would be far betler than the old one. He objected to tho letter. Mr Price moved, an 1 Mr MoLean seconded, that the request be aooeded to, /

Mr Maxwell would only apjreo if the present 3-inch grid were retained. He objected to these alterations without consulting the Engineer, who would, of course, provide properly for contingencies. It seemed the foreman was experimenting. The motion was carried. IBBECOVEIABLE BATES, A schedule of irrecoverable rates, amounting to £59 2s 9d, was laid on the table, and tho Secretary was empowered to write these off the books. A TIMBEE OBDEB. A letter was read to the. effect that the Board's order for jarrah limber missed the direct timber steamer, but could bo filled at a higher price in a mouth's tune. The jarrah. pieces will be procured without delay. OH-nORIM BIGHTS. Messrs Roy and Wilson, on behalf of Mr Albort Bayly, applied for 21 years' boring rights over the B >ard's reserve to the seaward of Spotswood, a royalty of 5 per cent, to be paid on all oil after the first 10D0 gallons, and the lessee to have the right to us ■ all gas arising. Mr Bayly won 1 1 be prepared to start baring in 12 mouths, and to continue b 'ring to 1000 feet, unless oil were struck at a lesser dep h. The letter added that Mr Bayly ami Mr Cb-imw were fluting a compmy with a capital of 62)01'. Mr Connctt thought the offer was not b'g enough. The te ms were no better than when there was doubt about oil being obtainable by boring. Things had chanjed now. The Chairman and Messrs Maxwell and King were appointed a committee to draw up conditions, w.th a view to offering for public competition the rights ovor all available resorves. BUELTEE SEED BEQUIBBD. A petition was read from 36 wharf hands, asking the Board to erect a shelter-shed for the convonienco of the workers on the wharf. The Board recognised the necessity for this work, and a reply will bo sent that the shed will be erected when tho laying of rails on the wharf has been completed. OBXI ItiL. The Board went into committco to consider tho Harbour Board's superannuation scheme, and the Chairman was given discretionary po»er in tho matter. The tender of Messrs D. Berry and Co. was accepted for the supply of 1500 casks of English cemeut. Accounts were passed, and the Board rose