HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 17 August 1907, Page 5

HARBOR BOARD.

The Xew Plymouth Ilarhor Board mot on Friday. Prcsi'nt: Messrs J. B. Connett Hiairman), (Jeo. McLean, J. Thomson, K. Price, »]. Ward, D. .1. Hughes. J. Uiiu\ junr., and E. Maxwoll. CONVERSION OV LEASES.

Mr D. Berry, chairman of directors of the Taranaki I'etroiruni Co.. wrote, on belulf of the Taranaki Petroleum Com-

pany, Limited. who hail bought the

iea-e of some 85 acres lultl from tiie Board by Mr Alfred Cteorge, (if Omata. He asked upon what terms the Bo ird .voitld change the tenure trom that ot an ordinary lease having between ten and eleven yars to run to a lease-Jn-/lerpetuity with a re-valuation every rears. The company proposed to erect a refinery costing many thousands of pounds (the amount would not lie definitely stated at present), with all the necessary buildings and a line of raih to connect with the Government line to the wharf, and this 110 doubt in the near .future, would mean the payment of considerable sums for wharfage, or perhaps even increased shipping to the port. The balance of, say, ten years of the present lease would not justify the company in spending the requisite amount in permanent work, which would mean the erection of many buildings to rover the plant ami. later on. the erection of a considerable mimlier of workmen's homes.

Mr Maxwell suggested million. He ,litl not think tin' Honrii should part with tilis property for nil time. They wore :'B18l!l»rlv fc'l-tll!l:> tc ill having Midi » r.-./rv.' so close In the port, whoso future 110 olio 0,.u1,l I'oVi'-or. II might lie (hat the Board would ro-if-irt- the whole of this reserve in the future, or (ho earth from it might he needed for reclamation purpose*. Hut ho thought the Bonrd might l>e able to meet the companv hv <riviu<r thoni pcrpctuallyreoiirrina rights of renewal over a smaller "ami sufficient for their purposes. Mr Ward agreed. Tie considered that =lOlllO day—he might not live to see it—ihero would ho a ruhlilo wall const nu'tcd across the hay from the present steps, and the enclosed space would ho pumped full of sand, aivd then covered with clay from the reserves opposite, forming 'building sites that would bo worth "an enormous amount. Ho had iuo doubt that some day in the future there would he demand for such land near the root of iho breakwater. . Mr Price said he was anxious to help ihe company, but would not favor giving up this reserve for ever. It was decided to ask the company to state the smallest possible _ area that could 1)0 made to suit their purpose, with a view to arranging conversion of the tenure of a smaller piece of ground. , „ , , The Waimate Road Hoard forwarded a copy of a resolution. ''That this Board strongly protests against having the burden" of an additional harbor_ rate put upon the ratepayers of the Waimate load district; that tliey consider it unjust that this district is included m the Xew Plymouth liarbor special ratin" district,, as the ratepayers of this district derive very little, if any, bone.it from the New Plymouth Harbor lioarn s " ( Mr\rcLcan said he had attended the meeting of the Road Board and explained Mr Kin"'s proposals. lie heal told them that certainly the expenditure of more money would improve the port, but lie did not think it would cheapen butter freights. TIIE SINKTXC, T'CXD. On the motion of Mr Hirie, seconded by Mr Maxwell, it was decided to obtain leal advice as to the Board's position with reference to sinking fund. ' n regard to ro-borrowing for the purpose ofl pavin" oIT the present loan; whether it wiffbe obligatory on the Sinking Fund Commissioners to pay over tlie whole of the funds in their hands towards liquidation of the present loan, so that the Board would only have to borrow the balance of £140.100; or whether they should retain the funds and allow them to accumulate for the purpose of liquidating the whole lor.n and consequently the Board have to re-borrow the whole loan.

TENDERS. The following tenders were, received and dealt vrfth:—Tronbark timber— Flannerv and Son, 30s per 100 ft;. V.ai- | lace and Co., 29s 3d. Building snelter klied-Colemsn and Son. £77 (accepted); ,T. Salt, £79 i A. H. Martin, £S2 ss. The matter of accepting ironbark tenders was left with the chairman and engineer. GENE'S AL. The matter of tlie electric lighting contract on tb? wharves was left in tlie bands of the chairman and Mr King to arninje. The Board decided to Ifcvv a r..te ol a uri.Mi'a in the £.