NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 20, 17 February 1909, Page 4

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

SrW s?% . The New Plymouth Harbor Hoard nut »l v " yisterday. Present: Messrs. J. 13. Con # mm (chairman), Newton King. J. Ward. H <r McUugguge, K. Price, C. A. Wilkin '\, s ii D. J Hughe*, Wells, and E. Ma.v ,« will. lira returning u llicer, Mr. C. S. J!eunill, took the chair, and invited noiuinar tii ns for the position of chairman. Mr. Connett wa.s rc-ilcctcd uiianU luously, and -Mr. Newton King was again a ipointed treasurer, without opposition. It ivao- decided that the whole Jioard comprise, the Works Committee. SPECIAL UKKTINCi. Vt the annual meeting at noon the a* circulated was adopted "• and settled. The ortlinary meeting was then resumed. A REQUEST KEFUSED. Mr. Sobert E. Cuthbertson, of Pahnerston North, asked if the Hoard would lease part of the wharf for storage purposes. Several wealthy men m the Unnawatu district were, jhinkiug of forming u, shipping company to trauc to ill ports on the West Coast, including Ai and as the proposal intruded storage-room at the different porta; they would like to be sure of their footing before committing (themselves. .lie understood that the Hoard intended to extend the wharf in thcr Very near iuture;ahd partof the old wharf would suit their (purpose in the meantime, as lung'as they could get about ten feet of water. The proposal was a good on", and would benefit the whole of tin , coast. Mr..Jlaxwell moved that the writu be Informed that the Hoard is not in a poaifcrai to lease any portion of the wharf, but the Board contemplates the , erection of storage accommodation there m the near future. r. Mr. Wilkinson seconded the motion. J>. «luch was carried. 1 THE EXTENSION H'KOPCiSALS. Mr. F. W. Marchant, consulting engineer, iwrote in answer to the Board's , tetter concerning the direction of the wharf extension. "I entirely dissent," ho said, "from the proposal to extend ' the wharf> in its present direction. This f 4 mattes was freely discussed between Mr. Napier Bell and myself, and we came to the conclusion that it would be very i disadvantageous to extend the wharf on v l the original line. I gjve the reasons as fully as possible hereunder. If, how- » eier, after considering them the Board " -should still be doubtful about the qu'esi Hon, then I urge that some highly experienced nautical man, like Captain r for example, should be engaged f- to look into the question with mc on the I ground. t y 'lt is useless asking shipmasters to if;, look at the wharf aad say what they 8 - ' think of the extension either on one |p ~ line or the other. No one can judge by L louking at the works themselves. In fi -order to form a sound opinion, the plan of the whole harbor must he studied, * the distances of the wharf from the

' breakwater measured, and the manocuvring of vessels considered; also, the aspect must he dealt with.- The case as it presents itself to me is as follows: l "firstly—lf KXtended un the present line the north-western side of the existing wharf w> u > in my opinion, be either useless for shipping or could be used only with danger to vessels on that side. The curve of the breakwuter would overlap the north-western side of the extension if made in the present direction, and there would bti great risk of fouling the structure when using the northiweetem berthage. Suppose that 3Uoft was added to th* existing wharf in its

ijjjesent line, certainly no more than that j'coflld be added at any future time, no v'niiftfcr how much it was required. By putting in- the extension at an. angle us 1 propose, the extension can be added to iridennitelji and both sides of it safely " used a& well as the berthage of the . existing' wharf now in ase. . "Secondly—The existing wharf was in - the first Instance set entirely too close to the, • breakwater. Obviously it was done to get <h.e best possible shelter . from the abort length of breakwater '. then existing. With the breakwater cx- ;,, traded to its full and necessary length, the line of the wharf as originally fixed becomes much more disadvantageous. :' "Thirdly—The really proper thing is : ' to leave the existing wharf alone and build! an entirely new one for the use of the largest vessels. This would, howi ever, be beyond your present means, and we can now only do the best with the . funds available. ■■ '•Feurthly—Allowing, for the sake of ' argument, that it is decided to add 300 ft • .to the existing wharf and on the same lbi?,then the whole-of the- existing y.\ wharf on its south-easterni side shoul 1 . be widened' with extra long piles, so a--tii allow the berthage to be dredged !o 30ft,- low water. This would prcbablv ' run into flojDOO. When'it had beeii '/done, there would be only 300 ft more /; berthage than at present, because the extension would certainly have spoilt

v the berth on the north - western side V which is now used for the C'orinua, so f that tbo extension wouhl.ouly be a siibi <■ itute 101 that on 'the north-west side. y * Un the other hand, by extending the v wharf on th 5 line 1 propose, both aides 2 of it would be available for shipping. {.'lung IUOOft more berthage than at

*i present exists for an expenditure of, ft sav, €23,000. From a, .t s. d. point of fS uew the extension of the wharf on the "f> ' present line would be very expensive " per foot Of berthagei given, and no fub tuie extcnojoiii of it .would be possible. £ I have all the plan* of the extension & completed on the lines authorised picc viously, and ready for contract. I will. * howcter, not make any more copies of * fum lor exhibition at different places I until 1 hear further from you."' ' The chairman stated that without exccption the shipping mantel's trading to the port condemned the engineer's proposal He counselled delay, for uniii J, the breakwater was extended and th" r dredging done any new wharf would be s_ useless. •f> Captain Hood said thai with the > • wliarf built as now proposed by the cn- ■» gineer it would have been exceedingly ) difficult during last week's south-eastci- ;. It gale» to hive despatched vessels from * the wliarf. From the navigators' poiiu 1 of view the only satisfactory wharf'at Moturoa would be a straight wharf 4 If ~' the wharf were built as proposed by the engineer, it would be necessary to bring V large vessels almost on to the beach in V order to berth them. k. Mr Wells urged that full creisidera- % tton should be given to the practical a knowledge of sea-faring men as well as | to the engineer's ideas. J 2 3lr. Wilkinson said that the Unav-.l * bid a serious question to decide, lie fa did not think they could - decide it without taking the adviw. of an outside, ex • '* pert, and he moved that the Superin- £ tendent of the New Zealand Shipping 8 Convpant be engaged to report; and J that to the meantime the consideration I •■ of tße matter be; deferred. *? Mr. King seconded. J Mr Maxwell supported the nintion. but pointed out that while the Board would hau to listen To' the seafaring mm on .th.e matter of convenience, of the wharf for handling their vessels, the engineer was chiefly concerned in regard to the stability <>f the wharf, wlicnahputs and extent of dredging, and so [ OD. " The motion was carried. THB OPCNAKE CO3IPIJAIXT. Mr George Atlport, Secretary to the ", "Marine Department, wrote: "With re- ; \ ferencei to section "27 of 'The Xew l'ly- !> moath Harbor Board Empowering Ail. £,. 1908.' I ahall be glad, if you "will let me f, ,know whether your' Board i» taking an." W-, action with regard to asking for the n- &>, quired Order-in-Council to empower it £ to alter the boundaries of the electoral ti twarfg into which the harbor district is

divided, so Hint the value of the ratable property within each, ward shall be a, nearly as may lie equal. I mav " t!l . t "" lllllt » "-'quest has lieen made that relict may be given t<> ratepayers in. the proposed hgiuont ward.'

I p"ii the motion, of .Messrs. Maxwell ami AMTuggago. i,, W a.s decided that llio secretary should reply that "under sect,.,,, is ~, lk . _ Nl . lv |. lyl)1011t | 1 ]| ., 1 . lll)1 . I.'urd Empowering Act relict cannot he given uim: imniev has been raised for repawnint of the present loan; and when tin. i, ,lo m . ih.e Opunake ami Waitara distn-t- will :,e freed ami a read just incut oi heundarics of wards made." THE I.OA\ DEPUTATION

-Messrs. tloveti and' Cluilliam, the Hoard's solicitors, tunisi-dcd a copv of the formal resolution required to be passed in order to give .Messrs. Council ami Kmg power to negotiate in England ior the dotation of the lioartl's-iaOUJIOO loan.

.Mr. Maxwell moved that the draft motion be uaascd.

The chairman said that before the matter was discussed he would like, for. the information of the new members, to explain the position, Mr. Wilkinson having remarked earlier that he-thou»!il that only Mr. King should have been authorised to go to London. As far as 'ho I Mr. Connett) was aware, the intention at lirst was that Mr. Ki nj , j-lioiiitl go alone, and Mr. Maxwell's motion at last meeting read Hint wav. The members of the Board,'huwcvi'r. coupled the chairman's name with .Mr. Kind's, and the latter gentleman had objected '.. accept the i-cpoiisibilii.,• single-handed, on the groom! that the transaction was one, of considerable magnitude" As far as the speaker was concerned, he would rather stay a.t home. .Mr. King had also told the Hoard he did not want to go, and probably would not be able 'to gel a wav.

Mr. Maxwell endorsed the stall nient of the chairintin that.the Original motion was for only Mr. Kin,,, to go. Each member in speaking to the motion •bracketed Mr. Council's' niuue with his, •and Mr. King, who was the last speaker! said it was right that tli. chair man a-' the executive ollicer of the Foard should be on th<' *pot to coiilirin his ncgot.ia tion-. At the expressed 'wish of the I whole of the nicnibtrs he then nildcd Mr. Counetfs name to the motion, which wa.s carried.

Mr. McChggago said that for his.pan lie wa* quite willing .that -Mr. Conned .should accompaiiy tin.' treasurer. It was .1, big mutter, and Mr. Cuunctt's iutimate acquaintance with the Board's affairs ami finance would In' most nsWiil. .Mr. Wilkinson remarked that n., yet no provision had been made for th; pavnicnt of the deputation's expenses. This should lie settled before they went. Much, a, course would lie more satisfactory to the ratepayers and also to the members of the deputation. »For his part, he thought it would have been sufficient to .send onlv Mr. King, who eouUt have managed the business. Had that course been adopted, the Board would have had the benefit of Mr. Connett's experience here on the spot, and his presence, would have been of great value to the Board. He recognised that the trip on flic Hoard's business outsit be wry inconvenient to themselves, and they were very good to go. having a desire to do the ratepayers a service. He had no doubt, that both of them would lose money by the trip.

Mr. King said it seemed to him ad visable that the chairman of the Board should accompany him. lie would have "a hard row to hoe." The only point that could lie urged against sending the two was the expense, and against that there was the invaluable help it would be to hint (Mr. King) in talking over flie financier's proposals with II r. Connect.

Eventual!v'the Board -passed .the'account of £l4-1 8s for the two passenger tickets, and decided to place C4OU to tiie credit of their two representatives in London. The Board would have'made it £SOO, but .Mr. King thought the lesser amount would be quite enough.

In the course of the. discussion it w«s pointed out that in the Stratford- district it was freely stated during the recent harbor election that the delegates' expensesi would be .-£2OOO. OFFICERS PRO TEM. Mr. McCluggage moved that Mr. t. Maxwell be acting-chairman during Mr Connett's absence. Mr. "Wells second-' ed.—Carried. Mr. Wilkinson moved, and Mr. Kitig seconded, tlnut Mr. Joe Ward l>ei acl'mg-t-reasurer during Mr. King's absenceCarried. •> HARBORMASTER'S REPORT.

The harbormaster. Captain C. E. Ho'oil. reported that during the month there were 4.") .steamer berthings- at the pout, tlie aggregate gross, tonnage being 50,5Tifl tons. Imports amounted to 4277 tons, including' 37~i tons of railway coal, exuorts 1707 tons, making a total cargo of ">OB4 tons of cargo handled. The dredge, worked 211 days, making 211'/. trips, and removing 12,1.11) cubic yards of sand and *ilt from the spit and the new lierth. ■I'OREMAX'S REPORT.

The foreman, Mr. V. Henderson, reported for tht' month:

llreakwater extension.—Twelve eou<ti t<> blocks had been made. the. number at preswit on Ikiikl being 74. The quantity of .stone quarried and tipped was ].>2S tons, and two, sections of 12 feet had been completed, making the total length of the extension 52S feet. \Yharf\vidcning.-A full stall' was now engaged al i.lits wharf widening, and 111 piles" (constituting six bays) hail been driven during tilts month.—The other work, including waling, decking, and fending was al* well forward. L'lairt.—A few urgent repairs had been effected to the travelling gear of the 40-ton. crane, ami the loco' "Driver'' was at present dismantled for flovernment inspection and overhaul. Repairs would be extensive. XOTlt'K OK MOTIOX. Mr. Wilkinson 'gave notice to move at nextuieeting the Hoard discuss (he advisability of using New Zealand cement i-a concrete work at the harbor. (IKXERAL. It was decided that the Board meet on the third Friday in each month, as heretofore. The contractors for the supply of wharf timber will be notified that they have exceeded their contract time by six •months, and that they be asked to forward the. remainder of the decking promirtly.