HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 179, 21 August 1909, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the Board was held at the Board'* offices - T . Reseat: Messrs. J. B. ConV (t,a, S! l) ' Xewt °i King, Joe ,\V"!' J ' llc tl«ggage. R. Price, C A " ,lklnson ' aud E. Maxwell. An apolo-'v was received from Mr. D. J. Hughes'. " HARBORMASTER'S REPORT.

Hie harbormaster, Captain C. E. 110..J, 11) his monthly report, stated that there had been 33 steamer berthings at (lie n-in 1 IUI a BS r( 'gato gross tonnage of 8,030 tons. Imports were 450!) tons, including 017 tons of private coal. Exports were 083 tons, making a total of tons of e»rgo handled. During the lour weeks' boisterous weather had been experienced, with heavy rains and high seas. The dredge worked on twelve days, making 00 trips and removing 3!)G0 eubie yards of sand and silt from the inner eastern berth. On seven days the die;.go worked with the grab bucket, rei:: <niug silt and seaweed which the sandpump would n ot dredge out. Owin" to the r ough weather, he had not been able :>• make a complete survey of the liar-

FOREMAN'S REPOKT. Ih® foreman, Mr. F. Henderson, re,jjrted that since his last monthly report .. 1 concrete blocks had been made tor i..e breakwater extension, and the number now on hand was 113. The quantiu of stone quarried and tipped was loih. tons. The preparatory work for a, other section was well advanced, u , owing to the heavy weather throughout the month it had not been possible to complete it. Ait. the wharf-widening the cross-over beams had all been laid, and the decking, kerbing, and fending completed. A considerable amount ot work yet remained at walings and braces, which could only be done at low tides and with smooth water. It was intended to complete these as opportunity offered, and 10 drive piles in the old wharf in the intervals. They had eight piles in readiness for this purpos'e. The whole of the new part ot the wharf was now ready for the rails.

At the old wharf live new chaflngpieces liad been fixed, aud the diver hud made a thorough examination of the piles from the Harbormaster's office to the outer end of the wharf. The shorej end which abutted on tue breakwater bad' not been examined, as there ivas 110 railway traliic on that part now. The length examined (520 ft) consisted originally of 208 totara piles, and 124 of thes'e lull been replaced with sheathed ironiark piles. The diver reported that 33 ot the remaining 84 piles .were in need uf replacing ait onee, and that eleven others would want replacing in about twelve months, while the remaining j Jorty would Jast a few years longer. j borne of the braces in the old part of the wharf were in rather a bad condition, and it would be advisable when* complete bays of piles have been replaced to put in complete new sets of braces, which would add greatly to the strength of the whole structure. There was a quantity of ironbark in stock suitable lor this purpose. The foreman also recommended the Hoard to grant the request of four of the employees for increased wages. His i ccommendation was adopted. THE LOAN QUOTATION.

The General Manager of the Bank of Xe\v Zealand wrote, under date 17th July, in answer to the Board's letter, mat the inspector whom Jlr. E. Maxwell interviewed in April last 'was at. present absent from the Dominion. Upon ills return to Wellington, the Hoard's letter would be duly replied to. A further letter on 24th July was as follows:—"Referring to your letter oi tHe 14th instant, and in continuation of my reply of the 17th, 1 have now to advise that the terms discussed between jlessre. Connett and King, chairman and treasurer respectively ot'your Board, at aii interview here in January last, were tiiuso that had already been advised to w.i. uy our New Plymouth manager as i. ..u c been suggested by our London u.ijil-' ,a a telegram received l'rom them ia .-.wilier, 1008. They were as follows —mat the loan snould be for £250,000, the rate of interest 4'/» per cent. ,the currency forty years, with a ei,iking fund of 1 per cent, and a minimum issue price of £OB or .00; issue expenses to amount to probably 4 per cent. As indicated, however, in oar New Plymouth manager's advices ~j your Board on the subject, the sngui' ■ tiuns were merely tentative, and i 'was a probability that when the ..

had arrived to conclude the transact we might'be able to obtain an improvement ra the tennis suggested. The above was' the only oti'cr mat was discussed, as it was the only one that had been made." SINKING IT'ND COMMISSIONERS.

Mr. llenry Weston, chairman of the linking Fund Commissioners, wrote under date 2nd August:— "Acting in accordance with the resolution ot the Harbor Board oil Kith u t., | the Commissioners of the Sinking i'und l have this day cancelled the debentures in their keeping, and 1 now beg to hand you saute with deposit note and cheque us under:— Debentures .. .. £54,450 0 0 Deposit receipt from Harbor Board .. 9,800 0 0 Cheque on Bank of Xew ZealaHd • • .. 1,043 3 2 £05,893 3 2 "The Commissioners have had prepared a deed of release which they will be much obliged by the Board executing at their next meeting. At the same time they wish to bring under your notice the very ellicient service given, the Commissioners, firstly by the late secretary, Mr. C. Rennell, and subsequently by his successor, Mr. C. S. Kcunell; the strict integrity and careful attention to detads shown by these gentlemen relieved the Commissioners oi muck anxiety tuid responsibility. "1 think your Board will agiee with us in drawing attention to the great beneiit the ratepayers' have derived from the shrewd loresight shown by our former respected chairman, Mr. Thomas King, in initiating the system of investing the sinking funds in the Board's own bonds. By the Board adhering to his policy throughout the currency of the loan, and entirely through that, we are able to hand you such a satisfactory account of our stewardship, "It only rests with me-now, on behalf oi myself and colleagues, to thank the members of the Harbor Board past and present for their courteous consideration througn the term of ollice, and we nope our successors' will have the same pieasant business connection with the Board that we have had."

The chairman, in answeT to questions, oaid that it would be necessary to appoint three Commissioners) in connection with the new loan.

Lpon the motion of Messrs. Maxwell and Wilkinson, the secretary will express to the Commissioners the thanks of the Board for their services. Mr. Oonnott returned thanks' on their b«half.

Messrs. Maxwell and King were authorised to affix the seal of the Board to deeds of release and indemnity.