N.P. HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 267, 18 December 1909, Page 6

N.P. HARBOR BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was hold yesterday. There wore present: .Messrs. -J. B. Connett (chairman), N. King, J. McCluggagc, R. Price, C. A. Wilkinson, 1). J. Hughes, W. T. Wells, and K Maxwell. WELCOMK

The chairman extended a nearty wel-1 come to Air. W. T. Wells upon his again taking his seat at the Board's table! after his trip to the Old Country. Air. Connett remarked that, having done tlie trip, Mr. Wells would be able to sympathise in some measure with the Board s delegates who had been compelled to make the trip through the Ked 'Sea during the hot season. .vlr. Wells, in thanking Air. Connett for his compliment, said he was very pleased to be back. As for the trip mentioned by the chairman, he said ho wouldn't undertake it for the fu'l amount of the harbor rates. LOSS OF COAL.

The harbormaster forwarded a report of the nightwatchman that some young men had been caught in the act of taking coal from the wharf. The report was considered in committee, and the secretary was instructed to notify the offenders that in any future ease tins matter will lie immediately placed in the hands of the police.

FOREMAN'S REPORT. The forenuiu, Mr. F. Henderson, reported for the month:— Breakwater Protection—Twenty-four concrete blocks had been made, the number now on hand being 86. There were still 330 barrels of cement in stock, sufficient to make another twenty blocks, twelve of which would be completed before the holidays. The following quantities of Stone and concrete had been used for breakwater extension:—At the extension, 518 tons of stone and 12 blocks, and at the bend of the old wall 1514 tons of stone unci I*2 blocks. Ten of these blocks were old stock, and were made fourteen *years ago. The end was now strongly protected with blocks and the larger atones, 'but was' likely to want some further attention after the first heavy sea. Wharf.—At the western side of the wharf eight new piles had been driven, .nd three new chafing pieces fixed. After the driving of three more piles there would then be a length of 2lott of the old wharf in which the whole of the bearing piles had been renewed, and work would be commenced of renewing and repairing the braces and waling* of this part. The yard was being cleared and arranged for the storage of timber for wharf-widening. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT.

Captain C. E. Hood, harbormaster, reported that during tne month there had been 32 steamer berthings 1 at the wharf, the aggregate gross tonnage amounting (o 27,1CS tons. Imports were 5713 tons, including 1581 tons of railway coal and 1)24 tons of private coal. Exports were 1550 tons, making a total of 72(59 tbns of cargo handled. During the four weeks there had been experienced very fine and warm weather, with moderate winds and calm seas. The dredge worked 19 days, making 131 trips, removing 7800 yards of sand and

silt from the inner berth and spit. The dredge was now employed in dredging the inner berth with the grab bucket to deepen the berth, if possible, to 14ft at low water, spring tides, The whole of the beacons, boats, etc., and all gear at the wharf were in good condition. Owing to the quantity of coir and manila warps and ropes in store, the expenditure in the year 1908 would be very small in this department. Loan matters.

Mr. E. F. Blundell, local manager of the Bank of New Zealand, wrote in reference to the Board's loan of £275,000. He had now received a statement from London in connection with the loan, showing a balance in the Board's favor of £1390 Ss lid, which had now been credited lo (lie Board's account. Particulars were as follows: The gross proceeds of the loan at issue price of 101 yielded £277,750; deducting issue expenses, £BOB4 lis Id, tlicy had the net proceeds £309,005 8s lid. THE PASSENGER TAX. Mr. Charles Ranson, of Auckland, manager of the Northern Steamship Company, wrote: "Our agent lias forwarded mc your letter of the llitli ult., conveying a resolution of your Board with regard to the berthage charge on passengers. We should be only too pleased to run the Raratva three trips per week if the traffic warranted it, but unfortunately at present it docs not, and therefore the concession offered is of no benefit to our company. The berthage fees paid to your Board during the last three months have averaged about £OS per month. Fifteen per cent, on that sum would be £9 15s, but in order to secure that we are asked to make, ail additional trip of the Rarawa per week, which would mean a gain of about £l7 per month to your Board in wharf diies, and would increase the monthly expenses of the steamer by several hundreds of pounds, without any reasonable prospect of the company benefiting by the extra expenditure. I regret that your Board has not taken a more liberal view of the matter, as the heavy charges now levied will, we think, tend to "kill the goose that lays the golden egg.'" The letter was received. THE NEW DREDGE.

Mr. F. W. Marchanfc, C.E., forwarded copies of which had I passed between him and the manager of ' the Union S.S. Company on the question of the appointment of a successor to Mr. Campbell as overseer of the construction of the new dredge. The company had authorised Mr. Campbell to remain at Home for a month or so, in order to sec the dredge further advanced, should lie consider this important, but there had been no necessity for this, and Mr. itnowles, engineer of the dredge Murihuka, had been appointed to supervise and bring the dredge out, taking his chance of further employment under the Board when he arrived here. WHAHF TIMBERS. I

The following letter was received from Mr. A. C. Mackenzie, engineer to the (Ceclong Harbor Trust Commissioners:—"ln reference to your letter of 22nd November addressed to the secretary of this trust, in which yo i ask for information in regards to b'u. 1 . gum or other timber suitable for wharf piles?.—The piles used in the existing wharves at Geelong are mostly blue gum. The oldest wharf was built about fifty years ago, and the piles have been renewed several times during this period. Piles which have been in pertain of the - wharves only eight and fifteen years arc now showing where they have been attacked by the torcdo. As the toredo is not very active-in these waters, those piles are still in a serviceable condition, and may hist for another ten years,! which would make the maximum life oi' blue gum piles in these waters twentyfive years. During the present year I visited Holnirt, at the time a jetty which had been built twenty years ago was being demolished. I inspected the blue gum piles, and found that they had been so badly eaten by toredo and urustacea as to be quite unlit for further use. The.se piles' had been charred before driving, which treatment is recommended as lengthening the serviceable period. 'the best timber in Australia for resisting toredo and marine crustaeea are turpentine (Syncarpia, laurifolia), New South Wales; red gum (Eucalyptus terticornis), Victoria; jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), West Australia. As it is now almost impossible to get red gum in suitable lengths and quantity, it is hardly worth including it in a specification, but if it can be procured it ran be depended upon to last as piles for fifty years. When used for head stocks, girders, and deckings, its life is very much less, averaging twenty-five years. .Jarrah lias a great name 121 West Australia as being practically toredo-proof, but when it is* used |n the east it docs not prove to 'he toredo-resisting. A seven years' test was made in Newcastle, N.S.W., to test the relative durability of turpentine and i jarrah. *Aftor seven years the test piles •were examined. The jarrah piles were found to have toredo in them, whereas the turpentine piles were free from attack. Turpentine piles in use in Sydney for thirty and forty years have been in, ,Such excellent condition when drawn as to enable them to be re-driven for a furftier length of service. As I was engaged for some years in the Sydney Harbor Trust ;» great number of these piles came under my observation. T, am so satisfied th.it they are the best timber procurable for piles that this tim- . her is being used exclusively for piles 1 in the new wharves which are now being I constructed in this port. They can be 1 procured readily in lengths up to 05ft, land usually measure 15iu at the top 'and 22in at the head. This timber is not suitable for head stores girders, or decking, as it is rather brittle." Several other letters were read upon the nomt, and the Board decided that in view of the information obtained the piles m th« wharf extension should be J sheathed with Mvtnta metal as formerly.