HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 113, 20 August 1910, Page 7

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the New Plymouth 'Harbor Board was held yesterday, when there were present: Messrs J. B. Connett (chairman), Newton King, J. McCluggage, E. Doekrill, C. A. Wilkinson, W. T. Wells, and D. J. Hughes. THE AMENDING ACT.

The chairman reported that Mr. Maxwell and 'himself had interviewed the Minister of Marine with reference to the Harbors Act Amendment Bill, and he was favorably inclined to exempting those harbor boards which had special rating powers from the working of the Bill. The following letter from the Minister of Marine to Mr. H. J. Okey, M.P., was read:—"With reference to a deputation from New Plymouth which you introduced to me on the 30th inst. on the sub- j jecfc of the Harbors Amendment Bill, 11 have tthe honor to state that as regards the statement made by Mr. Maxwell that it was understood that when the New (Plymouth 'Harbor Board was given authority by "The iNew Plymouth Harbor Board Empowering Act, 1908," to raise a loan of £300,000 for harbor improvements, the voting powers of the Board would; not be disturbed, I find there is nothing on the Marine Department file concerning the Bill about this matter, and the 'Department has no knowledge'of any such understanding. The law does not give the Minister any power to group the whole of the rating district together, and to make an exemption as was asked by the deputation." Mr. Wilkinson said that it appeared that the Board could not get what was desired. It was a very important ques-

tion, and he thought the Board should take some action at once. He suggested that copies of the Bil'l be secured, and circulated among the members and, if necessary, a, special meeting should be held. Mr. McChigjgage did not think the master as serious as Mr. Wilkinson suggested. The Board decided to give effect to Mr. Wilkinson's suggestion.

BiEFUNDS ASKED FOR. Mr. J. C. Webster, local agent of the Northern S.S. Co., wrote with reference to the Board's charges for warps used by the s.s. Rimu. He pointed out that the steamer had only been sheltering here, awaiting an opportunity to work Opunake. As the steamer called here only to try and foster the trade with Kawhia, etc., his manager considered she should not be liable for dues when sheltering thrpuigli stress of weather in this case.—The Board decided that it could make no reduction in the charges in this case.

Captain Meckel, master of the Viganella, complained of the Board's charges of £ll7 15s od against the vessel. The item, "warps £35 10s," in particular, seemed' out of all proportion to the value received. 'Had the warps been damaged ■by chafing or otherwise the amount might have been warranted. He could not understand why berthage had been charged on the registered tonnage and on the cargo also. At Hobart and Fremantle his total harbor dues had not amounted to half the sum charged hero, and his vessel was lying alongside the wharf at each of those ports for over three weeks. The other charges he would not complain of at all, but askou for a refund in the case of both warps and] berthage.—The Board could not accede to the request. THE "TOMMY KING." Mr. Marchant recommended the Board not to be too .hurried in disposing of the dredge "Tommy King." Seeing that the Paritutu could not get into 'all the ,odd corners that the Thomas King could, it might be wise, he said, to hold her for a few months just iso as to dredge out nooks and crannies where the Digger plant could not reach. All harbors kept a similar plant for the purpose, but when the Board 'had had six months' work with the Paritutu, and any odd places cleared up by the old dredge, they should have no further use for her.—The recommendation was adopted. FOREMAN'S REPORT.

Mr. F. Henderson, foreman of works, reported that 24 of t'he piles for wharf widening had been felted and coppered. In order to prevent splitting, tile shoes and rings would not be fitted until the piles were about to be driven. Two hundred and seventy-five tons of large stones and' one concrete block had been placed on the apron at the end of the breakwater, which was now very secure. About a similar quantity was required for protecting t'he block parapet further in-shore. A number of the hands had been engaged for a greater part of tlje month on work connected with the dredging, such as the removal of all chains and anchors from the harbor and the substitution of concrete mooring | blocks of 20 tons weight. One had been \ placed on the beach near the gridiron by means of tihe crane. Two others had I been suspended under the bows of the J Thomas King, and placed in the vicinity I of the black buoy, in holes about 20 feet deep, which had been previously dredged I for their reception. The whole of the spare gear belonging to the Paritutu had been stored under cover, with the exception of the suction pipe, which had j been painted to prevent rusting. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT.

Captain Newton, harbormaster, reported for the four weeks ending the 13th inist. that 38 steam vessel had visited this port inwards and outwards, of the aggregate tonnage of 30,654 tons. The total imports for the same period amounted to 6480 tons, of which 2511 tons were coal, 1712 tons for the railway and 799 tons for private use. The dredge Thomas King has been engaged since the arrival of the Paritutu in laying moorings for the latter, also in dredging a berth for herself in-shore of the I black 'buoy, and in removing the sand from the sandspit, removing in six days 1380 cubic yards. As the sandspit has spread from the breakwater to the line of the east side of the wharf, he recommended the Thomas King being kept on that ground. This would enable the Paritutu to be kept on hard ground for wharf extension. The berth on the west side of the wharf used by the Viganella whilst here has proved a success. He found that it would be necessary to have five more posts on that side of the wharf to bring it up to requirements for two vessels. This would be necessary to secure a large vessel of the Ivamona class and a small collier. As expected, a portion of the old wharf at this berth was badly in the way of rope springs. Since February he hadi closely watched the action of vessels whilst at the different berths, and he was of opinion that were a single row of concrete blocks extended about three or four chains farther down the breakwater, and these blocks well backed by rubble on the sea side to give a better'batter, vessels would lie much easier at the outer berths, thus saving the wear and tear of the expensive coir springs and the chafing pieces on piles. Rubble in any quantity was available on Moturoa Island, which could be conveyed by scow «tndl laid diown at any desired distance from the breakwater. This would break mp the seas before reaching the (breakwater. A similar method of

conveying rubble had been in use at Wellington between the entrance to the harbor and the Hutt railway works. It was decided to provide the posts asked for, and to refer the matter of extending the concrete parapet to the engineer. A TIMBER CONTRACT.

Messrs H. Chesterman and Co. wrote | in reference to the list of timber sup- | plied iby them to the Board and condemned by the foreman. They had referred j the matter to the Tasmanian SurveyorGeneral and Secretary for 'Landis, who reported that the sun cracks were a characteristic of Australian hardwoods and that the piles were not detrimentally affected by them. Messrs Chesterman and Co. wrote: "On our part, every precaution and care have been exercised, and to say nothing of being greatly annoyed, we regret very much that anyone 'has made such a sorry business of" our efforts."—-Referred to" Messrs Connett, King and Dockrill to deal with, ivhen the engineer has reported on the matter. THE DREDGE'S WOiRK. I

■Mr. J.H. Ivnowles, chief engineer on the new dredge, reported that since the Paritutu had commenced operations the following work had been done:—With buckets, four loads of 1290 tons, including 147 boulders of vary sizes, from four to 12 cwt. Dredging time, 21 hours omin; depositing time, 5 hours 38 min. With pump, live loads of 1668 tons; pumping time, 9 hours 37min; depositing time, 5 hours 43min. Total' tons of spoil lifted in July, 2958 tons, Sundry work included the pumping of holes for sinking the 20-ton mooring blocks in position. The towing of the barque Vjganella to anchorage, and the lifting of the mooring chains formerly used on the black buoy. Operations for August were as follows:—For week ending 6th: •Six loads dredged by buckets, 2160 tone;

net dredging time, 10 hours 20min; | dumping time, (i hours 17min; mooring time, 23 hours smin. For week ending August I,3th: live loads lifted by buckets, 1750 tons,- net dredging time, IS hours; dumping time, o hours llmin; on the 9th no dredging could ibe done owing to stress of weather; mooring time, 11 'hours 23min. On the 13th Mr. Henderson's staff was employed m fitting grid in hopper. On the 15th, after laying moorings, operations were commenced on the sandspit between the end of the wharf and end of the .breakwater as follows: Monday, one load of 410 tons, net pumping time 1 hour lomin; Tuesday, one load: of 41i5 tons, net pumping time GO mins., and one load of 416 tons in 4omin; a total of IGoO tons for 3 hours 50min, which 'he hoped i to improve on when Mr. Marc-hant's im-! provements were carried out in their entirety. On Wednesday the dredging time was considerably lessened bv the dredge being engaged in towing the Viganella to sea. GENERAL. The action of the chairman in authorising the 'harbormaster to procure a semaphore apparatus was confirmed. it was decided to engage the second and third engineers on the dTedge. The secretary reported that the spare parts of the dredge Paritutu had arrived by the Indradevi. He had applied for a remission of the duty paid, but the Minister 'had replied that there was no power to permit of free entry of the goods. 'Dredging machinery of British manufacture, he continued, was liable to only 5 per cent, ad valorem; and the Board was entitled to a rebate of any duty over-collected.—The secretary reported that he had paid 20 per cent., and had received a refund of £9O odd.