HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 189, 19 November 1910, Page 7

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the New Ply mouth Harbor Board yesterday was attended by Messrs. N, King, E. Dockrill, R. Price, C. A. Wilkinson, W. Wells, and E. Maxwell. Apologies for the absence of the chairman (Mr. J. B. Connet) and Messrs ,J. McC'luggage and D. Hughes were received. Mr. King was voted to the chair. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. Captain J. Newton reported as follows:—I have to report for the foui weeks ending 12th inst. that 25 steamers have worked this port inwards and outwards of the aggregate tonnage of 25,294 tons. The total imports (far the same period have been 5895 tons, ol which 2030 tons are coal, 12G9 tons for the railway and 761 for private use. The exports of general merchandise and produce amount to 807 tons. Owing to the slow progress being made with the blasting operations on rocky bottom at the upper portion of the wharf, also the probable effect of the wear and tear on the dredge, with the possibility of a breakdown before the rocky ground is removed, also, taking into consideration the amount of dredging that has been accomplished at the outer end of the wharf, the Board might entertain thb plan of commencing the wharf extension from the outer end. Before this work could be commenced the cross-over on the railway lines for the inner berth on the west side will require moving to enable two steamers to discharge on that side. Resolved to give effect to the harbormaster's recommendation re alteration of the railway points so as to facilitate working the inner berth on the west side.

There was a little discussion on the matter of wharf extension but the matter was held over until next meeting. FOREMAN'S REPORT. Mr. T. Henderson, superintendent of works, reported as follows: — The Thomas King dredged at the bank in the lee of the breakwater on 19 days (net time 211 hours) removing 180 loads of drift sand, equal to 14,400 tons. / The Paritutu dredged 20 days (net time 191 hours), removing 46 loads from the original harbor bottom, amounting to 17,910 tons. The details of dredging in different localities are as follow: With the suction pump in fairway on two days, time 19 hours, removing nine loads equal to 3,600 tons, the average pumping time per load being 4S minutes. With buckets at the outer berth on 14 days, time 133 hours, removing 33 loads equal to 13,200 tons, the average loading time being 2 hours 6 minutes. With buckets at the inshore area on four days, time 39 hours, removing four loads equal to 1110 tons, the average loadin'g time per load of 400 tons being 7 hours 34 min. The Paritutu is doing excellent work with the buckets at the outer berth, having made a cut 300 feet long by 150 feet wide and 7 feet deep in 14 days dredging to a depth of 21 feet at low water, and has now made a start to deepen the same ground to 28 feet. The inshore dredging is becoming more difficult, the boulders being smaller but more numerous, , and embedded in a hard cemented gravel; heavy surface charges of gelatine up to 15 lbs have been tried, but they dp not strike deep enough to give much assistance to the dredge; therefore I have erected an iron derrick and commenced boring with the object of putting down deep charges at about 20 feet apart. An accident occurred to the starboard engine of the Paritutu on the 29th ult., by which the cover of the high pressure cylinder was broken; this was caused through an oversight of the second engineer, who neglected to thoroughly close the engine stop valve after doing some slight repairs on the previous night. A new cover was made by Messrs. Okey and Rollo, the work only occupying two days. Dredging beacons— l'wenty-two pairs of beacons for outer harbor dredging, as surveyed by Mr. Bridges, have been erected on the foreshore; these beacons are made of 12ft lengths of old 401b rails, and divide the foreshore into 21 spaces of 60 feet each. Cross-lines at 120 feet spaces have also been marked out the full length of the breakwater and holes have been' drilled in the concrete to receive the flags. Members considered the report of the dredging was highly satisfactory, being, Mr. Maxwell stated, very much better than the engineer or anyone else anticipated. Mr. Wells said he would like to sen the dumping of the sand carried out more expeditiously, suggesting that by means of pumping, the Thomas King could do this work and allow the Paritutu to continue dredging. The question of using'pontoons .was raised in the discussion that followed, it being pointed out that as many as 20 pontoons were in use in Auckland Harbor. It was resolved that the Board's engineer be asked to report on advisability of working pontoons with the dredge Paritutu on account of the great amount of time taken up in discharging THE PARITUTU'S ENGINEERS. The Board discussed in committee requests received from the first and second engineers on the dredge Paritutu for increase in wages. On resumin'g it was resolved to give one month's notice terminating the men's agreement with the Board, and to call for fresh applications to fill the positions on terms to be decided by the Board's engineer. LAND REVENUE.

The secretary reported that the revenue for the quarter ending September amounted to £1698 16s Bd, which was the largest received for any similar period during the past ten years. The total amount received for the year was £4BBI 10s 4d. THE HARBOR BILL.

Mr. Maxwell reported on behalf of the committee (consisting of the chairman and himself) who proceeded to Wellington in connection with the Harbor Boards Amendment Bill. He referred to the position of the Board in regard to the franchise, the ward system and the schedule, apart from which there was nothing in the Bill particularly affecting the Board. The schedule dealing with the representation of the Board had been altered. There would be one Government nominee only, and eight elective members, while elections for the borough and counties would be quite separate, thus preventing the different styles ol voting from clashing. The schedule as amended was as follows:—'"Two members by the electors of the Borough of New Plymouth and ot the town districts of Fitzroy and St. Atibvn; one by the electors of the boroughs of Inglewood. Stratford, and E!tham; two by the electors of those parts of the counties of Egmont and Tiiranaki included in the harbor district; one bv the electors of those parts of the counties of Stratford and Wlianpamoniona included in the harbor district; j one by the electors of those parts of the I cnrvHes of Eltham and Ilawera included ' in Ui" harbor district; and one by the j elc-'irs of the countv of Waimate West.

K was pointed out that the Governor may from time to time by Order in Council, whenever in his opinion it becomes necessary or expedient so to do, make such provision with respect to the representation of "any part of any rating area or constituent or combined district" as lie thinks fit.

Mr. Maxwell's report was exhaustive on the subject, and it was shown that the deputation had gone to considerable trouble in the matter. He also referred to the great assistance rendered the deputation by the Hon. Mr. Samuel, the Hon. Mr. Carncross, and the local members of Parliament. Votes of thanks were accorded to the deputation, to the Hons. Mr. Samuel and Mr. Carncross, and to the local members of Parliament, for their assistance in getting the Bill through in its present form. On the motion of Messrs. Maxwell and Dockrill, it was agreed that the Governor in Council be asked to appoint the principal local authorities to conduct elections as follows: New Plymouth Borough Council, Taranaki County Council, Stratford Borough Council, Stratford County Council, Eltham County Council. It was further decided that the counties of Taranaki, Stratford and Eltham be requested to take the necessary steps to conduct an election in April under the Ilarbor Boards Amendment Act, 1910.

ACCOUNTS. Accounts, amounting to £1607 Is 2d were passed for payment.