THE HARBOR BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 49, 19 August 1911, Page 3

THE HARBOR BOARD

> ( MONTHLY MEETING OF MEMBERS. ] \ Tlio Harbor Bo»rd hold a short .and ] business-like mooting yesterday. There were present: Messrs" J. B. Connett (chairman), N. King, E. Doekrill, J. McCluggage, C. E. Bellringer, C. A. Wilkinson, W. Swadling and E. Maxwell. THE'CONSULTING ENGINEER. Mr. Wilkinson referred to the intended visit of Mr. F. W. Marchant, C.E., the Board's consulting engineer, who is to be present at the September meeting to advise the Board on matters connected with the wharves. On Mr. Wilkinson's motion it was decided to ask Mr. Marchant to moot the Board at a Kpucial meeting on Wednesday, September 13, in order that a definite understanding can be obtained by the Board of Mr. Marchant's ideas and by Mr. I Man-hunt of tiie members' views on the [ subject, in order that he can frame his report for presentation to the Board at its ordinary meeting on the following Friday. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. " Mr. F. Henderson, superintendent of works, reported for the four weeks ending Saturday, August -J* as follows: Dredge Paritutu.— The dredge Paritutu was laid up for ten days for annual inspection of boilers and machinery. No extensive repairs were necessary, but a large amount of work was involved im stripping and re-adjusting the various fittings. One day was occupied in changing eight of the buckets, and half-a-day in coaling . The dredge worked on 12% days, net time 118 hours, and removed 16 loads, amounting to 6400 tons. Of this quantity 4000 tons were taken from the 33ft end, which has been carried in 40ft to pile 18 (since brought to pile 17, leaving 40ft to dredge), being 500 ft from the outer end of the wharf, leav- : ing 60t yet to be dredged. Two thousand four hundred tons of sand were taken from the beach cut while blasting '. was in progress.

Dredge Thomas King.—The Thomas \ing dredged on 23 days, net time 227 hours, and removed 102 loads of sand from the outer harbor, amounting to 12.9(i') tons.

Wharf widening.—At the wharfwidening 20 piles were driven during the month, making a total of 99. The length of wharf now piled is 350 ft, and this part will have to be braced and decked before proceeding further in piling. Nearly all the cap walings and 14 sets of the bottom' walings are fitted, and a few of the braces are cut. Breakwater.—Ten new rails have been laid on the old part of the breakwater, and seven concrete blocks have been placed on the apron near the end in places which had become somewhat reduced.

Old wharf.—Five ,new chafing pieces have been .fixed at the berth lately occupied' by the Margit. In a supplementary report, Mr. Henderson stated:—"l wish to bring under the notice of the Board the exceptionally heavy dredging experienced on the last flOft between piles 27 and 17, Progross has been very slow, and the wear and tear on the buckets very heavy, although about 2001bs of explosives have been used for every load of 400 tons lifted. I therefore suggest stopping the 33ft dredging at pile 16, as originally ntended, which would 000 ft of deep berthage. Of course, if the ground should prove more workable inshore of pile 16 we would continue right to pile 15. which would give an additional 023 ft." The chairman and Mr. Maxwell were agreed that it would be better, if possible, to carry the deep dredging to 020 ft. The closer inshore vessels couhi come" the greater their safety. It was decided that the dredging should be continued inshore to the C'2oft I mark, if possible, power to authorise, a cessation of the work being left in the hands of the chairman if lie considers the ground is causing too heavy damage to the plant. MONTHLY SHIPPINfi SUMMARY. Captain Newton, harbormaster, reported that 29 vessels had entered the port inwards and outwards, o the aggregate tonnage of 24,1DS tons. The total importes amounted to 0188 tons, of which 2313 tons were coal, 1237 tons for railway and 1076 for private use. The exports for the same period of general produce and sundries amounted to 787 torn. ' BERTHAGE ACCOMMODATION. " In reference to space required on the west side of the wharf for vessels of the Corinna and Rosamond class to berth together, Captain Newton reported that it would be nocessary for the wharf to be extended sixty feet. THE DREDfJK PARITUTU. The harbormaster suggested that the Board apply to the Marine Department that the Parititu b.e granted a certificateto enable her to go to the assistance of vessels within a radius of thirty miles from the breakwater; the present certificate only allowed for two miles, from the Sugarloaves to Waitara. The firstmentioned certificate would enable any vessel signalling to Cape Egmont lighthouse for assistance to have the services of the Paritutu in three hours instead of waiting for assistance from Wellington. The survey held lately on the Paritutu would sitllice for this alteration.

The suggestion was adopted. LIGHTING THE WHARVES.

Captain Newton reported having found the are lamps for lighting the wharf to be unsatisfactory owing to their liability to be blown out when there was much wind. He found that the metallic filament lamps of 1(10 candle-power were taking their place in other places. These lamps in clusters of four give a better and more reliable light at less cost. He suggested that the Board authorise him to get one of the four-lamp clusters and alter one of the present posts on the wharf to the necessary height of forty feet. This could be tried for a month before doing any of the others.—Recommendation adopted. AUTOMATIC TIDE GUAGE.

The Surveyor-General had made enquiries, the harbormaster reported, relative to the Board giving permission for him to erect mi automatic tideguage at the port. Tim machinery, all complete, would lie sent up and placed in position by the .Surveyor-General's stall', they only asking for the services of a carpenter. They asked that the Board give a place under cover to place it in. He thought that a portion of the ladies' waiting-room would he a suitable place. —Suggestion agreed to. THE" MARGIT'S TROUBLES. Captain I'ettersen. master of the barque Margit, which recently discharged a Home cargo at the port, wrote as follows:—"On behalf of my owners, I beg to ask you whether you can see your way to make some refund of the amount paid to you for charges against my vessel. Your account amounted to £23!), and, whilst I do not in any way make any objection to the rate's (although they are a good deal higher than | I have been accustomed to pay at other ports to which 1 have traded in other countries) I venture to make the request owing to the peculiar circumstances of my case. As you are probably aware, several of my crew deserted, hut T obtained fresh men and had arranged to go on! to an anchorage on the morning of Saturday, 23th ult.. there to complete certain repairs (which would have taken about l'/ 3 I days, and which could have been done

as well"-outside as at the wharf) &::£ then to sail with the first favorable wind. The whole of my crew, however, refused to go out, on the grounds that the repairs should be finished alongside the wharf, and that there was no safe anchorage outside. Not wishing to lose a second crew, I was compelled to agree to their demand, and consequently I had to remain alongside until August 3, and to pay some £l7 more than necessary, owing to the action of my men. Probably you may say this is no fault of yours, which I admit, but in view of the large sum paid by me to your Board I ask your favorable consideration of some rebate, seeing the position I was placed in. I desire to say I was most agreeably surprised at the d:pth of water at the wharf, and the facilities for berthing and discharging. \ wish to thank Captain Newton and Mr. Henderson for the assistance they so willingly gave me at all times. Before concluding, I should like to mention that I do not think it will add to the popularity of your port with owners and masters if your Board gives employment to men who desert from ships calling here, as was done, I believe, in the case of a previous vessel. 1 beg you will not think that I am for a moment attempting to tell you how to run your harbor, but I feel very strongly on this point, and not, I am sorry to say, without reason." :

The chairman said he could not recommend any concession being granted. The Board had really lost money by earning that extra £l7, for it meant that the dredge was kept the longer away from the dredging work which the Board required her to do. He didn't think the Board could be blamed for the desertion of seamen, nor were they to blame in employing a good workman even if he were a deserter from a ship at the port. The superintendent had practically a free hand in engaging workmen, and the chairman understood this' ex-Viganella man was a splendid workman. He had made enquiries concerning port charges, and found that the charges here compared very favorably with those levied at other places.

On the motion of .Messrs Wilkinson, and MeCluggage, the Board passed a resolution regretting its inability to iwtk* the concession asked.