HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 249, 20 April 1912, Page 4

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the New .Plymouth Harbor Board was held at til* 11.-ia.-. i.'.-i w.iU'v* _ I'stenlay, when there were present: Messrs J. ! B, (.'ormett (chairman), Newton King, E. Dockrill, C. E. Bellringer, 'C. A. Wilkinson, D. J. Hughes, W. Swadling and E. Maxwell. ( SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. The superintendent (Mr. P. Henderson) reported as follows: Dredge Paritutu. —The I'aritutu dredged in the ifairwav on 17 days (net time IC4 hours) and removed 40 loads, equal to 18,400 tons. Work was suspended for three days for the Easter holidays. Two days were lost through a heavy south-east gale, during which time 18 of the buckets were changed. Half a day was occupied in coaling and one and a-half days in shifting moorings. The cut has been carried outwards a further length of "270 ft, making a total Length of 700 ft from the end of the wharf. The spoil is now practically all sand and quite suitable for pumping, hut the alterations to the sand-delivery pipes are being made for commencing a second cut to the .eastward. Dredge Thomas King.—The Thomas King has been on the gridiron for a fortnight for cleaning, painting and inspection of hull; the hopper has been patched in several places and one, platts has been renewed. Dredging was resumed on the 3rd inst., and for six days* dredging 52 loads, equal to 4100 tons, have been removed. Wharf widening.—At the wharf widening 27 piles have been driven, leaving one lay of three piles yet to drive. The. cap walings are all fitted. Deck beams are finished up to pile 42, chafing pieces to pile 38, braces and lower walings tn pile '3fi, and the decking is laid to pile 33. Another month should sec the whole of the widening completed. Breakwater, Nine concrete blocks have been placed at the outer end of the breakwater and gravel and stone are now being procured for inakiijg the twenty additional blocks authorised. GENERAL. The Board decided to instruct the superintendent of works to submit a report at next meeting giving an estimate of the cost of erecting a parapet in reinforced concrete 10ft high along th > edge of the breakwater, as far out as the end of the wharf, as recommended by the harbormaster, in order to protect large vessels when at the wharf from the pressure that would be exerted on them by' the westerly winds. IRONSAND LEASES. Mr. W. G. Dauneey, C.E.M.E., of London, through .Messrs Garrick and Co., solicitors, of Christchurch, wrote, under date of February (!. ,1912, that he was again approaching the Board in connection with Taranaki ironsand because he understood that by the date his letter arrived all options, etc., would have expired. and ,tliat the Board would be in a position to entertain his application for a short-term option embracing the light to take up and work the ironsand deposits of Taranaki. He emphasised the fact that he had been in communication with the Board for nearly three years and had always been prepared to carry out his original undertaking, viz., to pay a nominal sum for a short-term option, providing that in the event of his demonstrating that hrs contentions were correct the leases become his property. He suggested 'that the Harbor Board, after receiving his cash for the option, should evolve some scheme bv which they could receive—(1) A nominal rent for the period that elapsed between the time when he secured the leases and commenced,to turn out manufactured iron and steel, and after that an arranged royalty at per ton on all iron and steel manufactured, or (2) that an annual rental charge should be placed upon the iron-bearing area of Taranaki. He considered that the first suggestion would be the most mutually advantageous if worked out, say, on 'a royalty of so much per ton up to 100 tons per week; a slight decrease if the output exceeded 100 tons but did not exceed -00 tons, and so on. to meet any possible output. The Board would thus he assured of an increasing revenue from the malty, although the rate per ton would be a decreasing one. These, however. were only tentative suggestions, and he was prepared to give the fullest possible consideration to any alternative ideas the Board might 1 submit. Now that all other schemes had fallen through, he continued, he presumed them would be no obstacle placed in the wav, and that at last he was about to have' his turn. GENERAL. It was resolved to obtain ■estimates for altering and painting the harbormaster s residence. The annual meeting for the election of the chairman was fixed for Friday, May 3, when the ordinary meeting will also be held. On the motion of Messrs Wilkinson and Swadling, it was resolved to rcplv to the effect that the Board regretted KAT r, 0t , at present in a position to treat for the leases, (Mr. Swadling, in accordance with notice of motion, moved that all previous resolutions dealing with the removal of boulders from the beach at the Waiwatauho should -be rescinded. He considered the Board should, if possible gam revenue from the boulders. This was seconded by ,Mr. Dockrill and ear-