HARBOR BOARD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 306, 22 June 1912, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD

The monthly meeting of the Harbor Board was held yesterday, when there were present, Messrs J. B. Connett f (chairman), N. King, E. Dockrill. C. E. Bellringer, D. J. Hughes, and E. Maxwell. IRON SAX!) LEASES. Mr. Quilliam. the- Board's solicitor, waited on the Board with reference to the position of the ironsnnd leases, and after the position had been explained it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Maxwell, seconded by Mr Dockrill: That the Board accept the erection of the building, etc., as substantial compliance of the Board's terms, and that subject to the other terms of the agreement of the Public Trustee with the Board being complied with, the Board agrees to refuntl the sum of £2OOO, paid by the Public Truetee, and that the seal of the Board be affixed to the transfer of the leases to the Parapara Iron Ore Company, Ltd., and that the chairman and Mr King be a committee to confer with the Board's solicitor, and that such committee have full power to act on behalf of the Board, and to sign the above mentioned consent. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. P. Henderson, superintendent of works, reported as follows on the work done during the seven weeks ended June 15:— Dredge Paritutu —The Paritutu dredged on 30y 2 days, net time 271 hours, and removed 78 loads, equal to 31,200 tons. Work was interrupted on Monday, May 27, owing to the top tumbler becoming loose on the shaft. Y v keys were made and dredging re- 'med on May 29, but the tumbler again became loose and it was discovered that the shaft was broken, As we have not a spare shaft no further dredging can be done with the buckets until the vessel goes to Wellington for her annual overhaul.in January, when the new tumbler now on order from England can be fitted. At the time of the breakdown alterations to the sand delivery pipe were in proj gress, and were completed by June Ist, but a spell of rough weather prevented I any pumping being done until June 7. I Up to June 15 23 loads, equal to 9200 | tons, have been lifted with the pump j The loading time hits been very irregular, and has varied from 21 minutes to I 2% hours, the average time being 64 i minutes. The alterations made to the | delivery pipes, and the addition of perforated trays beneath the discharge openings, have had the desired effect of retaining the sand and distributing the load in the hopper. The irregular loading is caused by the nozzle grating being | too small, and being blocked up with j small stones. A larger grating is being I made by Messrs Okey and Rollo, which l should give better results. The Thomas King worked on 30 days and removed 177 loads, amounting to 14,160 tons. Twelve days were lost through rough weather. .Wharf widening.—The occurrence of rough weather with spring tides has prevented the finishing of the bolting of the under water walings. All other work is completed, and all berths are now open | to shipping. The cross-over beams, rails, and siding have been completed according to the new plan of wharf approach. The hands have been engaged for some time in piling and strengthening the old approach to the wharf. The whole of the office building will have to be removed to enable this work to be completed, andlOO deck planks 20ft x 9 x 4 red birch will be required to replace the old decking. Concrete blocks.—Of 20 concrete blocks authorised for breakwater protection six have been made and materials for the others are to hand.. Mt Henderson waited on the Board in connection with the mishap to the dredge. He suggested that dredging operations should be confined to sand I pumping until the dredge could be re- [ paired at Wellington in January. It i would lay the dredge up a month if repairs were effected here, whereas by leaving it until the vessel went to Wellington for overhaul no time would be lost. Mr Maxwell was afraid the proposal would cause considerable delay in the operations, as a lot of time would be lost in rough weather, when it would be impossible to pump. He considered that if at all feasible repairs should be effected here. The Chairman eaid that he was being guided by the superintendent in the i matter, and the latter had assured him | that there was ample sand pumping to keep the dredge occupied until the end j of the year. It was work that had to ; be done some time, so there would be no loss of time. Mr King remarked that even if the sand pumping was completed before the enld of the year, the dredge could be sent to Wellington for overhaul earlier than January, if the weather was favorable. Mr Dockrill said that after going carefully into the matter he was satisfied that the foreman's suggestion was the best. The report was adopted. ' HARBOR MASTER'S REPORT. Captain Holford (harbor master) forwarded plans of soundings taken May 6 and June 14 respectively. They had been experiencing some strong gales and heavy seas from the westward, and, in consequence, a good deal of shoaling had taken place between the wharf and the breakwater, and he suggested that the dredging should be confined to this locality for a while. A mishap occurred to the Rotoiti while coming to the wharf on May 16, it being calm and high water at the time. Through some mistake between the bridge and the engine-room the vessel carried her seaway on, striking the wall just clear of the sand bank, between the one and one and a half chain mark, making an indent in the wall, damaging her stern and bowplates considerably, but as no seams or rivets were started the vessel was not thrown out of her running. REMOVAL OF GRAVEL. Messrs Olliver and Sole asked to be allowed to remove gravel from the place known as "Horse-shoe bend," viz., 150 yards for themselves, and, in return they undertook to deliver 100 yds to the foreman as he desired. The Board regretted that it could not accede to the request. WATERSIDE WORKERS UNION. Mr T. Hardgrave, secretary of the New iPlymouth Waterside ' Workers Union, forwarded a schedule of claims which they desired should form, the basis of an "Industrial Agreement" or an "Award of the Court" to govern conditions of employment at the port. In connection with the wages clause, he was directed to emphasise the fact that whilst men in other ports had been granted not less thiin 2s per hour ordinary time and 3s per hour for overtime, the rates of pay at this port had not increased for ordinary time and the overtime rate very slightly, but as the bulk of the work was done between the. hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. they most certainly expected, and were entitled to, an increase. The whole position from their point of view was that they desired to have the opportunity to receive for their labor sufficient to enable them to provide for themselves and those depending on them with reasonable comforts. This (their (present rates of pay precluded them from doing, owing to the abnormally high rents, the general high cost of living, and the fact that their employment was so intermittent. The letter further asked that there cdaim should receive careful and ifavorabSe (consideration) because ithey were anxious that a good and equitable working agreement should evolve from | these negotiations. If however, no re-

i reply of an unsatisfactory nature was _ received, the Union reserved to itself ', the right to withdraw the present \ schedule within 14 days. The rates of pay Ret out in the schedule are as follows:—fiim'eral cargo (including all coal not there specified), ordinary time Is Od; ordinary overtime to 10 p.m., 2s !)d; spcJal overtime, 3s; screened Newcastle, Westport and Grcymouvth coail, superphosphate, /k.-ilphu'r, guano, basic slag, lime and cement and frozen produce, 2s, 3. and 3s 3d. Working hours to be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. f (with noon to 1 p.m. for lunch time) except Saturdays, 8 a.m. io noon; all other time is overtime. The rate for iwork done between the hours of midnight on Sunday and 8 a.m. on Monday shall be double the ordinary rate plus 3d per hour for all classes of work. Fractions of an hour shall be paid for as follows:—s minutes or over to count as a quarter of an hour, under 5 minutes not to count. The schedule also covers meal hours , holidays, ordering men down,_ working coal and preference to unionists. Any matter not covered to be refer-'<d to a committee consisting of representatives of each side, and should, they fail to agree the matter shall be referred to the Conciliation Commissioner whose decision shall be final. On the motion of Mr Maxwell it was decided to defer consideration until next meeting and in the meantime enquiries will be made from other Boards