HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 77, 17 August 1912, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The. monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Hoard was held yesterday morning, the chairman (Mr. J. B. Connett) presiding. Other members present were Messrs E. Maxwell, E. Dockrill, D. J. Hughes and J. McCluggage. LABOR ON TRUCKS. The proposal of the Board to amend its by-laws to the end that it would not in future supply labor on trucks at the Breakwater was responsible for the presence of a deputation of two, Messrs Firth and Randall, representing the coal importers of New Plymouth. According to Mr. Firth, the proposal was a serious matter for merchants, and for the Board also. The deputation therefore desired the Board to hear the views of the merchants on the subject before actually deciding to discontinue the supply of labor on trucks. The deputation submitted that the new arrangement would do grave injury to the coal business in New Plymouth, because (a) it would increase the price of coal by about 4d per ton; (b) if New Plymouth were the port for the Tariinaki district, the coal trade in respect of coal discharged at the New Plymouth Breakwater should extend almost throughout the same district; (e) it was now cheaper for Hawera people to get their coal through Wanganui; (d) if the new arrangement were carried out, Wanganui could, supply coal as far as Eltham as cheaply as New Plymouth .could, and therefore the local merchants could not compete with Wanganui merchants even in the Taranaki district. Continuing, Mr. Firth stated that it would injure the Board's revenue, as, owing to the high price of bituminous coal, there was now an increasing tendency towards the use of brown coal, which could be railed from Huntly at only 12s lOd per ton. He also pointed out that Wanganui would be the cheaper port at which to import coal for all stations south of Eltham. The total charges on coal at present were: From Wanganui to Hawera, 8s 3d per ton; from New Plymouth to Hawera, 9s 9d per ton. If another 4d per ton were added, the inducement to obtain supplies through Wanganui would be greater, and consequently the quantity imported at New Plymouth would be less and the revenue must fall. The deputation in.stanced 'how one Arm sent 1000 tons of coal to Hawera, last year. The proposal suggested by the Board would divert the coal to anotner port, with the result that the Board would iose £IOO in revenue in. this case alone. Freight •from Westport to Wanganui was. it was added, less than the freight from Westport to New Plymouth.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE , QUESTION. Mr., Maxwell, whilst admitting that the change would add a few pence per ton to the price of coal to the importers, flouted the ide'athat it would adversely affect, the trade of the port. He was certain that the superior- advantages to 'the pjort would outweigh any comparatively! trifling considerations as regards the ctal importers, when they took into ' consideration the improvements to the port, Ithe deepening of the harbor, and the Improved facilities for handling cargoj all of which wbuld s6on be an accomplished fact. The fact that the ;port would shortly be able to accommodate Home liners would more than ihake, up for any trifling advantages .wh'ichj other porta might have over New Plymouth. ■ • ..;..-.

T.hq chairman followed in like strain, stating that when shippers and'importers ,'saw the enlarged', accommodation and'' the 1 ! elimination of delay in handling gpodsj the threepence or fourpence per. . ton ; increase in the cost of coal would not to drive them away from New ; Plymouth. The question: before the meetihg had virtually been settled sev-1 ; eral Weeks ago, when the Board were' unanimous in deciding to discontinue supplying labor on trucks. The by-law now really only waited-for statutory confirmation.

The; deputation's side of the case found a string advocate in Mr. Dockrill, who gave as an excuse for changing his views on the question the fact that since the formejr meeting important information had been tendered by the coal importers of the town. He now saw the matter in a different light. To his mind, the enforcement of the proposal would have a deleterious 1 effect ort the trade of the port, iand would tend to scare away importers. Tt would be time enough to make | the charge when the improvements to the 1 harbor were all completed. Returning to the debatejthe -chairman said ijhat if there were any grievance at till; it should not be against the Board, but ijgainst the -Railway Department, which ought to handle mil for nothing, w.inj the case of other goods. The 'Roanj was simply putting-coal .and timber ojn the same.footing as everything else. 1 • ■ ' ;AN INTERESTED PARTY?

According to Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Dockrill was, n taking part in the discussion, in the sjame position as a Justice of the Peace), who, so the story went, -figured in thb witness-box in a law case, and, after! concluding his evidence, resumed his sifat on the Bench, and adjudicated on the matter before the Court. In short! Mr. Dockrill was in the unfortunate J position of being an interested party;

This remark called forth 'an emphatic denial from Mr. Dockrill that the fact that he was interested in a company importing large quantities of coal to New Plymouth.in any way influenced his mind in the matter. On all questions he voted, injthe interests of the Board and the ratepayers arid not from any .private consitferatious. . '

Thij resolution embodying the confirmation |of ■ the amended by-laws was carried In" four votes to one,' Mr. Dockrill being the only dissentient. • WORKS SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.

In jliis report for the four weeks ending Jjugust 1-0 the works superintendent ("Mr. p. Henderson) stated that the Paritutu in the fairway on 1G days "(net i time 138 hours) and removed 60 loads; of .sand, equal to 24,000 tons. Three days were spent in cleaning and repairs, one in coaling, and four days were 1 lost through bad weather. Intervals {of fine weather with very smooth Sea Had since been experienced, enabling the dredge to work well out in the harbor, where the sand sand was clean and free from silt. The cutter had been in use throughout the month and the results! I> , '°v< , <l that it was of great service in most parts of the harbor, giving quicker and move regular loading . The dredge Thomas King had worked on IS days.and had removed .87 loads, equal to 61)00 {tons.

Old wharf—At the old wharf approach the old. piling and woodwork had been removed ami 13 new piles had been driven. Ten anbve piles were required to complete tne work. These had been landed ex s.s. F.nnerdele and would be driven and the deck completed while piles were being prepared for lengthening the main wharf. Breakwater—Might of the old concrete blocks .had been placed at the end of the breakwater for protection, and six newones had been made, making 18 now completed.

Hardwood timber—The whole of the timber for wharf lengthening had been landed and was now being sorted. The idles, beams and decking were very good lots and were much superior to those supplied for the widening. Reporting on the straightening of the west sid.? of the wharf inshort, suggested by Captain Ilolford, Mr. Henderson

»tat«l that tliis would give 30ft more berthage, and was only a- small job, requiring'four or "five piles. Two more blocks were required to complete the 20 authorised, and two special blocks were required for the mooring buoys. «

MONTHLY TONNAGE The; harbormaster (Captain G. Holford) reported that for the four -weeks ending August 10, 31 vessels (28 steam and three sail} of an aggregate tonnage of 25,506, 'had worked the port inwards and outwards. The imports of general merchandise amounted to 9160 tons, of which 3596 tons were coal. Some 1678 tons of this was consigned to tire Railway Department and 1918 tons for private purposes. The exports of produce and sundries amounted to 430 tons. The imports and exports combined ran into 9590 tons. IMPROVED SOUNDINGS.

In a supplementary report, Captain Holford stated that southerly and easterly winds had prevailed during the greater part of the month, and consequently the Paritutu had* been doing very good work witli her;siiction dredging. Soundings were taken on August 7 under the most •.favorable conditions; and the results ' showed that although the bottom was somewhat undulating, nevertheless a marked improvement had been made from the end of the wharf out to the end of the breakwater. Many places I where the last soundings gave 14ft to 15ft were now found to be 19ft and 20ft respectively. 'At the junction of a line from ;the end of the breakwater to the line of beacons there was now a depth of 22ft in place of 18ft as hitherto, and I from there to the eastern corner of the wharf there was not less than 17ft, i which in his opinion was very satisfactory. ; It clearly went to show that under favorable weather conditions the suction dredge would give a good account of its.workings ere the Parititu went for overhaul at Wellington. The harbormaster added that local signals had been etsablished since August 1, and were now giving satisfaction. GENERAL. Mr. Merchant, consulting engineer to the Board, intimated that (he was opposed, to the suggested construction of a solid parapet along the breakwater. —The Board decided not to take any further action in the matter. It was decided to obtain a return showing the comparative cost of dredging with the Paritutu and the Thomas King. Accounts to the amount of £3333 15s lid were passed for payment.