NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 130, 19 October 1912, Page 6

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Harbor Board piet yesterday, the chairman (Mr. J. 11 G'onnctt) presiding. Other members present were: Messrs Newton King, E. Maxwell, C. E. Bellringer, E. Doekrill, D. J. Hughes and J. Marx. NEW MEMBER WELCOMED. On behalf of members, the chairman formally welcomed Mr. Marx, who took his seat for the first time as representative appointed by the Government in the place of the late Mr. W. Swadling. Mr. Marx was, he said, not new to tke Board, but was an old member returning to again give the Board the use of hi* valued services. , Mr. Marx suitably replied.

ENLIGHTENMENT WANTED. The following letter was received from Mr. C. Carter, chairman of the Advisory Board of the Taranaki (N.Z.) Oil Wells, Ltd:— "By the s.s. Kia Ora, due in Wei- ■ lington on the 15th inst., we have the first shipment of refinery plant arriving. The London Board advise us that the whole, of the plant (with the exception of the still bottoms and the boilers) is

beifcg transhipped at Wellington, but , owing to the lack of facilities in handling cargo at the breakwater of two tons ! and upwards that heavier portions must I come through by rail. This would be a. great mistake, and one .which would belittle the possibilities of our port. Evi- J dently shippers in London and at other , ports cannot be cognisant of the facilities existing here for handling heavy cargo and receiving. We have shipments to follow, amounting to some TOO tons in all, apart from the rotary plant. I should esteem it a favor if you will comImuhicate with me in time to prevent the plant above referred to being forwarded by rail."

■ The secretary (Mr. C. S. Rennell) read , j the, following reply which he had forI warded to Mr. Carter:—"l am instructed to acknowledge receipt of your letter l'daied 9th inst. with reference to the | facilities for handling cargo at the wharf, ' and in reply I have .to advise, you that ) the Board "lias two steam cranes each of 'five tons ior heavier' lifts; while ves, sels of smaller draught can haul alongside the breakwater at high water, where there is a steam crane capable of lifting fup to 40 tons. ' I understand,' however, C that all-or- nearly so. of your plant is

1 under two tons,' so there should be no '( difficulty whatever • in unloading the whole of 1 ft' at the wharf. Some of the Union Company's' -steamers 'have lifted j up 1 to 100 tons-wuth-iheir own winches." j . MONTHLY TONNAGE.

Jn his report covering the four weeks ending October 12 the Harbormaster (Captain Holiord) reported that 32 vessels, of an aggregate jgross tonnage of '23.982 tons, worked the port inwards and outwards. 'r. The jmports amounted to 7896 toils,;Of;wluch ; 2990 tons were coal—--1598 tons for the railway and 1392 ton» for private use.. ; .. The exports of produces- -and sundries amounted to 808 tops. The total imports and .exports were 8704 tons. -::'

I'' ; HARBOR SOUNDINGS. I '.,. In."•»,'■ supplementary report, Captain Holford stated that the soundings were. . ,taken on:the Bth inst. under favorable conditions, and submitted a plan showing the result of the same. .. Although the ! dredging', had considerably improved the harbor from the. end of the wharf out to.'the end of the breakwater, ne much regretted that it was not as satisfactory as; he thought it would be, as there were \ several patches carrying only 12 or 13 feet respectively.'' Otherwise they had! atl least a depth of 19ft at low water j 'k ordinary spring tidies from the junction of i the line of the beacon to the end. of ] (the breakwater.' 'He .was "afraid they could not look for a. uniform bottom until the buckets, were, again brought into commission.: There was a considerable ■ area carrying over 20 feet, but the sh'al- ■ low patches referred, to minimised the . navigable part on this account, He hoped: that at the next.report these would have' been removed and a more encourag- . ing result shown. ■■ . Referring to the report on the sound- • ings. the chairman described it as on the i whole verv • satisfactory. Now that ■ the shallow patches 1 hatl been discovered the dredge would be put on to remove them. With the sand'pump-they could not get j a uniform-bottom, but-the buckets would ; soon .alter this. - ' : '' ',''.,'■■, i 1 Mr,'-Maxwell commented that the snai-, low patches were very small and isolated.> Other. Wibers; also' expressed- satisfaction'with : the'report. ' : .y.,,i /'.HARBOR. WORKS.' ■; ;

Mr. :i l?'.' J3 : riiidei*s6u, : superintendent of wdrksV'i J ep ; brte : d;'as follows for tbc four

weeks':— Dredge Paritutu—The Paritutu work'ed with the sand" : puinp -in- the fairway, arid at the breakwater bank on 18 da.y» (net time"l3S2 hours)' and lifted 6.8 loads ofjsand (equal to 27,200 tons). The average loading time has., been, one hour. Vdry stormy weather was experienced diiring'the'latter half■■ of September, wh 1 ich caused the loss of six days' dredging. • ■•■■■.,•■•- 'Dredge ; Thomas 'King—The Thomas King worked oil 12 days, principally about'the'wharf;'at the inshore berths. Forty-eight'.loads (equal to 3840 tons) were.'.lifted,: ' 'Twelve days -were' lost through rough weather, during which time? some, repairs' were effected to the hopper plates,''coal'bunkers, etc. Another serious breakdown occurred to-this .diiedge-on Tuesday afternoon last. While pumping oft from the end of the wharf the pipe became deeply embedded in the ljdttom, and in attempting to raise it the jib" stays" of the crane gave way. The .jib, which is of wood, fell acroii the bulwark, and was broken to pieces. Efforts' to recover the pipe were continued till a late hour without success. Next morning the winches of the Paritutu were -attached, and, after heavy pulfing, the pipe broke, leaving 14 feet of it : still' in the bottom. This the diver is now trying to .secure. A new jib is being maile for the crane, and the grab can be" used for a time until 'the pipe is repaired. Wharf—About one-half of the piles are

now coppered, and the gear is being placed at the end of the wharf in readiness for pile-driving, which will be commenced next week. Blocks—The two reinforced concrete blocks for the mooring buoys have been completed.