HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 170, 17 January 1914, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

.MONTHLY MKETINU The monthly meeting of (lie New Plymouth Harbor Hoard was hoUt yesterday, when there were present: .Messrs i,l. It. Coiinclt (in the chair), Xewton ,Kui>-. .1. Marx, E. DorkriH, C li. IVUwinger, ('. A. Wilkinson, .). .Mel luggage •and E. .Maxwell. An apologv was received i'or the absence of .Mr. J). J. Hughes. Mr. F. W. Man-bant, consulting engineer to tile Hoard, was also present, j .SU'KItIXTEXDrIYr.S UK!'!HIT. The, superintendent of works (Mr. F. .Henderson) reported that the dredge .I'aritulu had worked on IS days, for a. net lime of lil'i'/o hours, and removed uli loads, equal to "22,4(10 .tons, from the fairway with tlie sand pump, and 11 loads, "equal to 4400 tons, also SID boulders, from the 3;lft cut with the buckets. Tim 33ft cut was- now in to pile -20, which iwas SSftft from, the end of the wharf shorewards. The boulders were again more numerous and dredging was therefore more dillieult and slower. Four days were observed jib holidays, one day was lost through rough weather, and one day was occupied in coalpug and changing Ihe nozxlc and cutter. I Dredging was discontinued from noon on 3 January 14 to make preparations for ( the annual overhaul voyage to Welj lington, which would) be made on Januj ary 17.

The Thomas King dredged on 13 days, the net time being- 121. hours, of which 92 were occupied in pumping 78 loads of sand (equal to 0241) tons) and 21 hours in lifting 51 'boulders form the l.'aritntu's cut. This dredge would require a complete overhaul in February, the \ principal repairs being new llooring | plates under the 'boilers, new plates in j the hopper and talker, also new coamings anil a partly new deck. Tlie boilicrs would probably have to ho removed to effect there, repairs, which would occupy about three weeks. The! locomotive shed, store and workshop buildings were now completed and the. greater part of the plant and line 'tenuis had been removed from the old buildings, which would now .'be taken down. HARBORMASTER'!-, RETORT. The harbormaster reported that during the month ending January 10, 17 steamships and one auxiliary schooner, of an aggregate tonnage of 17,005, entered the port, and 10 .steamships and one auxiliary! schooner cleared the port. The imports amounted to 3451 tons, of which 303 tows- was coal, 1.37 tons being for the Railway Department and 200 tons for private use. The exports .amounted to 2522 tons, making a total of 5973 tons handled. The harbor bad ibeen sounded on January (i and 7. Tlie 'bank insido the 'breakwater had been .considerably reduced since his last report and the -water in fhe fairway approaching the wharf maintained a fairly regular depth. Ho recommended that the western side of the wharf be cleaned out as soon as it was convenient for the I'aritutu to engage in the work. A plan of the soundings accompanied the report. The reports were adopted.

■HBACtt BUILDINfiS. It was deckled to sell by auction the ■old sheds at 3foturoa, to he pulled down ami removed. After some discussion a's to the possibility of -the materials 'being ■used for the erection of 'buildings on the beach which has been handed ovot «o ■the control of the Council, and whilst the Hoard is desirous of seeing building erected foi* the use. of picnickers, it ha» no desire that this old 'material should he used for the erection of any unsightly 'building on the beach. GEXKKAL. Actiiig on the recommendation of the consult inn; engineer, it was decided to abandon for the present l.lic proposal to erect a fixed parapet along the break•wa'ter. A request from the harbormaster to havo his house connected with tlm borough water supply was left to the chairman, with power to act. The Koxton Harbor Hoard wrote asking if there were n pos.-ibility of hiring the Hoard's small dredge for "one month ill order to remove an accumulation of sand from the river.—The Board regretted that it was absolutely impossible to accede to the reqvest.

', Accounts amounting to £137!) were | passed for payment.