HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 220, 17 March 1914, Page 7

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. At the monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, held yesterday, there were present: Messrs J. B. Connett (chairman), X. King, C. A. Wilkinson, D. J. Hughes, J. Marx, E. Maxwell, E. Dockrill and C. E. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. J. MeCluggage. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. The harbormaster (Captain Waller) reported that during the four weeks ending Marcli 14, "22 steamships, aggregating 2-2,872 tons, entered the port, and ■2O steamships, of 20,208 tons, cleared the port. The imports amounted la 8442 tons, of which 3342 tons was coal, 2312 tons for the Railway Department, and 1030 for private use. The exports amounted to 2129 tons, making a total of 10,571 tons handled. The harbor was sounded on the 10th and 11th Inst., the weather being very favorable. The result showed that a fairly uniform depth was maintained when inside the breakwater and approaching the wharf. Messrs Sladden and Palmer had a .new sounding plan in course of preparation, which would take in a much larger area and enable soundings outside the breakwater to be taken when required with greater precision than at present. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, Mr. F. Henderson, superintendent of works, reported for the four weeks end ing March 14 as follows:—The Paritutu had dredged with the buckets at the final cut parallel to the wharf on 19 days (net time 216 hours) and had removed 42 loads, equal to 10,800 . tons, and the cut had been brought in 330 ft shorewards. Pumping was carried oil for two days in the fairway, and eight loads were removed, equal to 3200 tons. The dredge Thomas King was placed on the gridiron on February 20 for a. general overhaul. The internal repairs were no so extensive as anticipated, bat the deck plates and hopper coamings were in a bad condition, and had to be almost entirely renewed with a new decking and flooring. It would take another four weeks to complete the work. Previous to the overhaul, 18 loa<ls (equal to 1440 tons) of sand were removed. The old engine-shed having been removed 'by the purchaser, the spare sand-pump, which was stored alongside, would have to be removed to another position and re-housed. He believed an enquiry had been made for this plant, and thought it would be well to sell it and the engine belonging to it, with all spare parts, as it was not likely to be of any further use to the Board.

GENERAL.: Permission was granted to Mr. W_ Ainsworth, secretary of the X-ew Plymouth .Life Saving Society, to erect a small sjicd for the accommodation of a life-saving reel on the West-End beach, tlie building to be to the satisfaction of the harbormaster.