HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 187, 16 January 1915, Page 7

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the 'lyinoiith Harbor Board was held y •irday. Present: Messrs J. B. Com ::t •hairman), X. King, ii. Dockrill, J. jvk I'luggage, C. A. Wilkinson, M.l\, K. Maxwell, J. Marx, and D. Hughes. LEASES OK K IiSLRVKS. Mr King brought up the question of the renewal of certain leases of reserves and slated that it would be necessary to appoint an arbitrator in some cases. ft was decided, on the. motion of MiKing.'that .Mr E. )'. Corkill be appointed arbitrator. On enquiry for one of tlie leases, it transpired that the deeds and other documents of the Board were at the solicitor's office and as that state of affairs was considered to be inconvenient, it was decided that all the Board's deeds and documents be kept in the Board's strong room. Matters connected with the renewal of leases were discussed,, and the course of action was agreed upon.

HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. j r l he arrivals at the port for the four ! weeks ending .January !), consisted of I!) | steamships, one 4-master schooner, and ■ one auxiliary schooner, aggregating 21,2'.fo tons. The departures consisted of 10 steamers and one schooner aggregating 20,(iS.'i tons. The imports amounted to 3!)8I! tons, including SIS tons of coal for private use, and the exports (o '2112!) tons, making a total of (i!)l2 tons handled. The minimum depth in the harbor was 10 feet at L.W.S.T. with Kikotahi beacon am! cast end of the wharf in line. —Received. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT • t ■ The superintendent or works reported:—The Pari tutu dredged on 17 days, working 105;! hours, and removing '2O loads, equal to 1 1,(500 tons from the second basin cut, l.'i loads oqufil to tons from the third basin cut, and three loads, equal to 1200 tons, from the fairway, a. total of IS,OOO tons. The second basin cut had been terminated at (100 feet seawards from, .the end of the wharf, and depths varying from 22 to 2o feet at low water, A third basin cut had been started 300 feet seawards from the end of the wharf and carried shoye'.vavds about .100 feet at a depth of IS feet at low water. I'reparations wvve almost completed for the overhaul voyage to Wellington oil Iflth inst. The 'lhomas King worked >ll ten days and removed from the breakwater bank is2«!> tons. Repairs were being effected to 2o "of the I'aritutu's buckets and the s boat, file wharf deck was bei'i"cleaned and tarred.—Received. IiOULDERS. A letter was read from the Town Clerk stating that the borough engineer was removing boulders from the mouth of the Waiwakaiho river and keeping a tally of same.—Received, FORESHORE A further letter was read from the Town Clerk applying for the control l>y the Borough Council of the portion of the foreshore and reserve from Bayly "Road to the Breakwater

The secretary pointed out that the Board had already vested the control of the foreshore, from Weymouth Street to the Breakwater —a larger area than was now applied for—including the reserve above high water mark. Mr Wilkinson strongly advocated that the Board should have a plan of the foreshore and reserve and that the various areas should be pegged otf. He pointed out that in the absence of such a plan the country members could not properly deal with such an application as was then before the Board. Mr Hughes: Nor anyone else, for there are no sign posts' indicating the various streets.

Mr Wilkinson, mowd that a plan lei prepared and the ground pegged off, Mr King raised the question of in: cost, and suggested that Mr Sladden be asked what the expense would be.—The Board decided to take that course.

Mr Maxwell brought up the question of the control of the foreshore, which he said was by no means satisfactory at present, especially from a sanitary point of view. The erection of building on the reserve, had grown on the 'Board unconsciously, fl-oni the right to put up a boat shed until now permanent cottages were being erected .without sanitary arrangements. The matter was one that required to be threshed out by a committee.

Further consideration was deferred 'until after receipt of Mr Sladden's estimate of cost.

WATER SUPPLY. A report from the Harbormaster was read stating that the shipping companies were taking water for drinking purposes at the rate of r,0,000 gallons per year. A letter was read rrom the Borough Council offering to supply water from the main on the Breakwater road at Is (id per thousand gallons, the Board to pay half cost of extension to the breakwater. On the motion of Mr Wilkinson the matter was referred to the town members of the Board for their report.

SANDHILLS. Mr Hughes reported that he had taken Mr Baylis, the Government Field Expert, to view the sandhills, and that. Mr Baylis had promised to report on the best treatment for same. Accounts amount to £763 4s fid were passed for payment.