HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1919, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

j MONTHLY MEETING.' The monthly meeting of the New Plymouth llarbor Hoard was held yesterday. The chairman (Mr N. King) presided, and there were ai!.;tf present: Messrs 10. Maxwell, 0. 12. ißcllringer, K. Dock rill, J. iS. Connett, and 0- K Mc- ! Guinness. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs 0 A. Wilkinson, M.l\, D. J. Hughes, and they were granted leave of absence. 'HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. , The harbormaster (Capt. W. Waller) jepfs „.>tl that 18 vessels visited the port <i!i.. the month, the aggregate toi|of which was 14,370 tons. The imports amounted to 34*39 tons and exports to 2382 tons. HARBOR SOUNDINGS. The harbormaster submitted a chart, showing the result of recent soundings, which gave a minimum depth of water ai low tide of 24 feet in the swinging basin and fairway, which has now been dredged to a width of about 400 feetThe depth of water available at the wharf was 28 feet at low water. The line of approach to the wharf was now most satisfactory for the purpose of manoeuvring vessels. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT The works superintendent (Mr F. Henderson) reported as follows:—The Paritutu dredged at the west side of the fairway on. .21 days, the net time being 171 hours. A total of 26,800 tons of spoil was removed in C 7 loads, of which 54 were lifted with the sand pump and 13 with the buckets- Dredging at the outer basin, which had been interrupted for some weeks on account of the illness of the diver, has now been resumed. The dredge was laid up for 3* days for Christmas and New Year holidays. The hinged shaft frying that carries the trimming door of the chute has broken, consequently when working with buckets only about three-quarters of a load can be trimmed into the hopper This cannot be remedied until the annual overhaul without laying up the dredge for a time The dredging at the basin has proved so destructive to the buckets that about 20 of the spares are so badly damaged that they are not worth repairing- Steps should' be taken to secure a new set of a stronger type. General works were closed from December 24 till Januciy 6. A new set of butter-loading platforms has been made for the wharf

GENERAL. A letter was received from the Watersiders' Union complaining of the condition of some of the gratings (upon which cheese and some other produce 1? loaded into the nets), which rendered the men engaged in tins part of the work more liable to accident The chairman stated that the matter had been receiving attention. Accounts amounting to £S"S Is were passed for payment.