HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1919, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. Tho monthly meeting of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was held yesterday morning, there being present Messrs Newton King (chairman), C. E. Bellringer, E. Dockrill, J. McClug--gage, J. S. Connett, D. J. Hughes, G. McGuinr.ess, and E. Maxwell. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. The harbormaster (Captain Wm. Waller), reported 29 vessels had entered the port during the past month the aggregate tonnage .being 31,873 tons. Imports amounted to 5951 tons and exports to 4980 tons. Government coal landed totalled 264 tons. The S. S. and A. liner Waiwera berthed at 7 a.m. on September 15 and took away 412 tons of meat, etc., sailing at 5 p.m. on 17th. In a letter to tho Board the harbormaster urged that in the interests of shipping trading to the port, and especially liners, application be made to the Marine Department for a resurvey of the Taranaki coast and that the 100, 50 and 30 fathom lines be plotted on the chart. This would be much appreciated by navigators making the land in thick weather, and ensure the safety of the ships. The original survey of the coast took place between the year 1849 and 1851 and was more In the naturo of a running survey, the coast not having been extensively sounded. The inset map of Now Plymouth Harbor on the Admiralty Chart (Manukau Harbor to new Plymouth) Is much in need of correction and bringing up to date. It was decided to apply to the Department for the chart of the coast between Manukau and Cape Egmont to be corrected and brought up to date. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. Blair Mason) reported as follows: Dredging.—The weather during the period has been not favorable for dredging, two days wero lost through bad weather, two days occupied In cleaning boilers and two changing and repairing buckets. . During the period the dredge worked on 24 days, the net time being 206 hours. Twenty-one load 3 were removed from alongside the breakwater, seven from the 33ft widening and two from the outer basin all with the buckets, and seven loads wero lifted from the fairway with the sand pump, making a total of 37 loads, equal to 14,800 tons, of which seven loads wero deposited on the line of breakwater and the balance at sea. Thomas King.—Owing to tho stone skips blocking the view of the'helmsman, a steering wheel and speaking tubs to the engine room have been fitted near the bows. Tho ftve-ton crane has been placed on the breakwater at the north end of the coal bins for loading the stone. Tho Thomas King is now depositing stone on the line of the breakwater. Quarries.—Tracks have been cut around sue faces of Moturoa Island to the various tunnels. No. 1 tunnel on the south side is completed and charged ready for fixing. No. 2 tunnel to the east side Is In a distance of 14ft and in very hard rock. The men's quarters on tho Island are completed and are now occupied. A small magazine has been excavated, to the rock on the west face. The boiler for the 25-ton crane is In position and tho machine is now at the Flsnliig Rock quarry, hauling up stones from the beach. General—A new house has been built for the 25-ton crane. Two sets of crossings on the decking at the wharf have been fitted up flush with the rails for convenience in loading produce. The Jib of the 40-ton crane, at present in Wellington under repair, will be to hand next week. The repairs to the boiler of the 5-ton crane are not completed. Tho contractors say that they are having trouble In getting labor and material. FITZROY RESERVE. A letter was received from the Borough Council asking if any decision had been made In regard to the application for the transfer of Reserve 97, Fitzroy, to the Borough. Mr. King said a deputation from the Fitzroy ratepayers had waited upon hhn during tho past week, pointing out that there was no access to the sea for the residents of the suburb of Fitzroy, and if that reserve were made available they would Improve it and make a recreation reserve of it. In the event of not being ablo to get the whole reserve, they asked If part of tho section could ho made available. They had also suggested that a lease of the area might be given them. He thought perhaps the latter was a better, proposition. Mr. Bellringer said the Board ought to face the whole position now and decide what they should do. Ho foresaw that if that reserve was leased to tho Borough and made a recreation ground It would be a recreation ground always. If improvements wore made it would be practically Impossible to got the reserve back again, and he thought the Borough should make an exchange'of equivalent value. Personally he would like to help the.Fitzroy people to get a recreation reserve, but the Board must guard its freoholds carefully. Mr. Maxwell said it was tho duty of the Borough Council to look after the interests of its ratepayers and to seo to providing recreation grounds for tho Borough. Tho Board, however, were the trustees for tho ratepayers of practically tho whole province, and they must see that the ratepayers of tho area were not made to provide recreation grounds fbr the people of New Plymouth He thought if anything , was done In the matter It should be by means of an equitable exchange. A lease which gave the Borough the right to re-enter at anytime would be of no value to the ratepayers, and If a long lease, enabling Improvements to bo undertaken were given, he agreed It would be practically impossible for. the Board to get possession of the reserve again. Mr. Connett said he agreed somewhat with Messrs Bellringer and Maxwell. He suggested that a lease would enable the Board to give tho Fitzroy residents the use of the reserve until such timo as the Board might require it for their own uso. The chairman said he did not altogether agree with what had been said about a lease of the reserve. It all depended upon the terms of the lease. He thought it would be safe to give a straight-out lease for 14 years. He was not in favor of the Board having the right to re-enter at any time, at three months' notice. Mr. Hughes said he favored giving the Fitzroy residents assistance In getting a recreation ground, but thought, it should be affected by means of ah exchange. The matter was ultimately referred to the engineer for a report. LIGHTING AT THE WHARF. The Borough Council wrote stating that it was prepared to erect two lights between the tram terminus and tho root of tho wharf If the Board paid for the maintenance of them. Mr. Bellringor moved that the Hoard agree. to the proposal. He thought it was )n the interest of the public and the port. The chairman said he doubtod if the Board could spend money on property which was not undefr Its control. Personally he was inclined to think It was the Borough's place to provide the lighting, as it was purely to improve the revenue of its tramways. Mr. Maxwell supported the chairman's view. Mr. Bellringer said he was considering the matter from the point of view of public convenience. He would like tile matter looked into, as he thought it. would he possible for the board to do something on its approaches to the wharf. It was agreed to defer tho matter in view of the fact that the summer was approaching and the need would not be very urgent. Tho Waterslders' Union wrote complaining of the unsatisfactory condition of the lighting on tho wharf, who was felt particularly in connection with tlio work of loading dairy produce. The chairman said ho thought when the new lights wero put up everything had been satisfactory. The Corinna was the only boat that took dairy produce away and she had beenrecently fitted un with electric light throughout. Mr. Bellringer said ho thought the trouble was that there was no light inside the closed in trucks when the men were working at night. He pointed out that the local waterslders wore a good lot, and served- tho Board well, and should be considered in such matters as far as possible. If, however,- the fault lay with the ships tho companies should bo called upon to provide the necessary lighting. The chairman also agreed that the men had always acted vory fairly towards the Board and deserved consideration but he did not think the Board should bo called upon to do what was the duty of tho shipping companies. The matter was referred to the engineer. CALVES LICK UP EVERY DROP. Unlike other calf-foods, there 'is no sediment in "CEREMILK," the fine particles remain in suspension in the bucket, thus making preparation easy and enabling the calf to get all the goodness. With many other calf foods a semi-solid deposit is formed at the bottom of the vessel so that the animal gets only half a feed. The fact that j there's no waste with Ceremilk has given great satisfaction to farmers. Mr D. L. Astbury, Mangatoki, Elthain, writes: "Kindly book forward for hie o: -half ton of 'CEREMILK' in' case there is difficulty to get it next season. We have reared seventy calves this year; none have died, and unquestionably 'CEREMILK' has given us more satisfaction and better results than any other prepared food we have used previously." At all stores and factories, in 200, 100, 50 and 253b bags. If your dealer cannot supply you write to Fleming and Co., Ltd., Box 488, Wellington. 27 j