HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1920, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. TJie New Plymouth Harbor Board met yesterday. Present: Messrs. Newton King (chairman), K. Maxwell, J. S. Connett, C. H. Burgess, D. J.. Hughes, C. E. McG-uinness, C. A. Wilkinson and J. McChiggage. HARBORMASTER'S REPORT. For the five weekly period ended November IH, the Harbormaster, Captain Waller reported that the number of vessels entering the port ihad totalled 24, tli,e aggregate tonnage being 30,480. The imports were 11,833 tons, the exports 2232 tons, a total of 14,115 tons. Government coal landed amounted to 1779 tons. The Shaw Savlll liner Mamarl arrived on October 39, landing 1653 tons of general cargo. She sailed on the 31st for Wanganul roadstead. Her loaded draught was 17ft Sin forward, and 21ft 11a aft. ENGINEERS' REPORT. The engineers (Messrs. Blair Mason and Lee) submitted the following imonthly report upon the Board's works for the period from October 9 to November 13:—

Dredging.—The dredge has been working on the second outer basin, cut and completed the work on the 13th Inst. She .is now starting to clean up the fairway ahead of the wharf. The bucket ladder has been repaired by strengthening plates on the sides and extra bulkheads, and when the opportunity offers additional strengthening plates will be put In. During the early part of this month the dredge was engaged pulling the broken piles in the wharf berth. The dredging returns and hours worked for the month ending October 31 are os follows: C 3 loads equal to 25,200 tons from the third fairway cut and sandbank, all of Which were deposited at sea. The total hours worked were 210, and miles steamed aggregated 256%. Thomas. Klngl—(The vtoather during the above period has been of a very stormy nature malting it impossible on many occasions for outside work of any description to be carried out, and especially those works connected with the floating plant. The propeller damaged last month has been taken off and the spare one fitted. A new spare propellor is being made In Auckland. The master of the slip has left, this being the fourth master since the vessel started. Arrangements have been made to get a man from Wellington. In tho meantime, the work is bolug carried out. The total amount of stone deposited on the line of the breakwater since last report, is 4240 tons. Quarries.—No work is being done at Moturoi Island, the men all being employed at the i'lshing Roclt quarry. The new' siding into the top quarry Is being pushed ahead whenever men are available. Tho crane purchased from Westport is being erected j and will be used at the Fishing Rock. Air pipe-; are being laid from the workshop to i :he Fishing Sock Quarry for the purpose \ ol' driving rock drills. The old steam drive i compressor formerly used In the block house lias !;een converted for a motor drive, and i will be used for supplying air to the quarry and steam hammer In the workshop. \ General.—The relaying of the rails on tho Breakwater is completed. The new rails recently purchased from Australia have been used and the portion from the end of the parapet to end of breakwater is now in good oTder. The recent heavy seas slightly dislodged one of the blocks near the last breait, this has been repaired with concrete and the weak places are being attended to. The block 3 over this sections are of poor quality, there not being sufficient fln». aggregate In the mixture to make the block homogeneous, consequently the continued action of the sea combined with the grinding of apron stones disintegrates the blo;ks. The apron Is being built up with the largest of the stones from the Fijhlng Rock Quarry. The No. 2 shed on the wlurf is 'coiirte'el wilh the oxeep:l<n of the doors, Customs office <.td painting. The doon (tic being franitd up and the workshop is now compiling the Ironwork for the runners. A total of eight piles hare been driven on the oast side of the wharf to replace broken ones. On opening up the wharf for pile driving, an examination of the beams carrying the railway lines showed them to be In bod condition and tliey will shortly require attention. The limber In this portion of the wharf Is all blue gum. A small consignment of ironbark beams was ordered sir months ago but there is no advice of it coming to hand. We are making enquiries for further supplies, for direct shipment to New Plymouth, and if prices are satisfactory would recommend that an order bo placed. New wallngs are being placed on the wharf whenever the tides are suitable. The diver Is renewing tho damaged copper sheathing on the piles, and blasting In the dredge cut. Six 251b shots were fired electrically In the dredge cut in order to break up some of the boulders. GENERAL. In view of the large number of men now engaged in the shipping work, consequent upon the Increased trade of , the port, the Wateraiders' Union wrote asking that increased accommodation be. provided in the waiting shed, and also that the matter of lighting and , ventilation receive attention. It was decided to obtain a report from the Harbormaster on the subject. Mr. S. (J. Smith, M.P., forwarded a copy of an amendment giving Harbor ' Boards power to borrow money for the ■ acquisition of land and the erection of workers' dwellings. ' Correspondence was also received J from Mr. Smith in regard to the power Bought by local bodies to raise money < at a higher rate of interest than 5% ' per cent. The chairman stated that ' a clause inserted in the Finance Act gave the Minister of Finance authority ' to give power to borrow at 6 per cent. ' if he thought it desirable. It was decided to thank Mr. Smith ; for attention given to several matters affecting the Board during the session.