HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1922, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The New Plymouth Harbor Board met yesterday. Present: Messrs. N. King (chairman), C. E. Bellringer, E. Maxwell, C. H. Burgess, C. E. McGuinness, J. McCluggage, C. A. Wilkinson and J. S. Connett. An apology for absence was received from Mr. D. J. Hughes. HARBORMASTER’S REPORT. The harbormaster (Captain W- Waller) reported for the four weeks ending March 11 that 19 vessels had entered the port, the aggregate tonnage being 36,975 tons. Imports were 10,838 tons, and the exports were 490 tons, plus the Kia Ora’s cargo (which had not been made up). Government coal landed amounted to 6180 tons. The s.s. City of Corinth arrived from Cardiff on February 20. She landed 6180 tons of coal and had a draught of 23ft 9ins forward and 24ft 3ins aft. The Shaw Savill liner Kia Ora arrived from Auckland on March 6. She loaded frozen meat and product, and sailed for Wanganui on the 14th. The draught of the vessel was 18ft Bins forward and 22ft lin aft. ENGINEERING WORK. The work for the period February 13 to March 11 was reported on as follows by the resident engineer (Mr. G. W. B. Lowson) :

Dredging.—The Paritutu’s returns for the month are:—Bucket dredging: New wharf cut, 6200 tons. Suction dredging: Sand bank, 2000 tons; outside bank, 2400 tons; third fairway cut, 6000 tons; total, 16,600 tons, of which 3700 tons were dumped westwards of the breakwater extension mound. The new wharf cut has been advanced another 70 feet to a depth of 20 feet, making a total length of 730 feet dredged to date. Work on this cut is very slow, on account of the large number of boulders being handled, but the progress made is quite satisfactory. The dredge commenced working the longer shift of eleven hours on February 22. Quarries and Breakwater Extension.— During the month 4175 tons of stone were placed on the extension of the breakwater, 2415 tons by barging and 1760 tons by tipping. The capping was advanced to about 16 feet during fine weather, but on March 2 was dragged down into the deeper water around the end of the breakwater, where it had not been possible to lay a proper foundation owing to danger to the Thomas King. At the close of the period the No. 2 crane was withdrawn from the quarry face and replaced by the Priestman grab crane. General.—The ordinary general and wharf maintenance work has been attended to during the period. The construction of the overbridge is still delayed through the non-arrival of the timber from Australia.

In reply to Mr. Bellringer, who stated that the reference to the capping might be misconstrued as a serious mishap by the outside public, the engineer said that the happening was only to be expected, and was a natural result in building a rubble wall. MISCELLANEOUS. A notification was received from the Borough Council-that the charges for water supply to the port would be increased from Is to 2s per thousand gallons after the expiration of the agreement embodying the present charge. It was decided to intimate to the council that the board was prepared to enter into an agreement on these terms for a term of seven years. The chairman reported having interviewed the general manager of railways regarding the Daymen, for reclamation works at Moturoa, It was decided to ask the general manager to send an officer to New Plymouth to consult with the engineer on the of the reclamation,