TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 916, 11 February 1882, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The above Board met yesterday. FINANCIAL PROSPECTS. Mr Moody pointed out that it appeared from the annual report the revenue of the harbor was £1203 19s lid while the expenditure was £3198 10s 3d leaving a deficiency of £2OOO. The Board was going to the bad at the rate of £6OO a year in that department. The Secretary said that better things were expected. In 1880 only 250 vessels of 39077 tons entered outwards, but in 1881. 335 vessels of 53,463 entered, and it was likely the number would be increased this year. He expected a revenue of £SOOO from the landing service and the wharf. THE HERALD’S ONTRUTHFULLNESS. Mr Turnbull complained of the statement made by the Timaru Herald to tho effect that men could not be got to work. The Chairman said the statement was incorrect, the manager of the landing service had told him (chairman) he had the full complement of men. Mr Turnbull suggested that the Secretary should be instructed to contradict statements that were calculated to do harm, like the one referred to. No further action was taken in the matter. LOANS, On the question of a loan, coming up it was resolved —“ That a Committee, consisting of the Chairman and Messrs Hall, Sutter, Moody, and Barker, be appointed to consider the financial position of the Board, statistics and revenue, and report at a future meeting on those subjects, with a view to obtain data for borrowing purpcßsa,” A COMPLAINT. A hot discussion took place on a complaint made by Messrs Bourne and Stumbles against the Secretary which was to the following effect: —“Having bought the wreck of the City of Cashmere with its anchors and cables, we required the use of a surf-boat to take one of the anchors and cables, which the Board’s Landing Service bad recovered from the roadstead. We made arrangements by contract for the use of the boat and had the anchor and cable placed in it and caken a part of the way to the wreck, when your Secretary took upon himself the authority of sending a boat’s crew to arrest the progress of the surfboat and bring it b'.ck to the Breakwater, thereby c.msing ns a considerable loss. both in time and money ;in fact from the delay caused by the action taken by your Secretary we cannot at present value our loss.’’ The explanation of the Secretary was to the effect that there were £25 charges on the anchor, and that when he applied to Mr Bourne for that sum he replied that it ought to be divided by half, and that he would see about it. After a very hqt discussion, in the course of which Mr Turnbull left (he room, it was resolved— “ That the Board regrets that Messrs Bourn and Stumbles have suffered any inconvenience from the difficulty about the anchor, which seems to have arisen from a misunderstanding on both sides.” WHARF EXTENSION. Ihe Chairman announced that the wharf extension contract had been given to . Mr. McKenzie, -the amount being £1937 16s.

\ THE FORESHORE. The Committee appointed to report on the above question recommended amongst other matters that the Government be j informed that the reclaimed land between | the Breakwater and a line drawn paralell with it 500 feat to the south is required for the purposes of Breakwater construction, and can on no account be spared, nor must any clay or other material be deposited anywhere within the above limits, as it is of the greatest importance that the shingle used in the making of concrete should be free from any foreign substance. The engineer stated that if he found the railway people encroaching too far on the shingle required for the Breakwater he would take steps to stop them. The report was adopted. officers’ salarxds. The Committee re salaries recommended as follows :—Engineer, £SOO a year; secretary, £275, to be increased to £3OO if found capable of doing all the work ; clerk of works, £4 per week ; harbor master, landing service manager, and goods clerk’s salary as at present; lighthouse keeper, six months’ salary or the option of remaining in the cottage rent free and take care of the lamp. The recommendations were adopted with the exception of the lighthouse keeper, which was referred back to the Committee. THE LANDING SERVICE. The receipts of the above service were reported to have been £386 4s 6d, during the month. TEE SAFETY OF VESSELS. Captain Sutter and Mr Hall were appointed to confer with the Engineer re. providing shelter for the vessels within the breakwater. ADJOURNMENT. The Board then adjourned.