TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1104, 12 May 1883, Page 1

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Timnru Harbor Board was held yesterday. Present —Mr W. Moody .(Chairman), Messrs J. S. Gibson, K. F, Gray, J. H, Sutter, J. Wilson, E. Acton. J. Kelland, J. Talbot, E, Elworthy, and A Hayes. Among the correspondence was the following : From Mr C. W. Turner, who had contracted to deliver a certain quantity of cement by vessels direct to Timaru, asking the Board to accept 1000 casks on transit in the British Queen, for Lyttelton, as part of his contract, he fearing that 'the direct vessels on the way, tlie Norman McLeod and Lurline would not reach Timaru in due time. Frmn the ( hnuai u J [arbor Board in ref. r. nee to the dispo. rd if .-i’l, and stating that Hiey wire, indop. ndi nt. .J 1 1 io railway stuliioriiic*', caving a few trucks of tluir own.

A telegram Iron ilie Maiim* I)*| aitUie.it if a s ri-U' , staling that' a ConimL sioil lul l hcor appointed to consider the

plans for the extension of the harbor, and asking when the plans would be ready. A letter was read from Mr Spalding, local manager for the N.M., and A Company, dated 10th May, drawing the Board’s attention to the urgent necessity for at once starling dredging operations alongside the wharf, the water having shoaled so much that there was not now enough water for the Waitaki. The, steamer bumyed on the bottom on her lest two visits,

The report of the Manager of the Landing Service showed that 17 vessels had arrived in port during the month, The gross earnings of the service had been £B3B 12s 3d, and the net £857 4s lOd.

A memo, from the Railway Department stated .that for the four weeks ended 31st March the wharfage dues received by them, loss commission amounted to £l5O 0s Id. Tlte Chairman said that in order to facilitate the despatch of vessels lying iti the roads<ead, he had ordered the Titan to be used in lowing oat surfboats to them.

The Secretary stated that 83 boats had been towed at a cost of ±4l 10s.

Mr Sutter gave notice that at the next meeting he would move—‘ That after the first of October next, the. charges fo* loading and unloading cargo outside the 13 r eak water be 50 per cent above.the talcs charged for the same work to ships lying under the Breakwater,’

The Harbor Master's report stated licit five vessels wire despatched during the month with cargoes of grain for the United Kingdom, and there are four more on the berth now loading, which will follow within the next lew days. The soundings of the inner harbor were taken on the 7th inst. No difference was found in the depth of water except at the wharf, bottom proved to be very irregular, and still shallowing gradually. He referred in strong terms to the delay in the completion of the wharf contract, stating that the dredger should have Inca at work in November or December. He did not know tvlio was responsible for the completion of the contract, but pointed out the injury that must result to the port by these delays, Vessels that ought to have beeeli loaded at the. wharf had to be loaded in the stream and great delay was the consequence. He recommended that as soon as the internal harbor plans have been determined and adopted, two of the screw moorings should be put down at such places as he might then point out. It was necessary that should be attended to as scon as possible, • The Engineer’s report stated that 39ft of mole contract had been completed during the mouth. Duplicate plans for extension of the Breakwater had been prepared and will be ready to be forwarded to Government in two days. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Gray— ‘ That notice be given to tbo wharf contractors that unless the work is proceeded with in a satisfactory manner, the contract will bo determined summarily, and that the Chairman and the members of the present Committee Ire authorised to deal with (ho matter.' Resolved —‘ That consid. ration of the accepting a tender for a crane be deferred till next meeting ; that in the meantime the Committee examine the plans with (he Engineer, and report to a special meeting to be called if necessary 14 days from date.’

Resolved —‘ That in re the silt dredging alongside the wharf as mentioned in the Harbor Master’s report, the Chairman and the same Committee be authorised to take such steps as they may deem necessary for its expeditious removal, and in (ho most economical manner possible.’

. A profit' of n large photograph of the Harbor, taken by Messrs Ferrier and Smith vas inspected by the Board. The price ot copies of this one was to be Gs 4d each mounted, or 4s lOd unmounted. The Chairman staled that the illustration would be reproduced in one of the Australian illustrated papers, 'The report of the Committee appointed at the previous meeting to consider several matters, was read :—‘Your Committee beg to report that they havo considered theipuestion of destrojfng tho range and evidence on the subject and have come to the conclusion that the finances of the Board point to their spending the larger portion of their funds upon the extension of the kant in (he most expeditious manner possible. They therefore recommend that funds out ”of the present loan should be reserved, sufficient’to complete not less than 700 bet of the permanent work, upon the angle proposed, and that the rousi Traimn of the desirability ot j.!:-cinir piers or any ‘ obstruction to the ■ ,! c .Co;mI until the plans for the i x’e*f ss i < n of the I ova kua tt r have been I dby ike Governor. Appended in n ii> is a pan to enclose a dock, the estijnated cost < f which is £C6,000.” I j Jt . icpi.rt was adopted, and the ejuestion was shelved.