TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1176, 10 May 1884, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board was held on Thursday. Present—Messrs W. Moody (Chairman), A. Hayes, E. Elworthy, J. Wilson, E. Acton, J. Kelland, J. H. Sutter, and M. Jonrs.

Among the correspondence read was a i letter from the Dunedin Iron and Woodware Company, the contractors for supplying cement, in which they stated that on cabling to London they found they could not get full loads for Timaru. They could keep the terms of their contract to deliver cement by direct ship by making Timaiu the first port of call, but in that case the vessels would go elsewhere to load. They suggested that it would probably suit the Board better to allow them to fill up with cargo for another port, and making Timaru the second port, remain to load. If this course were adopted a larger class of ships could be used for the conveyance of the cement. If in any case a full load could he got for Timaru, it would be their interest to despatch it direct.—The Chairman stated that a reply had been sent to the effect that sufficient reason had not been shown for departing from the forms of the contract, and these must be strictly adhered to. The Manager of the Landing Service reported the gross earnings of the Service during the month had been £3SS 19s lid, and the net £224 4s 3d. One of the surf boats would require very extensive repairs. Mr Wilson asked if anything had been done respecting the steel lighter that had been spoken of. The Chairman replied that nothing had been done, and as time went on there seemed to bo less and less need for it. Mr Sutter said when the next length of wharf was finished there would be very little for lighters to do. The Harbor Master reported that 33 vessels, aggregating 6483 tons, had arrived, and 30 vessels, aggregating 5720 tons, had sailed during the month. The weather during the month had been very unsettled, and several of the vessels had been worked by the Landing Service to give them despatch. Whenever practicable the wharf had been fully occupied. Some of the fender piles at the end of the wharf were getting well worn, and the Engineer was having the worst ones replaced by iron sheathed ones. Soundings taken during the month showed that the depth of water remained about the same as last month, except at the end of the present wharf, where some loose blocks formed a small shelter for a bank. The Engineer reported that during the month the foundation blocks of the mole contract had been extended 12 feet, making a total of 100 ft. Monoliths aggregating 38ft had been filled, making the length of the finished work of the present contract 93ft. With reference to the new crane he reported as follows : ‘This crane has been built in conformity to the specifications, excepting in its arrangements for travelling, which do not come up to the specifications. It was tested in all its specified movements, the lest resulting as follows;—It travelled loaded and unloaded, off the straight line on to the curve, and along the curve on to the straight line, with ease. Its speed unleaded was 100 ft in Imin. 56secs., loaded, 26ft in 30secs. It lifted a load at the rate of 2ft 6in in 30secs. It lifted unloaded chain at the rate of 10ft in 17secs. It made a complete revolution, loaded, in 2min. 44secs. The specified rates were as follows : —To travel unloaded, 100 ft per minute ; to travel loaded, 25ft per minute; to lift load, 1 2ft 6in per minute ; to life unloaded

chain, J.Oft per minute ; to make a complete revolution loaded in 4 minutes. It will be seen by comparison that the new crane in all iis movements, except travelling unloaded, is in excess of the specifications. The deficiency I do not consider a serious one. I would therefore recommend that Messrs Kincaid and McQueen be paid the second instalment of £looo.’ . In reply to a question the Engineer said that the deficiency in the travelling arrangements would be more than compensated by the speed when working. It was resolved to pay the the second instalment of £IOOO, on condition that the payment should in no way be held to be an acceptance of the crane, if the final test of its working should not be satisfactory Mr Elworthy thought that the hole in which it was proposed to deposit the silt was too open. The Engineer did not think so, and said at all events they could give it a trial. The Engineer was granted leave of absence to visit Napier, iu connection with the proposed barber works there.