TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1251, 11 October 1884, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Tbe ordinary monthly meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board was held on Thurs. day. Present—Messrs W. Moody (Chairman), A. Hayes, J. Talbot, J. Wilson. J. Kelland, K. F. Gray, E. Acton, and M. Jonas. .The Standing Committee, to whom the matter of the Landing Service whs referred, reported that in their opinion it ! was desirable that the present staff employed at the Landing Service be given a fortnight's notice that their services will no longer be required as regular em- i ployees of the Board, and that the future j working of the Service be placed in charge of the Harbor Master. The report was adopted, with the exception that it was decided to substitute a month's in I lieu of a fortnight's notice. The Engineer reported as follows on the i proposed new jetty, under date October Bth :—"I have the honor, in accordance with instructions, to report on a proposed new wharf north of the Landing Service. On this subject I had a consultation with j tbe Harbor Master, and we mutually agreed on the site shown on the plan herewith as the best. This will give 550 feet clear from the line of the present wharf and be sufficiently distant from the line of screw moorings for them to be serviceable for hauling vessels out. The plan shows the proposed wharf 1000 feet from the shore The Harbor Master considers that 250 feet wharfage beyond the reclamation line would be sufficient for some time to come. 1 have shown that portion and continuation from shore, together 660 feet, shaded in red. The remaining 340 feet, completing the 1000 feet, is not shaded, and it might be advisable not to extend this wharf further than the 250 feet shown, as this would not interfere with the lines of proposed wharves from the Breakwater, and when extra wharfage was necessary they could be added as shown in pencil lines. Wharves such as shown, accommodating one vessel on each side only, are found in practice to be the most convenient for bringing in or hauling out vessels, ft is proposed to make the wharf 50 feet wide and to deck it so that it might be available for carts first, and if eventually _it were found necessary to connect it with the ruilway, partially or entirely, it could be done. The cost of the wharf will be about £24 per foot run, which would make £24,000 for the 1000 feet, or £15,840 for the 660 feet recommended. —I have, etc., John Goodall." After a discussion, it was decided to leave the matter over till next meeting, the Engineer in the meantime to prepare plans and working details, in order to save time in case it is decided to go on with the work. The tender of Mr C. W. Turner was accepted for the supply of 2000 tons cement, at £4 3s 4d per ton. Th« Harbor Master reported the arrival during September of 27 vessels, and the departure of 25. The wharfage accommodation was insufficient. Soundings showed that the depth of water in the harbor remained the same at the moorings, but it was shoaling at the wharf. The Engineer reported that 7 feet had been added to the foundations of the mole ; good progress had been made with No. 6 wharf contract. The alterations in the travelling gear of tbe staam crane Samson were completed, and were working satisfactorily. The Engineer stated that he had condemned the whole of the wheels supplied with the naw steam crane, and requested the contractors to procure some of Krupp's make. The Chairman stated in connection with the laying of the rails on the new portion of the wharf, thac he was informed that the Railway Department did not charge the Lyttelton Harbor Board anything for new rails, whilst they required this Board to pay both for the rails and putting them down. The Board should make a stand against such exceptional treatment. —The Secretary said the Oamaru Harbor Board had been made to pay too, and also for maintenance, but at Lyttelton the Department had even borne half the cost of private sidings on the reclaimed land.-It was agreed that the attention of the Members for the district should be drawn to the unfairness of this unequal treatment ot the harbors. The manager of the Landing Service reported under date 30th September that he had landed and shipped in all during the month 479 tons, the gross earnings being £45 8s 4d, and the expenditure £67 16s lOd, giving a deficiency of £22 8s 6d. A return from the Railway Department received during the month credited the Board with £IOB 2s 8d received for port charges, and £169 5s 8d for wharfage ; deducting the loss on the Landing Service, £22 8s 6d, the net income was £247 19a lOd.

In reply to a question, Hie Secretary stated that the Board had about £43,000 to its credit.