TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1585, 21 May 1887, Page 4

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the above Biard was held on Wednesday. Present —Messrs Flatman, Talbot, Kerr, Jonas, Wilson Morris, Teschemuker, and Mancheater. Mr Actoa sent an apology for non-attendance. Mr Teachemaker was voted to the choir. A letter was read from the Premier stating that should the proposal be laid before Parliament to amend the Harbors Act, provision would be made so that only goods the absolute property of the Government' would be exempt from dues. The Hon W. Rolleston wrote promising his support. The Secretary, was instructed to supply Mr 0. E.Cooper, Collector of Customs, with a list of vessels that arrived at the port from month to month. A letter was read from the Railway Department stating that in future dues would he collected on all ballast landed. A letter wis rad f-oin the Underwriters' stating that the Ohau h«d late:y received some damage at the Timatu wharf through proper moorings not being provided. —It wi>s denied that the damage was done through defective moorings and the matter was referred to a Committee.

Mr Sturrock wrote protesting against the putting ofj new paddle boxes on the Titan being done by day labor. The Standing Committee recommended lhat 1000 tons of-cement in excess of contract should be taken from Mr 0. W. Turner, mid that the muster of the Titan, Captain Waldron, be given £l4 a month. The report was adopted. The Engineer reported that little progress had been made with the works during the month owing to stormy weather,. He had had the work of' fitting new paddle boxes for the Titan done by day labor, as tenders received were too high. He asked that tenders should be called for building a slip capable ot tuking the new dredge or the tug Titan, and submitted alternative plans, the cost of one being £BOO and the other £650. He asked that teuders should be called for building and launching the rew dredge, that some ironhark limber should be procureii, and tba+ a small dingy and a speaking apparatus for communicating with.the diver be procured.—Plans of the slip were inspected, and it was then decided to call for tenders for the work ; to also get a speaking apparatus for the diver, and a small dingy. The Harbor Master reported the arrival of 27 and the departure of 30 vessels during tha month. The tug had been cleaned at Lyttehon, at far less cost than at Pore Chalmers. Complnints having been made of damage to vessels by the angle of the piles >it the whurf, he aug gested that in future the piles be placed more perpendicularly, and he also suggested thbt license be obtained for pilotage. He reported that the vessel with the new dredge had arrived. The report of the Royal Commission appointed to report on tho proposed North wall was read. It first dealt with the previous recommendation of th-» Board and then went on : "The work for which approval has now been asked for b) the Bonrd, consists of a so called north wall to enclose the inner portion of the proposed harbor, and the design as supplied for this- is in the form oi a mole, partly of random rubble, and partly of concrete, estimated by the Board's Engineer to cost £33,864. As regards the line proposed for this mole we concur in it, and would recommend its approval, wilh the proviso that 350 feet of opening at the entrance to harbor should be subject , to further consideration, and that the opening be left at least 450 foet wido until it is found by experience of ships entering and leaving |the port, nnder ail conditions of weather, that if can safely be reduced. As regards the details of the design, however,-we do not concur, as we think that the combination of rubble and concrete work in the form proposed might possibly prove inconvenient imd unsatisfactory, and we have therefore made some amendments in the-, design which we think would be improvements. The work ns now provided for on amended drawings i.i all of Hindi m rubble, work, and is somewhat higher and wider than originally proposed, the estimate as revised to correspond being £43,000, and we would recommeod the revised drawings and estimate ior approval accordingly." The report coneluded by s'atintr that the Commissioner thought the proposed wall would tend to retard the accumulation of sand in the harbor, and although they believed that idtimptely the shingle would work round the Breakwater many years would elapse before that came to pass. £280,000 had so far been spent and was in hand, and

they thought the expenditure proposed, £43,000 iiißiifiable. In the debate which followed Mr Flat- j man said that as they had to expend , £9OOO to £IO,OOO io making this wall I extra strong, his opinion was that they should tike in more water. If the wall was strong enough to stand in one place, it was strong enough to stand in another. Members spoke against tha supposition of the Commissioners that the shingle would in time work round the end of the work. Mr Kerr moved—" That the reoeipt of the letter from the Minister of Marine be acknowledged, and that he be informed that the Board agree with the alterations in plans nude by the Royal Commission, and request that flie Excellency the Governor be asked to approve the report of the Commission in due course." He said they were in the hands of the Commission and so must abide by their report. Mr Jonas seconded the proposal. In reply to the Chairman the Secretary said there would be £51,000 in hand after the works in progress were completed. Mr Talbot, while supposing that they mu&t submit to the proposals of the Commission, did not think the Board should consider them infallible, more especially as their report was an attempt to bolster up previous reports. He Uiought a larger area should be •nelosed, if possible. Mr Wilson said the question af finance was a very grave one in the face of the verdict in the Lyttelton case. The Chairman said the £51,000 muft bo used for harbor works purposes. After the Engineer had stated that he considered the area proposed to b» enclosed ample the motion was put and carried unanimously. It was then proposed by Mr Talbot, and seconded by Mr Kerr, and carried unaiiimouwly— *• That the Standing Committie be requested to take into consideration the desirability or otherwise of nbtninicg. the consent of the Hoy a 1 Commission to the Board erecting the rubble wall somo distance further to the northward than at present proposed, should it be desired to do ho, and report as to whether any or what finish t»houhl ba put upon the breakwater on the termination of the pienent contract." Tlip revenue for the month was : Wharfage, L 345 18s 9d ; harbor charges, £336 10s 94 ; total, £734 9s6d. Accounts to the amount of £IB3B Is 91 were p'.&ned for paymsnt, and the meetting termitintttd.