TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2168, 26 February 1891, Page 4

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The annual meeting of the Timaru Harbor Board waß held on Thursday. Present—Messrs E Acton, J S Gibson, I L Morris. J S Wilson, J Manchester, J Talbot, T Teschemaker, F K Elatman, G Stumbles, J Hill, and Captain Weollcombe. On the motion of Mr GibsoD, seconded by Mr Morris, Mr Acton was unanimously re-olected chairman On resuming his seat Mr Acton madi; a lengthy statemert, in the course of which he thanked the board for the honor they had done him, and mentioned that the gross earnings of the board were £I7OO more than for the previsus year. On the motion of Mr Gibson, seconded by Mr Moms, it was re solved—" That the board wishes to express its regret that Captain butter is no longer a member of the board, and hereby acknowledge his past valuable services." On the motion of Mr Talbot, seconded by Mr Teschemaker, it was resolved—" That the board regrets the loss of one of its members, Mr B. A. Barker, by death, and that a letter of sympathy and condolence be sent to his family." CORRESPONDENCE. The correspondence was for the most part of an unimportant nature. Messrs Guthrie, McDonald and Co, shipowners, Glasgow, wrote commenting on the heavy charge for moorings (the secretary said they were far higher than at Lyttelton or Fort Chalmers), and it was decided to reply that the wear and tear of moorings was very great at Timaru. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment to the amount of £843 4s 9d. The net wharfage returns for the four weeks ended 3rd January were £470 10s 6d, rather below the-ayerage. XANDIN& CHARGES. Messrs W. Evans and J. Jackson waited on the board as a deputation in reference to the wharfage rates—on coals more particularly. Mr Evans said that at Lyttelton at the present time the charge was only 6d a tun —'here 2s—and they found that a considerable; quantity of coal that should be landed here is landed at Lyttelton, and a certain amount of revenue waß thus lost. Mr Jackson said that the Ashburton trade, by distance, naturally belonged to Timaru, but having to fight against nature the charges were so high as to drive the trsde to Lyttelton. Then, again, through the charges being 150 per cent, higher than Lyttelton the local industries using steam were handicapped. In January last the Railway Commissioners reduced the rates on native coal for industripl purposes to 5s or 6s, while it costs 3s 6d to get a ton of coal from the ship's side to the end of the breakwater. Perhaps the board could see their way to make a reduction on native coal. He sold between two and three hundred tons of coal a month in Ashburton, which ought to be landed in Timaru. The board premised to consider the matter. haebormasteu's report. The harbormaster reported the arrival of 27 steamers and 5 sailing vessels during January. The weather during the month was moderately fine. STANDING COMMITTEE. The standing committee recommended sending the tug Mana to Ljttelton for "slipping," if satisfactory terms could ho made as to insurance for £IO,OOO, and for the hire to the Lyttelton Harbor Board for a fortnight while their tag was being repaired. The committee had arranged with Mr James Mills the terms on which he is commissioned to dispose of the Titan. The question of hiring the tug to the Lvttelton Harbor Board was left te the committer, and Mr Alex. Hendry was appointed engineer of the tug. ENGINEER'S EEPOB.T, Mr JP. W. Marchant reported that since last meeting be had surveyed the shingle beach south of the breakwater and marked the line of it on the record plan. The heaviest sea experienced for fc'be laat two or three years was runaing oa Monday, and when it had subsided he would gee if any changes worth noting had occurred in the beach line or sea bottom adjacent to the breakwater. The fitting out of the tu<* was now completed, and steam was got up in her on Monday. He estimated'fcb.e pppfc pf strengthening the cradle and widening tljp ways j sufficient for the purpose of hauling up a vessel weighing 400 tons, together with shifting the landing-service engine to the slipway and all necessary ■ gear, at from £SOO to £9OO, including the eost of a ne<v l£in. hauling chain, j The new screw nioorings had utnv arriyed. It was decided to let the question of altering the slip, etc., sia&d oyt-r until next meeting, and to have the screw moorings put down at once. STANDING COMMITTEE The ehairman and Messrs Stumbles and Morris, with the members for the borough, were appointed a standing committee. The standing committee were authorised to preparo an estimate of tbp amount required to be collected by rat© to make up the deficiency in ordinary revenue to meet interest payments tor the year. I THE SHINGLE QUESTION. Mr T. Teschemaker agaia brought up tLp shingle question hy a motion,! after notice, that Messrs C. Y. O'Con- ; nor aud Napier Bell, U.E.'a, with Mr

Marchant, C.E., be appointed a com-1 mittee to report on the shingle I question. He felt certain the people of the district wished to see some outside advice obtained. The board had a great responsibility on their hands, and should relieve themselves as much as possible by obtaining additional advice. If the commission adopted Mr Marehant's idea, well and good, but they might suggest fifty things that had not been thought of. Mr Talbot seconded the metioni Whatever their own opinions might be they should not desire to carry them 1 out. They were not engineers. He thought, however, Mr Goodall should be on the commission, as the harbor was designed by him. Mr Hill objected to Mr O'Connor as he had already condemned the work and recommended the lengthening of the straight part with Rubble with a concrete monolith. He, how? ever, would prefer that the question should be postponed. Mr Wilson thought Mr O'Connor the right man to put on the commission, and did not think the commission named could be improved upon. Mr Gibson moved, and Mr Morris seconded, as an amendment —" That Messrs C. T. O'Connor and J. Goodall; with the assistance of the board's engineer, form the commission." Mr G. Stumbles doubted that any benefit would be got. The previous commissions had only done harm. He, as a new member, asked for more time to consider the proposal. Mr Flatman would prefer to see the wall extended and a marketable reclamation made, while the banking of shingle behind the wall would be the best thing possible. The chairman supposed that they should prepare a written memorandum asking the commission for advice as to what should be done, and whether they considered it expedient to proceed at once with any works for the preservation of the harbor. The amendment, proposing Messrs O'Connor and Goodall as the commissioners, was then put and 'carried, Mr Wilson not voting. The meeting then terminated.