TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2177, 19 March 1891, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting, aad also the annual meeting of the Harbor Board, were held yesterday. Present: —Messrs Acton (chairman) Gibion, Morris, Stumbles, Talbot, Teeohemaker, Hill, Manchester and Captain Woolloombe. ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting to pass the report and accounts for the past year was first held. The chairman said the accounts wore, ho thought, very satisfactory. The receipts, under every head were in excess of those ot the previous year—in wharfage £792 more, in the harbourmaster’s department, covering 1 berthage etc., £9ll more, altogether £IBOO over the receipts of the previous year. On the other band the expenditure had been something less, —in the harbourmaster’s department £lO7, and general expenses £49 less. It was to be noted that they were now raying for dredging out of ordinary revenue previously charged to loan ; also since Juno, half of the engineer’s salary previously charged to loan. Altogether the board wae to be congratulated on the results of the last year. A formal resolution adopting the accounts was passed. The annual report of the board was then read by the secretary and adopted without • discussion. ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was then held. CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was read from the Bmk of New Zealand, reporting transfer of Titan insurance fund to credit of Mana insurance fund. From the Marine Department, agreeing to allow Mr O'Connor to aot for the board, on condition that his expenoes be paid. From the same re changing harbour lights. From Mr Goodall, dated Sydney, agreeing to act on the commission. Hia terms would bo five guineas a day while travelling or at work, and all expense*. From Mr O’Connor re his arrangement to meet with Mr Goodall, —The fcw T o engineers are expected to reach ' Timaru on Monday next. From Mr J. Mills, stating he had been unable to meet with a buyer for the Titan.— Decided to advertise for tenders for the purohoae of the boat. A letter from Mr Hendry, engineer to the Mans, described osrtaiu defaote in the work of the Mana’s machinery. He had to got some of Scott’s men to correct the defect, which was found to be in the packing of the air-pump. This being attended to, the maehineiy worked exceedingly well, and Captain Galbraith was much pleased with her

Mt Sumpter, chairman of the Oamaru Harbour Boad, wrote at length about the action of the Railway Commissioners m reducing the rates for carriage of merchandise from Dunedin to Oamaru, apparently with the object of deitoyiog the seaward trade of Oamaru. The board had sent a petition to Parliament last oeaiion, and it was referred to a committee and put aside as too important a subject for the committee; the petition was alio referred to the Commissioners, and they in reply flippantly advised that the, harbour be handed over to their management. The Timaru Board’s intersts being now attacked the same way (as mentioned in the annual report), Mr Sumpter suggested cooperation in combating the attacks.—lt was resolved to reply that the board fully shared the Oamaru Beard’s opinion on the subject, and would be glad to co-operate with them} and the matter was referred to the Standing Committee.

the harbour bate. A letter Mr Orombio, Proverty Tax Commissioner, stated that the rate valuation of the harbour district was £5,587,189 and of unoccupied Crown lands in the district J 8157 - 381 * • a f,™ A form of resolution was received from Messrs Perry and Perry, for making levies upon local bodies, instead of * eT J* n ß independent rate. The allotment of the total required, amoung the counties and borougha is as follows: -Borough of Timaru, £261; county of Geraldine £1635; county of Mackenzie, £352 ; per county of Waimate, £762. The total is equal to about id, or half the amount of last year’s rate. On the motion of Mr Talbot, seconded by Mr Teschemaker, the motion was adopted.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr Merchant, the engineer, repotted that the heavy seas last month had not damaged the breakwater. It had been too rough to take soundings. The Prieatman Crane had been dismantled, and the bed plate sent to Dunedin for repairs. He recommended that tenders should be called in the colony for repairing the dredging grabs, and it was decided to do so. RABBOHMABTEB'S RIPORT. _ The harbormaster reported the amyal of 13,022 tons of shipping during February, and the departure of 11,765 tons. The weather during the month was very rough, with two heavy gales. He asked to be supplied with a quantity of heavy coir and Manilla rope. Kope to be ordered. standing committee . The standing committee repot t)d that they had defined the duties and position of the hoard’s mechanical engineer. They had lent the Lyttelton Harbor Board the tug Mans for a fortnight for £2OO, and had insured her for £IO,OOO for the trip. They recommended if the slip could be strengthened so as to accommodate the tug Maua for £6OO, the work should be done, and that the wharfage rates on coal should be reduced by 9d per ton. They had carefully considered what amount will be required during the current year in addition to the board’s ordinary revenue to meet payments for interest on loans, and recommended that a levy to the extent of £3OOO be made on the local bodies in the harbor district, under the provisions of the Timaru Harbour Board Empowering Act,lß9o; that the amount should be paid in two instalments, viz, Ist June, and Ist December, aud had instructed the Board s solicitors to prepare the resolution authorising the said requirements on the Borough and County Councils within the Harbor District.’ The expenditure on the slip was agreed to. The proposal re wharfage coal was deferred for a month.

THE BHINGtE QUESTION. Mr Teschemaker moved that Mr Napier Bell be communicated with by wire, and asked if he can join Messrs O’Connor and and Good all on the shingle commission next week ; if he cannot do so the commission as originally formed to stand. After some debate the motion was lost, accounts. . Wharfage returns for four weeks ended January 31st were reported as £735 19s 101, an increase of about £l3O over the return for January 1890. The final payment to Messrs Fleming and Fergusson on account of the Mana was passed. Account* amounting to £548 10a 3d were passed for payment and the meeting terminated,