TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2370, 16 June 1892, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board was held yesterday. Present Messrs Acton (chairman), Gibson, Morris, Wilson, Stumbles, Evans, and Flatman. On the minutes being read Mr Evans objected to their being confirmed, but was ruled out of order, and the minutes were confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. General correspondence. was read as follows : From the Returning Officer, Geraldine, reporting the re-election of Mr Flatman to the board. From the Commissioner of Trade and Customs, to the effect that according to the present interpretation of the law, the board's proposed tug-dredge could be imported duty free, whether sailed out or brought out in sections and erected in the colony. The board must, however, take the risk of a change in the interpretation of the law before the importation took place.—lt having been previously stated that duty would be charged in any case, members considered the latter communication very satisfactory, as it would make "a difference of £2OOO to £2500 to the board. harbourihasrer's report. The Harbourmasters reported the arrival of 16 steamers and 9 sailing vessels of an aggregate registered tonnage of 10,319 tons, and the departure of 16 steamer* and 11 sailing vessels of a total of 11,053 tons for the month ending May 31st. The weather during May was generally fine. The usual sounding had been undertaken during the month, with results as per book. He drew attention to a tree growing in Mr Gabites' garden, which shuts out the view of the lighthouse and flagstaff from the north of the harbour of Caroline Bay, and asked the board to make arrangements with Mr Gabites for the removal of same. It was resolved that Mr Gabites be asked to allow the tree to be removed. The Harbourmaster wrote further complaining of the growing practice of steamers working late into the night, and suggesting that a charge be made as for his overtime service.—Referred to the Standing Committee to inquire into and report. THE SHINGLE QUESTION. Mr Evans protested against sending Home for plant when they had not got the money. The plant was not required, and if they could get the money for it it would be much better spent in going straight out. [He objected to the minutes being confirmed on this ground, but was ruled out of order.] Mr Tripp wrote recommending the board to obtain from the Government Printer, say, 500 copies of the reports (with plans) of the Commissioners on the shingle question—Messrs O'Connor and Goodall's and Messrs Bell and . "Wilson's —for distribution among the / i~j , atepayers through the local bodies. Mr Tripp in his letter alluded to a report that Mr Flatman had said a certain petition to the board was in his handwriting. That was not the case. Mr Flatman said his words were that the date on the petition was in Mr Tripp's hand. The report of the engineer was read as follows :

■" In compliance with your instructions to examine the source of the accumulation of shingle at the entrance of the harbor, I to-day [9th June], took a series of dredgings with the Taniwha from near the toe of°the shingle beach to the outer end of the breakwater in order to see if it was possible that the accumulation at the outer end of the breakwater was derived from the shingle beach. I much regret to say that the result of the examination leaves no room for doubt but that the present accumulation of shingle at the harbor entrance is almost wholly derived from the shingle beach. Some two years or so ago I made a similar examination for the same purpose, because there was ' then a bank of shingle at the end of the breakwater, containing some 8000 tons. Then there was not a pebble hardly betwten the toe of the shingle bank and M\q outer end of the breakwater, * arid I was able to show that the shingle bank was derived from the scour of the sea bottom along the breakwater. That shingle was also very different in character and color from the bulk of that we are dredging now. Judging then by the experience I previously had, as explained above, I did not believe until to-day that the shingle we are dredging off the harbor entrance had its origin in the beach. I must now regretfully admit that such is the case, and that there is a continuous and unbroken lin.e of shingle fringing the whole of' the south side of tho breakwater to its outer end. The line is of no groat width or depth, and probably will not give us much immediate 'trouble at the entrance,unless we have a succession of heavy southerly weather. I Xm, however, bound to say candidly that I did not expect this new development, and am afraid it promises to hasten tho shingle crises which we have feared for • some years past. I append hereunder a copy of my notes taken tlusinorning when making tho oxiuQioatioii, I luiYe

brought ashore five specimens of the shingle obtained from various points : " No. 1 trial—96o feet from root, 100 off breakwater, 24 feet water L.W.S.T. Clean sand, exactly similar to that in Caroline Bay. " No. 2.—Samo as No. l,but 60 feet off breakwater. Only clean beach shingle, as per specimen. No. 3.—1050 feet from root, 60 feet oft breakwater. All boulders, from 4 to 6 inches in diameter, and some the size of a large cocoanut. No shingle ; 25 feet water L.W.S.T. « No. 4.—The same as No. 3, but 40 feet off breakwater only. _ Clean, fine shingle as per specimen; 25 feet water L.W.S.T.

" No. 5.—1150 feet from root, 40 feet off breakwater. Clean, fine shingle as per specimen ; 25 feet water L.W.ST. « No. 6.—Centre of curve of the breakwater, 40 feet off breakwater. Fine shingle, with little sand, as per specimen. " No. 7. Opposite fender work on outer kant, 40 feet off breakwater. Very fine gravel and sand as per specimen ; 24 feet water L.W.S.T."

Mr Stumbles said if there were 24 and 25 feet of water it showed there was very little shingle going along. He disputed the statement that there was much to lift, as he saw the grab come up time after time with not more than a hatful of stuff in it.

Mr Stumbles : All the time the breakwater was going out there was sand and small shingle to go through. Mr Evans : Upon my soul it's a perfect farce. Mr Gibson : It may become a tragedy. How far is the 960 ft mark beyond the toe ? Mr Marchant: 80ft out. Mr Marchant then brought in a box of five samples of stuff lifted at the points indicated in his report In reply to a question by Mr Morris about the quantity, Mr Marchant said they got a full grab every time they put it down. Mr Stumbles hotly disputed this. He saw the grab lifted many a time with next to nothing in it, and only two or three times anything like full. Mr Marchant explained that Mr Stumbles did not know what had been done. The grab had been used to swing the stern of the boat into the marks, and Mr Stumbles had mistaken this manoeuvre for attempts at lifting. Mr Evans thought it was all nonsense. They had better send the samples to the Museum. What did they expect to find 'I Mr Marchant : I did not expect to find anything but sand. He described the places tested, and said the deposit was got to nearly 200 feet out. Mr Evans naturally expected that sort of stuff would be found all along the breakwater.

Mr Stumbles repeated that 25 feet of water showed there was no shoaling going

Mr Marchant said a trench of five or six feet deep was scoured out all along the breakwater, and several hundred feet wide. In reply to Mr Flatman as to what had been found when dredging outside the entrance, he said they found shingle underlying sand. Mr Evans : You were bound to find it; it is bound to go round, and in quantities. Mr Flatman : Is it not possible that after a sea from another quarter you might dip there again and not find shingle 1 The chairman : It might move round to the entrance. Captain Clarkson had told him there was only 17 ft and 18ft at the entrance in places where there used to be 22ift.

Mr Gibson ; If you get only loft on the north mole you're cooked. Mr Evans : It only proves that the shingle is moving, and the sooner we go out the better.

Mr Flatman said that the soundings book showed shallower water at the entrance in December 1889 than there was now.

Mr Marchant said that was the time they moved 8000 tons from there. Mr Flatman thought it would not be a bad idea to throw some metal, bricks, or stones different from the beach shingle into the sea, and notice where they could be picked up again after a certain time. A member asked for the report of two years ago on a similar test outside the breakwater, but it was not found in time and the chairman said it should be hunted up for next meeting. The subject was then dropped. ACCOUNTS.

The railway return of wharfage for the four weeks ended April 30th was £025 Is sd. In reply to a question the secretary said anything over £6OO was a good month. It was no use comparing one month with the same month of another year, as the busy months shifted about a good deal. Accounts amounting to £452 12s Id were passed for payment. Mr Evans asked what the wages sheet for the month was, and was told that regular and casual wages amounted to £2BO. The Board then rose.