TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2435, 8 December 1892, Page 3

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD.

A special meeting of the above Board was held yesterday to consider tenders for the new dredge. Present —Messrs Acton (chairman), Hill, Stumbles, Flatman, Teschemaker, Wilson, Morris, Gibson, and Manchester. The chairman explained that they had tenders and two letters from Mr Darling. The tenders were as follows : From Fleming & Fergusson, builders of the Mana, stating that they would deliver at Timaru a vessel such as was required for £17,000. This includes "W oilman's dredge. From Simmons & Co., a similar vessel, for the sum of £17,250. From Gourlay & Co., £15,300, delivered at the Clyde, but would not deliver at Timaru.

From Caird & Co., £IB,OOO, delivered in Greenock, the cost to Timaru to be added.

From John Anderson & Co., £17,950, with a Wellman pump £ 19,750. From Lobnitz & Co., as follows : Lobnitz & Co. Kenfrew, Scotland, sth Octoher, 1892. John Darling, Esq., 34, Queen Square, Glasgow. Timaru Sand Pump. Dear Sir, —In reply to your valued enquiry of the 28th ult for a dredger for the Timaru Harbor Board, New Zealand, we have much pleasure in submitting our offer same. According to your letter we offer in accordance with the requirements and with "such alterations as wo recommend,' ' which are briefly as follow, via : Ist. In order to have room on deck and the necessary displacement and stability with good lines we propose the dimensions of the hull to be— Length on water-line ... 140 ft. Breadth moulded ... 30ft. Depth moulded 13ft. Increased depth will improve the freeboard, which is most useful when going out to sea to discharge. 2nd. As is usual in all modern sand pumps, we propose to put the boiler aft, with the engines next the sand pump, and we give below our prices for the vessel if fitted with one sand pump driven by one of the engines, or by two sand pumps, each driven by its own engine. We propose to build the vessel to our specification, equal to the high-class sand pumps which we have built for the Danish Government and the Suez Canal Company, and to get Lloyd's class, as specified. These sand pump dredgers are nmong the most efficient afloat, and particularly well fitted out. We would propose to fit our own system of sand pump with under-water suction pipe to house on deck by stoam power. This pump we would guarantee to discharge not less than 2000 cubic feet, equal to, Bay, 12,400 gallons of pure water per miuute, with from 130 to 150 revolutions per minute. This, you will observe, is doublo the capacity proposed for Wellman's sand pump; and our pump would lift sand more efficiently and with a larger percentage of sand to water than in any other pumps known to us. Engines to be twin-screw compound surfacecondensing, with ample boiler, to indicate together, as you desire, 450 horsepower. Cylinders 16in. and 30in. diameter, by 2ft. stroke. In a word, we offer you what we consider the best and most suitable sand pump hopper dredger for your purpose. The following are our prices, viz.; — For the vessel complete with one sand pump and qne dipper crane, and with plpctrip light, delivered at Timaru, #L 4,550. If one extra flipper crane bo fitted we would propose to make the hull 145 ft. long, and our extra price, with the increased dimension and dipper crane, would be £IOOO. If two sand pumps were fitted instead of one—that is, ono flriveji by each engine—of the capacity mentioned above, the hull to bo 155 ft. long, and our extra pripe for the increased dimension anfl the pump would be £ISOO. Thus for the dredger with two dipper cranes and two sand pumps complete, delivered at Timaru, our price would be the lump sura of £17,050. If delivered in the CJyfle, pur prise would be peducefl by dgQjOOO." We hope the above offcr »»- ' business. Wo hav» * _, xead to know win * o offered what we ••-" oe a complete success, and we are confident that if you place the order with us the dredger will do her work to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. If our tender is approved we shall be glad

to at once submit drawings, and we will have the vessel complete in every way ready for trial on the Clyde in six mouths from date of order. —Yours faithfully, Lobnitz & Co. A letter from Mr John Darling was also read strongly recommending the acceptance of Messrs Lobnitz & Co's tender. Mr Flatman said that Messrs John Anderson & Co., and other tenderers, had been misled. They had insisted on a Wellman pump, and now they were recommended to accept another class of pump. Mr Wellman gave as a reason for charging Messrs J. Anderson & Co. such a high price for the pnmp, that he would have to keep it in repair a number cf months, he did not think that was a good recommendation to the pump. Mr Teschemaker said that the pump referred to in Lobnitz & Co's tender, was a sand pump, would that raise shingle also. The chairman said it would.

Mr Marchant read a letter bearing on the lifting of shingle, but in the specifications nothing of the kind was mentioned. Mr Flatman said they must look to that. They must have a pump that will lift shingle. Mr Teschemaker: That must be made a leading condition in the agreement. Mr Morris said great stress was laid on the pump, but there was nothing said about the tug. The chairman said that was provided for in the specifications. He had received a letter from Mr Talbot, apologising for his absence and stating that he would favour delay. He also had received a long letter from Mr Evans, who was unable to attend.

The letter, which [was very long, was read by the secretary. Mr Evans apologised for his absence owing to having to attend a meeting of the Miller's Association in Invercargill. He urged that the board should not accept any tender until after the election in February next. He complained of the present board spending all the money they had on the eve of their retiring from office, and thought it was desirable to send a qualified person Home to select the kind of vessel required. What this board did now would be repudiated by the new board.

Mr Teschemaker now proceeded to write a resolution, but the chairman said he had one already drafted. Mr Teschemaker: Read it. The chairman: No I'll let you read it," and he passed it to Mr Teschemaker, who asked: " Shall I read it out ? " The chairman : " No." Mr Teschmaker then proceeded to read, and said " It meets my views, only that I want to make the question of the pump lifting shingle stronger." The chairman : " There is another resolution to follow," and he passed along two more written resolutions. Mr Flatman : " Perhaps we had better go out, or go to eleep, while you are considering these things. It is evident you do not want us (the minority) to know anything about it." MLr Teschemaker knew no reason why the resolutions should not be read. The chairman then read then> They were to the That'Messrs Lobmtz & Go's tender should be accepted ; 2nd, That the chairman should cable Home to Mr Darling to accept Lobnitz & Co's tender and stipulate that the pump should lift shingle; 3rd, That the chairman and Mr Gibson be authorised to execute the contract deed. Mr Teschemaker moved the first of these resolutions, and said he had not changed his opinion one iota. He could not understand how people could have the audacity of setting up their opinions against those of the engineers. As for delaying, it would mean placing themselves at the mercy of the untutored, who would yield to outside clamour. The time would come when South Canterbury would thank them for the stand they were taking. Even now all the big estates, and the people who paid the rates, were with them, and it was only those who paid 2d or 4d rates who were making all the noise.

Mr Morris seconded the motion. Mr Manchester said the nearness of the next election would have no weight with him, as he saw no cause for delay. They would be a laughing stock for all parties if they did not go on now. Mr Flatman said they had begun wildly and were keeping it up to the end. If anyone on his side had made such a speech as Mr Teschemaker had made, he would have been called to order and interrupted. Mr Teschemaker had spoken of misrepresentations, but no one misrepresented like himself. He went into his (Mr Flatman's) district and told a gentleman there that the Wellman pump would lift the shingle across the breakwater. Mr Teschemaker knew well he was misrepresenting a fact. He urged upon them to delay. Here they were now in danger of getting a sand pump instead of a shingle pump, and they ought to take time to consider the matter thoroughly. They had gained a great ueal by delays, they had got better information and better appliances. (The chairman : I quite agree with you.) Then why not delay 'I The dredge was only to deepen the harbor, and there was no immediate necessity for that. Mr Talbot had stated ho favored delay; the Timaru Herald had councelled delay. Thoy were to spend £15,550 on the eve of leaving office, which was a great deal more than was intended. The Kaikoura had come into their harbor and that showed that it was not silting up, so there was need for delay. Ho moved that no tender be accepted until after next election.

Mr Gibson gave a history of the whole question, but said as thoy wore so near the election he would favor throwing the responsibility on the ratepayers.

Mr Hill seconded Mr Flatman's amendment. He denied that the minority were setting up their opinions in opposition to those of the engineer. One of the alternatives suggested by the engineer was to extend the mole, and that was what they favored. That would make the harbor secure. They could shift the shingle up to near the back of thoir office, fill the depression tliero, and reclaim a lot of land, while making their harbor secure at the aani" timo. They took up Mr O'Connor's alternative plan. Mr O'Connor discarded that only because he thought the co3t would be too much, but it way proved since that he was misled in this respect, as the work could be done for much less—nearly ono half, Mr Stumbles hoped thoy would let it stand over until after next election. It would appear that no one know anything but Mr Teschemaker. The Welman pump would not take the shingle across the breakwater, and they would have to shift it as they had done before- —"" Priestman gyab dv«ci<«> *" , ..idU the flcme by tal( : < T "'" x'hat could be tri'-'- a id inland. They had the .„ivs, and all that was necessary was to lay down a few rails, so that the plant they were ordering was quite unnecessary. The amendment was then put and lost. Messrs Flatman, Hill, Gibson, and Stumbles voting for it, and Messrs Teschemaker, Manchester, Wilson, Morris and the chairman voting against it.

Mr Flatman moved a further amendment, to the effect that the matter be allowed to stand over until next board day. Mr Stumbles seconded the amendment. The chairman said he personally agreed with going on. They had no right to delay. Wine-tenths of the rate-payers were not in a position to deal with the question, and did not know any more about it than they knew of navigating a ship to Sydney. Mr Flatman said he had resigned and was returned again, and was in a position to speak. All the ratepayers asked was delay. At the meeting where the chairman was present that was what they asked, and that was what was asked at all other meetings. He protested against the chairman's utterances that the people knew nothing about it. They new as much as the chairman or any member of the board.

Mr Gibson said when the discussion was carried on their opponents came forward very quickly, but none of their friends gave them any encouragement. It was the business of their friends to come forward if they had any, and the election would give them the opportunity of doing so. He would therefore be in favor of awaiting the result of the election.

The amendment was then put and lost, the voting being as previously. The original motion was then put and carried, Mr Gibson voting neither for nor against it. The second resolution, empowering the chairman to cable Home, was then moved by Mr Teschemaker and seconded by Mr Manchester. Mr Flatman moved as an amendmeut that the tender be accepted by mail, and not by cable. Mr Gibson said that was no use, as they had decided not to wait, and voted for cabling the acceptanca Home, which of course was carried. The third resolution was carried without opposition. THE MANA. A letter from Mr J. M. Rooke re the purchase of the Mana was referred to tho Standing Committee, with instructions to negotiate the sale of the vessel, but to keep the price private. The board then rose.