Thames Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2580, 14 April 1877, Page 3

Thames Harbor Board.

A meeting of this body was held at the Borough Council Chambers last night. There were present — Messrs Davies (chairman), Price, Wilson, MacDonnell and Mennle.

The Chairman explained the object of the meeting, which he said was called for the purpose of hearing the decision of the Hon. F. Whitaker. He then requested the secretary to read the following' letter which had been sent to Wellington, to which was annexed a statement of the annual receipts and expenditure :-*-. *' Sir,-—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the—utt.. stating thafcjsome words have been omitted from the Jet under which the Thames Harbor.Board is constituted, and that through such omission the Governor's powers cannot be delegated to the Board as a Harbour Board, but that such-diffi-culty may be overcome by such powers being delegated to the persons forming that Board under the provisions of the 6th section of the Marine Act, 1867, and asking me to inform you whether it is the desire of the Board to undertake the entire management and control of the harbour staff or not, and further requesting me to furnish a plan showing the area and limits of the land the Board desire to receive, to which

land special reference is 'made in the Harbour Board Act, 18/6. In '.•"■ reply, I would.inform you that at a meeting of the Harbour Board at which your letter "was read, Lwas authorised to lay before you the actual cost of the maintenance of the harbour staff and harbour, .'•' ;^nd/,thg t ; inppme .receivablo from port chargesVharbour dues, &c., for one year. So far as can be ascertained the statement of same is annexed. I hare also to notify to you J;hat the Thames Harbour Board desire to assume and undertake the entire management and control of (lie harbour staff and harbour, but as the income has not hitherto, and will not for a year or- two, meet the expenditure, they ask that assistance may be granted to them at first, and until the harbor endowments (the foreshore referred to in the Thames Harbor Board Act) have been handed over to the Board, and some short period of time allowed to* make them available. A's will be seen by the enclosed tracing of the foreshore, which I have taken the liberty to forward you in addition to the plan, almost the whole of the native rights have been acquired by the Government, and Mr Puckey states that he anticipates Hotereni Taipariwill be willing to sell his interest at 'some future time. Although at the present moment this endowment will not produce a rerenue to the Board, yet they are confident of being able to make it do so to an extent sufficient to make it cover the deficiency between the expenditure and receipts of the port before the end of two years, and therefore only seek assistance from the Government for a very short period.. I have the honour to be, &c, W. jDaives, Chairman."—" Costs of maintenance of the Thames harbour staff and present harbour works :—Salaries : Har-bour-master,' £175; two boatmen, £174; collector, £60; light keeper Tararu wharf, £110. Stores, &c. —Paints, oils, &c, £30; 250 gallons kerosene oil, £60; repairs to goods wharf, £400 ; do. powder wharf, £150; do buoys and beacons, £50: ' incidental expense, £20. Total, £1,229. —Income derived from Thames harbour during the past year: Tolls—Goods wharf, £253 15s : 7d ; JShortland wharf, heldfrep until Jane next; pilotage, £89 3gldj port charges, £72 14s 6d. Total, £415 Ks 2d." ■ .? •

- The Chairman then commented on the various items of expenditure. They had thought it proper to put down £400 for repairs to the Goods Wharf. It might appear a large sum, but it would all be teouired. »ome discussion ensued as to whether the expenditure could be lessened, it being suggested that the item of £110 per annum for keeping a light on Tararu Wharf might be done avray with by removing the wharf. The Secretary then read the following telegram from the Hon. G. McLean :— ••W. l)ayies, Esq., Chairman Thames Hartor-Board.—Your two letters of 26th March have been received. The Government have no.objection to the erection of a shed on the Goods Wharf, provided the Harbor Board accept all responsibility as to cost, &6. The matter of the foreshore is now being inquired into, and it would facilitate matters if you made personal "representations to the Hqn. Mr Whita. ker, in whose hands the papers are at | present.—Geo. McLean." Mr MacDonnell said that as he understood the state of affairs they were a body without any power. He would re-•-commend that they incur no liabilities until they had some power vested in them. ...,•■". The Chairman said he had proceeded to Auckland, and had seen the Hon. Mr Whitaker. He did not think they would get the .foreshore handed over until they agreed to. take over all responsibilities. Furthermore, he was confident that Mr ' .Whitaker would satisfy himself that they -"had a reasonable chance of supporting the harbor before they could get the foreshore, even if they did agree to take it - over, Mr Whitaker had said that if any money was spent the^Government would spend it themselves. ' '',"••'..,' " '" Considerable discussion ensued,- fnd .it v was finally, agreed to postpone the disciri£ **L sion of the matter till Wednesday next, .when it was expected there would.be a larger attendance. , \ * A, letter from Mr Partington, ofiering to deepen the harbor and keep it at a certain depth at liia own risk for a sum that mightbe^gj?eedldffjand another from Messrs To^kfiy,''W6it|ord. and others flskiqg for 10. mine on the beach, were received and read. The Board then adjourned.