Thamos Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2596, 3 May 1877, Page 2

Thamos Harbor Board.

A meeting of the Thames Harbor Board was held at, the Borough- Council Chamber last night, convened by advertisement, to consider the advisability of taking over the. foreshore* and assuming the control and management of the Harbor. There were Messrs W. Davies (chairman), t-ibbons, Price, Mennie, Butler and Scott-Hanter.

The Chairman said the meeting was called to hear the report" of the Committee appointed id enquire into and report as to income of the Hai-bor Board, with a view to taking tlte management over or otherwise. ': . „,

Mr Dean, clerk, read the report as follows,:—Your .Committee have to report that after carefully ascertaining what sources of income and tlio amounts derivable therefrom the Thames Harbor Board may rely on obtaining, they find that.for the year 1877 .the Board :may calculate on the following approximate income, viz :—Wharves, £450 ; sites on fcveshore, £250; pilotage fees, £90; port charges, £75 ; boatmen's licenses, £5 — Total, £870. Your Committee, after obtaining information as :to the ownership of and advisability of retaining the present Tararu Wharf, are of opinion that it should be removed either by the owners or by the Board, as its removal would save a large item in the-cost, of maintenance of the Harbor, for then the services of " light keeper, Tararu Wharf," could be dispensed: with, and some considerable quantity otoil used for that light saved. The Committee are of opinion that the maintenance,,of the Harbor and cost of the Harbor staff for the present year would be for harbor master and pilot, £175; two boatmen, £174; collector, £60; stores, paint,-bits, &c, £20 • kerosene, £50; repairs to buoys! beacons! &c., £50;. incidental expenses, £30—; Total, £559, and this sum deducted from the estimated revenue for'the year would leave a balance of £311 available for repairs, &c—W. Davibs, chairman.— Thames, May 2nd, 1877. The Chairman said that with regard to Curtis'.and AJaxwell's wharves, perhaps a better bargain might be made with them than what had been put down in the estimate. In regard to sites on the foreshore, they had little more information. What Mr Gillies had told them was that the battery sites were to be paid for at the rate of £50 a year. There was no documentary evidence, he believed. There was one a double site, and two other persons had signified their intention of taking up sites. He thought £250 would be a low estimate from that source.

Mr Dean read a letter regarding the ownership of Tararu wharf from Mr Eobert Graham, stating that Mr J. S. Macfarlane owned one quarter, and he owned .three .quarters, and he had not given any permission to remove the planking. Some conversation ensued regarding this matter, and it was understood that if the Board took over the management of the Harbor they could order the owners to remove Tararu wharf as a nuisance, or remove it themselves. Its removal would save a considerable sum of. moneys The Chairman called attention to the difference iv the estimated revenue and expenditure, and especially the fact that no provision had been 'made for the repairs to the Goods and Powder Wharves. The members were of opinion that if the Government retained control they would not make the repairs contemplated. Ihe Chairman said there w.as one thing to be kept in mind, that if the use of the water was extended there would be less traffic on the Goods Wharf for coal and such like. One vessel h>d already been taken off.

Mr Price did not think there was much to fear on that head. If one source fell off, others would arise.,, Mr Merinie ; wished to know whether any T revenue could be looked for from cutters. In Auckland all cutters "had to pay for their bottoms whether they discharged on the hard or at the wharf, and this item had not; been fc&in into consideration in the report. TJie Chairman thought if they took over the Harbor the Government should handover the revenue since their election, and after paying expenses that would give them a surplus. ' Mr Gibbons moved thfit the report be received and adopted. Mr Scott Hunter seconded, and it was carried . unanimously. Mr Butler moved that the Board take over the whole control and management of the Harbor and Harbor Staff, and that the Clerk be instructed to write to Mr Whitaker to that effect.

Mr Gibbons said it seemed to be the wish of the public ns expressed by the Press, that they should take over control, and the report submitted had put a different complexion on their position, and therefore he would second the motion.

The Chairman suggested" that it should be embodied in the motion that they take over control in terms of Mr Wbitaker's proposal to the Chairman of handing over the foreshore as an endowment for the Harbor..

The resolution as amended was then put to the meeting as follows, namely :—• " That this Board assume the control and management of the Harbor and Harbor Staff on the Government handing over as an endowment for Harbor purposes the foreshore, in accordance with the conditions stated to the Chairman of the Board by the Hon. the Attorney General. Carried unanimously. Mr Mennie moved that the Chairman and Mr D. G. MacDonnell be authorised to proceed to Auckland to arrange with the Hon. the Attorney-General for taking over the Harbor Works.

This was seconded by Mr Scott Hunter and carried unanimously. It was also decided to acquaint. Mr Whitaker by telegram with the resolution passed by the Board to take over the Harbor, and to ask him to instruct the Board how to proceed. The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.