Thames Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2815, 21 February 1878, Page 2

Thames Harbor Board.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the Thames Harbor Board was held at the Council Chambers last evening, at 7.30. There were present —Mr W. Davies (chairman), l)r Kilgour (Mayor), Messrs Bagnall,' Mennio and Price. MIKOTJE9. The minate3 of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, as also were the minutes of the special meeting. APPLICATION FOB GBAVEI.. A letter wbs read from the Chairman of the Parawai Board asking permission to take gravel from the foreshore for public purposes. The Chairman said that the Harbor Master frequently complained of the holes made on the foreshore by persons, and he thought it only right that people should make application to the Board or Harbor Master. Mr Bagnall said if the gravel was taken from the channel of the Kauaeranga creek it would soon fill up again. Mr Mennio said that persons were in the habit of removing gravel from meny places on the foreshore. After some further discussion it was agreed that the gravel only be removed j

with the permission from the Board and under, the supervision of the Harbor Master, and that the present application be granted. AI'I'MCATION TO:BEHOVE TAILINGS. A letter was read from Alex. Ormond Johnston, asking permission " to work for his wife and family on the foreshore." The secrelury said that the application meant removing tailings from the foreshore. It was resolrcd that the application be ! granted. TANK OS GOODS WHABF. A letter was read from the Auckland and North Shore Ferry Company, asking leare to erect a small tank on the Goods Wharf for the accommodation of their new steamer.

Tho Chairman said they had to consider the questions if they had room, and if the wharf was strong enough. He considered it advisable to appoint a committee who could look into the matter, and grant the permission. Mr Bagnall moved that the matter be referred to the Chairman and Mr Price to look into, and gr_nt the permission if satisfied as to details of erection. This was carried. TAILINGS. The Chairman said that he had just been informed that for tin last day or two men had been employed filling a large punt with tailings from the foreshore in front of the Big Pump. He thought it would be well to caution persons not to remove tailings without permission. A motion to this effect was carried. , THE TAB ABU WHABF.

The following letter with reference to the Tararu wharf was then read:—Auckland, 12th February, 1878.—Sir,—I am in receipt of your furors of 28th ult., also sth and 11th inst, respecting resolution Thames Harbour Board re Tararu wharf. I hare seen Mr J. S. Macffarlane on the subject, and he agrees with me in thinking that the best course would be for the Harbour Board to take over the present structure, and allow us something for it. The Tararu wharf has been a great benefit to the Thames, and I think it only fair that the Harbour Board should treat those who have helped to build up the place with a spirit of equity and justice. 1 hope to see a more permanent wharf erected oj the spot shortly, when the present structure would be useful, and until then it is very desirable to leare the shore part for the convenience of inhabitants of Tararu.—l am, sir, your obedient servant, Egbert Gbahax—lf. 0. Dean, Esq., Hon. Secretary Harbor Board, Thames.

The Chairman said that the material would not bring more than the cost of removal. He suggested that they write to Mr Graham, stating that they were about to make application to the Government for £500 to construct a short jetty at Tararu, and that the outer portion should be removed to repair the inner portion. Dr Kilpour thought that the Harbor Board had power to femore the wharf without reference to Mr Uraham. There would be a difficulty if the question of ownership arose. Mr Mennie moved that the secretary be instructed to write a letter lo Mr Graham telling him that the wharf must be removed, and he must either do it or the Board. Carried. DELEGATION 09 GOYJBBNOB'b FOTTBBS.

A communication was read from the Commissioner of Customs' Department, Wellington, officially advising the Board of the delegation of the Governor's powers to the Board. It aiso advised the Board of the handing over of £152, the difference between the receipts and expenditure of the Thames Harbor for the year ending 31st December, 1877. Letter received. HABBOB MASTBB's BEPOBT. Ths report of the Harbor Mr ster was read as follows:—

I vrould respectfully call jour attention to certain mat'en with regard to thtt harbor. First as to the Gtoous Whar<7 It is very necessary tin 6 .'lie 1, a should b four or five lights at intervals along Lhe wharf, &• I consider it at preient very dangerous at night for foot passengers. There is also required a good light (set in an proh) for the shore end of the wharf, where tho tolls are collect* d, a* there is great diflieu'fy of doing such collection at night. I would suggst that then should be | procured a moveabie er-ne for the wharf, which would be a source of revenue; it would also be desirable to have a weigh-bridge placed at the shore end of the wharf, which word also be a source of revenue. There are re* quired three dol thins for the N.W. side of the wharf, which Wculd at once do away with the great aversion musters of vessels have tjljiug on that side of the wharf. [ would suggest that the whole scale of charges at present in force be revised. A new toll-house is required. Tbeve are several stJngers of the wharf which are rotten, some of tho wha'ing pieces are in the sptno state, and some of the braces are eaten away considerably by worms. Additional stringers are required to strengthen the wharf. The Shortlaud Wharf is iv very good condition at present. Curtis's Wharf I consider dangerous, being repaired in many pi ccs with half-inch boards. I would call the attion of the Board to the fact that a large quantity of sand, shingle, mullock, &c., is removed from off the beach in the course of a year, in the shape of ballast (or vessels, roadmaking, &o. ; uud I would suggest that a small charge per load or ton be made, wkich would help the revenue. I would also suggest that all vessels discharging cargo within the limit of the harbor be charged so much per ton, whether they mai c use of the wharves or not. —I have, <tc, (Jeobg* 0. Best. OBIEVANCE COMMITTEE'S BEPOBT.

The report of this committee was read. It stated that the committee had carefully considered the papers with reference to Mr Bone's grievance re the Tararu lighthouse, and had examined the Harbor Master on the seme subject. They were of opinion that Mr Arnold and not Mr Bono was appointed lighthouse-keeper at Tararu, and that the c'aim of the latter to that position was without the least foundation. The report was adopted on the motion of Mr Bagnall seconded by Mr Brice, and it was resolved that a copy of the report . be sent to Mr Bone. HABBOB IMPBOVEMENT COMMITTEE'S BBPOJJT. The report of this committee wai read as follows :— The Committee hare tko honor to report that after very careful cnquif and conrideration as to the works that are rrmneJiittely and absolutely nepe*siuy to be done to meet the r quiretnenU of the present trade to thit port, to that the shipping trade may not bs ■o m^onvenionced nud delayed ai at present, recommend thai.—Shortland Wharf be lengthen i 200 feet, at a coat of £10C3; alters* tions to lights, Short'*-id Wharf, necessitated by extension, £300; dredging channel at JShoi.land and at end of Goods Wharf, £10C3; Good* Wba.r to be lengthened iGO feet, at a cwt of £1000; cl'tto to I'fve add!-

tional stringers and new planking to first T, £800] four dolphins, £100 5 five guide lamps, £60; new harbor light at end of Goods Wharf (Memo: After extension of tins wharf mid <onewal of outer part of Tararu Wh«rf, tU'.a light will bo uccd for vessels approßching the harbor) £120 ; works to prorent silt, tailings, and tinning debris from silting up the Goods Wharf (to be carried out only for the thoKwt longtlt posrible on each side of Iho whrrf that would elTact this purpose), £1500; repairs to Grahamstown Wharf, £200; repairs to Powder Wharf, £IC3; landing stage at Kopv, £50 % Tare-u Wharf, removal of outer end and rop.-:rs to inner portion, £5O; total, £3130. The Harbor Board wi'l see tho Committee bare not iv the above enumerated schedule of works allowed the larger permanent harbor and reclamation works to enter into their con* sideration further than only to recommend tuch works as must bo part of any plan hereafter carried out; and the Committee have also omitted from such schedule the cost thnt must be ineu.red to provide the drawing*, plans, specifications, and similar charges of any engineer the Board may engage to deter* mine a scheme of p rmuaent harbor works for the port «f Thames, and for which harbor works the Hon. the Premier considered there would be no difficulty in obtaining funds to the extent of £50,009; and the Committee hare elso excluded any items for hydraulic cranes, new and additional buayr, be icons, Ac, only recommending such expenditure that the harbor is in immediate and imperative want of to accommodate the shipping using it. The Committee recommend that plans of the extension of Shortland Wharf, of the Goods Wharf, of the reclamation works for the prevention of silt to the Goods Wharf, together with specifications ol the dredging operations, the alterations to the harbor lights of the Shortland Wharf and Goods Wharf, and the repairs to Tnraru Wharf, Grahamstown Wharf, and the Powder Wharf be forwarded to the Hon the Premier, and a grant of monay solicited from the Colonial Government to enjble the Board to carry them out; yor? Committee, feeling assured from the conversation that took place at the interview of Ministers with the Chair; • man of the Bosrd that such grant will be made, provided the plans aud specifications meet the approval of the Colonial Government.—W. Davim, Chairman.

The Chairman said that he thought it might be well, considering the small number of members present, not to adopt the report till next meeting. Dr Salgour said he thought that there was no necessity to postpone the adoption ot the report as all of the members were present when the matters contained in the report were considered, besides, the matters recommended in the report should be carried out as soon as possible. He sup* posed there was no objection to the report. Mr Bagnall thought the £50 for the landing at Kopu was too small. The Chairman said it had simply been put down because Messrs Spencer and Gibbons had named that sum. The report was adopted. THE GBJHAMBTOTVN TTHAIF. The Chairman said tbat in accordance with the resolution at last meeting for himself and Mr Spencer to see Mr Curtis with reference to the purchase of the rails on the Grahamstown Wharf, he had to report tbat Mr Curtis wanted £13 ncr ton, and thn they considered too high, as they were not worth more than £8 per ton; There were Bor 9 tons of the rails. Mr Curtis wanted £9 for two trucks. < Unable to come to any arrangement they had resolved to refer the matter back to the Board. If Mr Cur* tii took up the rails he would hare to put down wooden rails. He considered that the iron rails helped greatly to strengthen the wharf. A discussion concerning the wharf ensued.

Mr Mennie said that the wharf shoald be sustained as a public conTenience. Dr Xilgour thought that they would lose by the wharf, but it would hare to be sustained for public conveniencs, as Mr Mennie said. The Chairman proposed that tenders be called for letting the wharf for 12 months. Carried. Dr Kilgour moved that the Chairman and Mr Spencer be empowered to purchase the iron rails at a cost not exceeding £—. Carried. 'OTOICKBfI' BALABIBS. The question of the officers' salaries was deferred till next meeting. maxwbxl's whaxf. The Secretary said that lie had written to Mr Maxwell with reference U> his wharf, but no answer had been received. BHOBTLASD WHABF. The Secretary reported he had received £75 from Mr Souter, which was one half year's rent for the 3bortland Wharf. PABAtfAI BBPBESEKTATIOH.

The Chairman said that with reference to this matter he had shown the Hon. Mr Sheehan the Harbor Board Act, and asked bim if anything could be done with reference to the representation of Farawni on the Board. Mr Sheehan carefully leaked into the* matter, and had Riven as his opinion that the Parawai Board had absolutely forfeited its right to representation for the year. FIKANCB. The secretary reported that at present there was £253 4s 6d to the credit of the Board in the Bank, and the accounts presented for payment amounted to £126 3s 7d. The accounts were passed for payment. ', THEAUCKLAND HABBOft DJTEDGE.. Dr Kilgour said that when in Auckland the other day he had seen Mr Brigham, the Secretary of the Auckland Harbor Eoard, with reference to the steam dredge, and he had been informed that the dredge would be required by the dock contractors for some months yet, but he saw no reason why the Thames Harbor Board could not then have the use of it. Mr Hrigham informed him that the cost of the dredge, with its punts and other appurienanccs, was £8009, and that the cost of working it was merely nominal. The speaker laid on the table a copy of the rules of the Auckland Board, which he had obtained while in town. This was all the business.