Thames Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3135, 6 March 1879, Page 3

Thames Harbor Board.

The usual fortnightly meeting of the

•'; Harbour Board was, held at the Council „': Ghanibers last evening. Present —The ■ Gh&iraan, the Mayor, Messrs Ehrenfried, :3agnall, Read, Osborne and McGowan. ■-;•••' ' MINUTEB. ' The minutes of th& previous meeting • were read and confirmed. ; ':"". Mr Read movod that the financial matters be considered. Carried.

FINANCIAL AND DREDGE MATTERS. ■•"" The secretary read a telegram from the Premier to the efFect that Judge Johnston had leit for the Thames, and he hoped that the foreshore would be speedily handed over. The Government had no funds at their disposal to make an advance to the Board.

The Chairman sa*d they were in a firstrate position. They knew the bank would not give them any money, and that the Government could not either.

.- Mr Ehrenfried said that the telegram "*'3pve them reason to hope that the foreshore would be speedily handed over.

Mr Eead said if they had the foreshore perhaps Mr Murray would reconsider his decision.

The Chairman said once they had the foreshore they would have no difficulty. They would get £'500 per annum of rent at once.

Mr Ehrenfried said it seemed to him very feasible that the foreshore matter would be settled shortly.

Mr Read said that the only way to get out of the difficulty was for the members to individually and severally become responsible for the liability incurred. . Mr Ehrenfried said he thought that was the only way to get out of the difficulty. He would make one. Mr Read : So would I.

The Mayor said that Mr Brown had said he would not become responsible for one penny. He (Mr Brown) said that he believed the principle was wrong in every sense. If the Board could not manage its affairs without the members of the Board becoming personally liable, it was time something else was done. Mr Ehrenfried : The £3CO a year rent would pay off the overdraft in three years. The names of those willing to pledge their names were then taken down es follows : — The Chairman, the Mayor, Messrs Ehrenfried, Read, and McGowan.

Mr Bagnall eaid he would give an answer on Monday.

Mr Osborne said that he would not sign any promissory note.

Several members tried to persuade Mr Osborne to sign the bill.

Mr Read said that if he adopted a similar course to Mr Osborne he would feel called upon to at once resign and make room for another who would share the responsibilities of the board. After some discussion it was resolved that, after seeing Mr Wikon and securing his name, a committee, consisting of the Chairman, the Mayor and Mr McGowan, wait on the Bank Manager to-morrow, and inform him of their willingness to back a bill to meet outstanding engagements. The Mayor said that at the first meeting of the Board he had asked the Chairman if there was any supervision exercised over the filling of the punts, and the Chairman informed him that the captain of the steamer kept tally. The punts, it was stated, were being discharged half foil. ! Several members bore testimony to the Mayor's latter statement. The Chairman said he had sent one of Board's boatmen aboard the dredge, and the captain had sent him ashore. Mr Osborne suggested that a competent man might be employed to measure the channel cut, and ascertain the quantity of stuff removed, to see if it tallied with the punt loads they were charged with. Mr Ehrenfried said the dredging was a farce, and, a/'ter some further discussion, the matter chopped. EEMOVAL OF MULLOCK. A letter was received from Mr Souter asking permission to move mullock from Kuranui Hill tip on the foreshore. Application was refused, members thjnkii*sr the mullock would be of value to the Harbor Board when it was necessary to reclaim land on their own account. ACCOUNTS. The accounts were passed for payment. SHEDS COMMITTEE. This committee was authorised to value the shed sites on Shortland wharf and place an upset price on them previous to leasing them by auction for a term of 5 years. This was all the business.