Thames Harbor Board.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3136, 7 March 1879, Page 2

Thames Harbor Board.

A special meeting of the Board was held tliis morning. Present—W. Davies, Esq. (Chairman), the Mayor, Messrs Brown, Eead, Wilson, Osborne, Ebrerifried, and Bagnall.

The Chairman said the meeting was called by him upon receipt of a report from the Harbor Master, Captain Best, that the channel cut by the dredge at the end of the wharf was filling up very quickly. The Harbormaster's report showed that from soundings taken this morning he fotind that the excavations were almost filled up, there being but six inches of water at low water at the end of the wharf where the channel had been cut by the dredge, and it varied from about ten inches to eighteen inches at the steps where the dredge was now at work. After some conversation as to the

agreement between the Board and the Captain of the dredge, during which the Chairman said he did not think there would be any objection on the part of the latter to end the engagement, ,- - Mr Bagnall moved that the Committee at once take steps to have the dredge and punts sent back to Auckland.* Seconded by Mr Brown. \ •,:■'...-. Mr McCullough moved as an amendment that seeing the term of contract with the dredge had yet about 10 days to run, work should be discontinued at the Goods Wharf and the dredge sent to clear out the channel of the Kauaeranga Creek at Shortland. ' ■'■■''

Seconded by Mr Bead on condition that the members signing the P.N. did not object to the money being bo expended. Mr Ehrenfried said he considered that Mr McCullough had no right to move such an amendment, as it was understood when the money was obtained from the bank by the members signing a P.N. that no new works should be undertaken.

The Mayor said he was just as anxious as Mr Ehrenfried to conserve the money of the Board, but it should be remembered (hat the Board had promised that if time permitted the dredge should go to Kauaeranga after the work at the wharf was completed, and also that in making up the amount required from the Bank, provision was made for the cost of the dredge up to the end of the contract. Mr Brown said Mr McCullough was no engineer and he objected to such a work being undertaken without good advice upon the subject being first obtained. The channel already cut by the dredge they now found was filling, and so probably would the work proposed at Shortland.

Mr McCullough replied that there was the river at Shortland to keep such a work open.

Mr Head, after the remarks upon the amendmennt, refused to second if, and as the Mayor refused to withdraw it, Mr Osborne seconded it.

Mr Ehrenfried asked what right had Mr Osborne to support any project in which money was to be spent, that he had refused to assist in getting. He was somewhat of Mr Bead's opinion—that such a member should resign. Mr Bagnall deprecated such remarks being made, and thought that under the' circumstances Mr McCullough should not press his amendment. Mr Bead said the Mayor was bidding for popularity (to which Mr McCullough replied, no, but that the promise of the Board should be carried out). The amendment being put, only Mr McCullough and Mr Osborne voted for it, and the resolution was subsequently carried.

This concluded the business.