WANGANUI HARBOUR BOARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 11637, 8 November 1887, Page 2

WANGANUI HARBOUR BOARD

SPECIAL MEETING: A special meeting of the Harbour Board was held yesterday. Present — Messrs Poison, Borlase.Haudley.Davey, Laird, and Thatoher. In the absence of the ohairman, Mr Laird was voted to the chair. — The resolution adopting bylaw No. 6, to oome into force on the 14th, was adopted. OBDINABY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was then hold, the same members being present. Minutes— The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Hakbouk Billi — Some discussion took place as to the Hsrbour Bill, as a resolution had been carried by the board that the strip of land between WaDgathu and Turalrina be retained. — Mr Poison moved and Mr Thatcher seconded, That the attention of the member in. charge of the Harbour Bill be drawn to the resolution of October 19th re the boundaries of the district. — Mr Borlase thought it was rather an unoourteous way of treating the member. He moved that the matter be left entirely in the hands of Mr Ballance, to use his discretion. — i-'eoonded by Mr Handley. — The amendment was put and oarried, Messrs Thatoher and Poison only votiug against it. Bank Account— The treasurer reported a credit balance of £623 Is lOd. Bating District— Mr Poison stated that, with Mr Laird, he had interviewed the solicitor as to including Crown and native lands in the rating district for the bill, and the solicitor had deprieated any inclusion of them in the bill, and they had left the matter alone. Accounts — A number of acoounts were passed for payment. Refund — A letter was received from Mr Kennedy, branch manager for the Bruuner Coal Company, stating that the wharfinger had charged £2 18s wharf dues on the s s St Kilda when she put in through stress of weather, and asking that the amount be refunded ~"Resolveo", That the amount be refunded. Endowment Block— The secretary stated that he had written to Mr Ballunoe before leaving office, asking him to instruct the Surveyor-General to file a general report on the endowment, and he had received it. The report was as follows: — There are still 77 sections, ooveringjan area of 13,500 acres, unsold, the actual value of which, if rendered accessible by roads, may be stated at £13,500. There are 30 miles of road which would require to be felled and cleared of bush and formed on the sidlings at least before the land would be saleable. To do this reading would cost on an average £100 per mile to fell the bush one chain wide, clear and stump 16 feet in the centre, form a bridle track 6 feet in the solid or sidlings, and culvert the creeks — in all £30^0. Ab the most and valuable portion of thd endowment lies in the Oroua Valley, this part should be opened first, by the clearing of the road Hues in that watershed, and of the road lines on the watershed between the Oroua and Pohangiua. This implies about 20 miles of road clearing. Were this done it would open out about 10,000 acres of the best aud most saleable portion of the endowment- The land might then be offered in alternate sections for cash and on deferred payment, the cash sections at 20s an acre, and the deferred payment ones at 255, or a blook of 2853 acres might be offered for cash, as was approved by the Land Board some time ago on the proposal of the Harbour Board to expend £386 on opening 351 chains of road. KIWITEA Loan —A. Mr Luoas, a warden of the Kiwitea Boad Board, wrote stating that the board intended to take a poil on the proposal to borrow £3000 for making roads. The board had v number of votes which might turn the poll, and he asked if the board would be represented. — Left to the ohairman and Messrs Poison and Laird, with power to aot. Wharf Accommodation at Hhads. — A deputation consisting of Meßsrs Tilly, Cummins, Hatrick, and Stevenson, from the Chamber of Commerce, waited on the board respecting the Beads wharf.— Mr Oumtnins stated that through vessels that could cross the bai not being able to oome up the river, the wharfage had been lost ou some twe million feet of timber. They Cthe depu' tation) with several practical men including the harbourmaster and pilot had visited the Head?, and found thai by putting out a wharf 80 feet long^ al an angle of 40 degrees, they could gel 14 feet of water at low tide. They hV Captains Gilbertson, Bobertson, Abram and Lambert with them at the Heads and they had drawn up a report. Th< wharf proposed to be erected would be almost parallel with the set of the cur rent. He thought that with suoh c wharf they could get vessels drawing 14 -feet, of water at the wharf. —M] .Thatcher thought the Heads Bailwaj Company were also interested. — Mi Hatriok, as the mover of the reaolutior in the Chamber of Commerce, stated that the matter had been continually brought before his notice. He had beer trying to arrange to get vessels here, bui they oould not come up the river. He had a vessel coating here at present whioh might come here on dead neap tides, and would have to wait for spring tides, and might meet with the same fate going out. Through vessels noi being able to come up the river, an order of .£6OOO had been lost to the district. — Mr Oumminß pointed out that it would be a great benefit to cattle boats, as they could load at the Heads with cattle, and go out when the bar suited. — M.v Stevenson thought that the dues received at the Heads would probably be received by the board without thoGovernruent allowance, — Mr Hatrick pointed out that if there was accommodation at the Heads, wool barques could load hero for Home, as the wool could be dumped here as well as at Welling* ton. —The harbourmaster stated that the St Kilda when aha stuok laafi was about ISO j-ards out of the channel, and had run ou n eand bank. - [Mx Spucdle here took his seat.] — Mr Tilly pointed out that when goods were short landed they were charged full, and. as some - times a shipment from Home was sent up in two or three lots a great deal more had to be paid. — The deputation then withdrew. Pohanginaßeservjs.— Mr J.B. Andersou wrote re the reserve, and stated that a man named McDonald had gone to the reserve and cut up totara trees, which he wanted for booms to turn the course of the river. — The secretary had written to Mr McDonald and received an answer. Harbourmaster's Report. — The Harbourmaster reported that the ohun- | nel through the flats oontinuad in about the same Btate, there being from 11 feet 6 inches at high water spring tides. A quantity of wood had collected on the spit. Thirty^three steamers, of 4286 tone, had entered, and 36 steamers, of 5006 tons, had cleared outwards ; 3 sailing vessels, of 183 tone, entered, and 4 cleared outwards, with 270 tons. — 'Rex port adopted. Pilot's Report. — The Pilot reported that the channel over the bar continued about the same — bearing, by compass from the flagstaff, suuth half-south. The depth at high water spring -idos was 12 foot, and at neap tLlos y faot, The westerly seas had increas 0. she width, but decreased the depth, at thy ©nu-acu-?. — Bepotf adopted.

lllUlW_tMWllitljg»BßWl il ill i| | ii'ihll I'll i ummMllMJll The Harbour Bill. — The Secretary reported that he bad reooived a telegram (in reply to his) from Mr Ballanoe as ta how the bill stood. It was as follows : — "J. Nottaan, Esq., Wanganui,— Old bill revived containing Bangitikei, This j part will have to be abandoned, include ing part between Wangaehu and Tura» kinain Committee, on Thursday. Standing order council require same formalities as House. Send papers containing advertisements ; deposit copy of bill, &o. — J. BaLI/ANOE." Water on the Bridge. — Mr Laird, on behalf of the Borough Gounoil, ap« plied for permission to put a water pipe over the bridge. It would be put so as to be disconnected when requiredk— Granted Wharf Accommodation at Heads.— A discussion then took place on the pro* posed wharf accommodation at the Heads. Mr Laird thought that they should make proper inquiries as to the depth of water in the river, as they had had conflicting statements from their own officers and the captains of vessels trading here. — Mr Davey had often seen vessels that had crossed the bar stick ou the flats. — Mr Thatcher pointed out that a very large order for timber would probably have to be refused, as there were not facilities for large sailing vessels. He thought that boats draw in/? 12 feet oould dome over the bar, whereas only boats drawing 9 feet could trade here regularly. Boats drawing 9 feet would oarry 100,000 feet of tim« ber, whereas one drawing 12 feet would take 400,000 feet. He thought that if a boat drawing 10 feet of water could trade here, one drawing 12 feet oould lay alongside the wharf at the Headß. If the bill passed, and the breakwater wore extended, accommodation for shipping? would have to be put up. Ii they oould prove that a boat drawing 12 feet could lay at the Heads wharf, the Heads Jiailway oould borrow on their assets, and they would willingly with the board go in for putting up accommodation. A boat drawing 12 feet oould take 150 head of cattle and 800 sheep, whereas one drawing 10 foet oould only take 50 cattle and 200 Bheep, and the freight would be lowered directly.— Mr Poteon had been informed that it would not be any advantage if they got larger boats, as thay would glut the markets, and the boats trading here at present would suit.— Mr Davey contended that it would, as the boats trading here at present were not fit for pigs, much less cattle.— Mr Laird moved, That a committee be appointed • to verify ihe statements made by the Chamber of Commerce, and to obtain necessary data, and to find out the coßt of making the proposed extension to the Heads Kail way wuarf ; Beconded by Mr Spurdle, and carried.— Messrs Lairdj Spurdle, Willis, and Pblsbn.were appointed a committee to oarry out the above resolution. —The Harbourmast'et her 3 explained that when there was 13 f6et 6 inches of water on the fiats, it was equinoctial spring tides, when there might be a depth of 16 feet on the bar,