GISBORNE HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2254, 28 July 1908, Page 2

GISBORNE HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly mooting of the Gisborne Harbor Board was held yesterday'. Present: The Chairman (Mr John Townley), Messrs Wbiiiruy, Siovwriglit, Matthqwson, Lysnar, Hepburn, and Harris. OOJUIESPONDENCE. An invitation was accepted from tlio Y.M.C.A. to the dinner to bo tendered to Mr. H. A. Holmes, general secretary to the Y.M.C.A., on Wednesday evening. The Marine Department wrote, in reply to the Board’s enquiries "for a boll buoy, that the Department had not a bell buoy that it could supply, but suggested that the Nelson Harbor Board might have one for sale. The Secretary stated that he had written to the Nelson Harbor Board enquiring if there was one for sale, but had as yet received no reply.— The letter was received. . The Secretary of the Marine Department forwarded a copy of a communication from the High Commissioner detailing a system of signalling vessels by means of bells. The letter was referred to.the Harbormaster.

Lieut. C. Ilellier Evans asked the Board to appoint a representative on the Executive Committee for the management of the new Garrison Hall.—Mr. E. Harris was appointed to ropresont the Board. An ex-employee of the Board applied for relief, and as the secretary reported that £2O had already boon paid, tlio applicant was referred to the Charitable Aid Board. -* The Town Clerk asked the Board’s permission to remove tlio lamp from the corner of Childers Hoad and Reads Quay to the end of the wharf near the Kaiti bridge. Mr. Lysnar said the Borough Council was placing a lam]) on the new Borough offices, and on his motion the request was granted. Mr. E. H. W. Traill, agent for the (South British Insurance Company, applied for a share of the Borough’s accident insurance business. A similar letter was received from Mr. W. Miller ,agent for the Ocean Accident Insurance Company. Mr. Lysnar asked if the Board intended to reinsure employees against accident; The Secretary said the insurance last year cost £4O, and £3O was reurned by the companies ns accident ;■ >y. It was decided to re-insuro with the South British Insurance Company. The Poverty Bay Rowing Club asked permission to build a bdied on the Kaiti sido of the Waimata river, as the Taruheru river was unsuitable for rowing upon. Mr. Lysnar said it was only right that the Club should be allowed to use a river for rowing, but he was against a two-storey building. Ho did not want the scenic beauty of the river interfered with, and proposed that Messrs Harris, Hepburn, and hiniself meet the Club to decide upon a site and then report to the Board. Mr. Townley said the Waimata was likely to bo an important river,' and if a jetty was put in to the river silt "would 60011 collect. The question needed careful consideration. Mr. Lysnar’s motion was carried. -• REPORTS. Mr. G. Grant submitted the following report:—“According to instruction from your Board, I have made a survey of the north side of the Taruliern river, and of part of Waimata river, showing the present high-water mark. My survey of the Taruheru goes as far as Mr. W. L. Rees’ breastwork, which is being carried on towards Wi Pere street. The boundary shown in red is that in the certificate of title; the difference between that boundary and high-water mark or accretion is, I presume, the property of the Harbor Board. This accretion is in some cases, in filling in behind a breastwork, in others simply an unconfined enlargement of the original section. I have shown all breastworlis. No areas of accretions have been taken out, as I thought that was useless, the Board merely wishing to ascertain where trespassers exist. In working in the mud of the Taruheru, I notice a great change in its character in the last 20 years. Below the few inches of silt deposit by tidal action, the mud is of a filthy description, and has a most poisonous smell. I presume that the close settlement on the banks accounts for this. It is probably much worse near the banks than in the centre of the river, but I notice that the Natives still gather shellfish in his river. It would be a great benefit to the town if a chain or a chain and a-half on each side could- be reclaimed, and a breastwork erected, and I should think, from your point of view, that tlie scour in the lower river would be improved thoreby.” The Board’s solicitors (Messrs Clirisp and Coleman) were instructed to serve notices upon all persons who were encroaching on the river boundaries.

Tbe Overseer (Air. D. McLeod) reported:—“ln regard to the strengthening of that portion of the wharf as asked for by the Railway Department, I beg to point out that to have the work done in tho way they suggest in the accompanying sketch, it will cost £338; but if instead of doing as suggested, we remove that portion of the wharf (colored red) and drive 12 by 4 totara sheathing along the sea face the cost would be simply the filling and labor, which would be about £75, as the value of the timber used in the sheathing would be less than that of the timber an the portion to be removed. In my report on June 24, 1907, I reported that about 900 yards of earth and river shingle was washed into the channel from tho railway between the stockyard and Hie railway bridge over the AVaikanae. I also ]minted out that if the railway would not protect their line from the action of the sea with something more substantial than fascines, we might expect a- repetition of the same thing again, which has now taken place, and is again being patched, up in a very temporary way with brambles and briars, which, when they get washed into the channel, will, no doubt, give us a good deal of trouble. Al'l the main piles in Kaiti wharf extension are driven- and the hack sheathing of same will he completed next week. Evans, Nield and Co. have satisfactorily completed their contract for the supply of totara, which is of very excellent quality.' I here is still 29,000 ft of kauri timber to come from Peacocke and Co., which they say -is now on the way. the John Townloy since coming off tho slip has been undergoing repairs to her boilers and will ‘be ready Rework next Thursday. Tho suction dredge was laid up for a fortnight this month, after the Government inspection, getting repairs done to boiler and pump-casing. Two days were lost through freshes. Slip work this month is as follows: The John Townley taken up on the first of the mouth and launched on the 7th. The Tawera taken up on the 7tli and launched on the 11th. The Karoro was taken up on the 14tli and launched on tj l6 18th. The Nautilis taken up on the 20th and launched on the 22nd. And the Beatrice taken up on the 22nd and launched on 27th. Stone and shingle removed from the Kaiti beach this month, 550 loads as per tickets.” ' '

The Harbormaster (Captain AA'. Gumming) reported: “AVe have had several freshes- in tho river during the month, which have brought down great quantities of silt, that h as settled m the channels and along the wharves, and the dredge being laid up for rep ad m lias made things much worse and caused great inconvenience to shipping. For the benefit of the Port and shipping I most respectfully suggest that the Board consider the advisabality of getting a more up-to-date plant for clearing and deepening the channel and along the wlla/ves to a depth of, say, 9ft at low water. I feel certain that if the channel and along the wharves were once cleared of all obstructions to 9ft that most of the silt would get away and tbafc there would not bo much trouble in keeping tlie channel clear. The railway embankment along ihe AVaikanae lias again washed away into tlio channel, and will continue to do so every time we have high tides and bad weather, unless the Railway Department are compelled to put up a more sub-

stantial breastwork. Shipping since ■last month: Steamers —Arrivals 31, departures 30; sailing ships, arrivals 9, departures 7. Moorages extra lay days, £1 8s 5d ; lighter dues at 2s Oil, £5 17s 6d. Soundings taken an the channel with the new tido gtiago at zero oil the 25tli inst:—End of hr akwater 12ft, 3rd bollard Bft, Smirk’s landing sft Cin, big crane 7ft, Waikanao Oft, along new wharf sft to 7ft, along town wharf sft Bin, along Kaiti wharf sft 7in.”

Captain G. P. Solvauder, master of the dredge John Townley, reported that since last meeting the dredge had not been employd dredging owing to extensive overhaul to boilers, and considerable delay was caused through having to send to Napier for plates for same. Mr. W. B. Mackie, engineer on the John Townley, reported that under the supervision of Mr. Sharp, the Government inspector, the bottom plate had been cut out of the combustion chamber in the port boiler, and replaced by a new one. Necessary repairs had also been effected to the main engines, crane, and deck winches. Tlio Overseer’s recommendation as to the strengthening of the wharf so as to carry railway lines was adopted. In discussing the report upon the damage done by the washing away of the river bank near the railway line, Mr. Lysnar said the Board should ask the Railway Department to erect a concrete wall. The damage had been patched up with manuka, and the silt allowed to wash into the river. The suggestion was adopted. The Chairman said be would like to see three dog piles placed on the wharf to assist steamers in turning in the stream. The suggestion was adopted. The Secretary reported that if the application of the Union Steamship Company to have the harbor dues on intercolonial and coastal boats reduced one-half was granted, the cofit would be £492 a year.—Tlie question was -referred to the Finance Committee. Mr. Hepburn drew attention to the faulty facilities for landing horses from steamers, and tho delay that sometimes took place in getting the animals ashore. In one case a steamer arrived at 10 o’clock a night, and tho horses wore not landed until early next morning. Mr. Harris said such cases had been brought under his notice. It was decided to request the shipping companies to land live stock before general cargo. Mr. AY. D. Lysnar gave notice to move that the harbormaster’s salary be increased to £3OO per year. He said the revenue from the Harbormaster’s services had greatly increased, Out the salary had not been raised.