THE GISBORNE HARBOR

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2477, 16 April 1909, Page 6

THE GISBORNE HARBOR

THE PROPOSED DREDGE. STATEMENT OF COST. The following statement has been prepared for the Finance Committee of the Harbor Board, by Mr. Witty, treasurer to the Board, and will be presented at the next meeting of the Board: — Statement re cost of dreadger and barge proposed to be ordered by the Gisborne Harbor Board from Messrs. Simons and Co., and of proposed payment for same: Cost of dredger, £34,500; cost of barge, £1500; interest on deferred payments, £600; exchange on ■ payments':'l9t)9—September 15, first instalment, £uiOo; exchange £75. 1910 —January 15, second instalment, £6175; May 15, third instalmerit£6l7s; September! 15, fourth instalment. £6175. 1911 —January 15, fifth instalment, £6175; April 26, sixth instalment, £6175; total, £37,050. Assuming (1) that the annual interest on the £200,000 loan, and the ordinary expenses can be met by current incomes at prsent Ai'hariago rates, and (2) that the old wharfage tariff of tlie loth December, 1893, be reverted to as from Ist of July next,: which l’CA'ersion would, on last year’s imports and exports, increase the Board’s receipts by £6OOO per annum, without allowance for further normal increase, the account in regard to the proposd payments and the upkeep of the neiv dredger and barge would be as iolloavs : „ 1909 First payment due* 15th September, 1909, £8175, les3 increased wharfages for six months £3OOO, leaving overdraft at 31st December, 1909, £3175. 1910— Second payment lotli January, 1910, £6175; third payment loth May, £6175; fourth payment 15th September, 1910, £6175; add six months’ upkeep, £2500; total £21,025; less increase in Avharfages for one year £6OOO, leaving overdraft at 31.st December, 1910, £18,200. 1911— Fifth payment, 15th January, 1911, £5175; sixth payment, 26 th April, 1911, £6175; add one year’s upkeep, £5000; less increase wharfages one year, £6000; less increase TauAvharcparao, six months, £3000; less reduced expenditure on upkeep of present dredges,‘etc., £3OOO ; leaving overdraft at 31st December, 1911, £23,550. 1912 Overdraft at 31st December, 1912 23,550; add one year’s up-keep, £6000; deduct increase TauAvhareparae, £6000; reduced expenditure, £3000; ieaA'ing overdraft •at 31st December, 1912, £13,500. 1913 Add one year’s up-keep, £5000; deduct increase on wharfages, £6000; deduct incfoa.ec Tauwharepar-ao, £6000; reduced w - expenditure, £3000; total, £15,000; overdraft at 31st December, 1913, £3500. Note.—Estimated . limit of legal overdraft at 31st December, 1910, say, £O3 230. . No allowance is made for interest on bank overdraft, as the normal annual increase may fairly be expected to more than provide for it.

MR. W. D. LYSNAR’S VIEWS. - When’ asked for hisopinion of the statement, the • Mayor, (Mn W. 1M Lysnar) told a “Times” .representative that he considered that several phases of expenditure had not been provided for. With all the suggested expenditure, no provision had been made for the improvement of the entrance to the river, and’thus to minimise.'the danger existing at present. It v,as because of this danger to life that the outcry was being made for the improvement of the river, andethe. mere •deepening- of the river would not decrease this .danger. Ho did not know if the Board intended to» expend £7OOO in the extension of the breakwater, as suggested at their last meeting, or if they intended to drive piles, or blow off the top of the,groyne to minimise the daiigcir/. hut whatever steps they were- going to take, the necessary expenditure should be shown in the-statement.' “I utterly, fail to sec,” continued MF.- Lysnar, •‘-hoy they can possibly expect to make the assumed saving of; £3OOO a year'

on the: reduced expenditure of the upkeep of the present dredges. It is intended to keep the dredge John Townley in commission, and unless the new proposal means the Avitlidrawing of this dredge, they are not justified in assuming the saving of this £3OOO. Further, with the growing trado of the port, there is bound to be a growing expenditure in administration expenses, and in tlie way of urgently needed wharf extension and additional shed accommodation.” Continuing, Mr. Lysnar said that there had been absolutely no provision for these most necessary expenditures, but it was apparently suggested to mop up all the reyenuo without ,making any such provision. Touching on the question of the proposed increase of wharfages, Mr. Lysnar said that he. thought.it Avas a deplorable thing for the district that they should again revert to the Avharfages on the old basis. “As avo stand to-day, bo said, “avo are making as high charges to users of the port as any other port in the Dominion, and it is now proposed to practically double the existing charges on all staple aitides of use, such as flour, sugar, produce, etc., Avhich now are charged at 2s 6d per ton,, and under the new rate Avill be os per ton ” Mr. Lvsnar further stated that the manufacturers of the dredge had said that solid papa rock would have to be shattered before it could be lifted by the dredge, and no provision for this work appeared in the proposed expenditure. Asked as to Avliether he considered that tho normal increase of revenue Avould be sufficient to proAude. for the interest on the bank overdraft, Mr. Lysnar said that lie anticipated it Avould more than do so, although he pointed out that the last report from the Finance Committee estimated the normal increase of revenue as £lluU, and the interest oil tho overdraft would now bo £126-5. Personally, be thought that the increase in revenue Avould am ount to nearer £2OOO. Proceeding,^Mi Lysnar stated that what he Avas anxious to see was the entrance to tho river made safe, and not left as it ivns at present, dangerous to life. Deepening the river, he said, would not improve the entrance at all in bad weather, as in one night’s flood the entrance may silt up again. It might be days before the dredge could get to work again, and in the meantime tlie entrance would bo just as dangerous as Avithout any dredging at all. “Tl(i items that I have mentioned,” concluded Mr. Lysnar, “are by no means everything. There are other details which, although hardly Avorth discussing at the present juncture, are sure to crop up, and all these should undoubtedly have been considered by the Board in preparing such a statement.” MR. TOWN LEY’S OPINION. Mr. John ToAvnloy, chairman of the Board, on being approached by the •reporter, took a much more optimistic view of the position. In answer to a query as to whether he Avas in favor of tlie purchase of a dredge, and if he tlioguht it could be paid for as proposed by the statement, Mr. Toivnley gave a "most emphatic reply in the affirmatiAX. “Yes, I am strongly in favor of the purchase,’ lig said, “for two reasons: Firstly, because whatever other AA-orks are undertaken without deepening the river Avill not give any greater benefits than avg haA'o. at present; and, secondly, because as long as we- remain -without getting proper appliances no improvement can possibly be made. I think,” continued Mr. Toivnley, “from the statement laid before the committee tlicrfc no great- cliffitlie dredge aim .paying for it m tho way set out in tho statement. lam so satisfied that the new dredge will bo of such great benefit in enabling us to get larger vessels in than come in at present” that I shall feel quite justified in urging the infecting next Monday to adopt the statement, with any such modification as members may deem advisable. Of course, in saying this, Mr. Townlcy went on to say, “it will mean that wo shall have a struggle ror a short time, bub tlie benefits to be eventually received will more than compensate for it. This is oim of those cases where a temporary sacrifice must be made to ensure a permanent benefit, and I am quite sure that all avo!1Avishers of the Bay Avill readily agree to tlie small sacrifice required' for the purpose of obtaining the undoubted benefits which the dredge Avill give in the river. I hope and trust that the members of tlie Board Avill bo unanimous in their desire to improve the state of the river, by agreeing to the purchase of the new dredge.”