THE HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2480, 20 April 1909, Page 3

THE HARBOR BOARD.

THE PROPOSED NEW DREDGE. A FURTHER ADJOURNMENT. A special meeting of the Harbor Board to consider the question of the purchase of a new dredge was Held yesterday afternoon. Present: Mr. John Townley (chairman), Messrs. W. I). S. MacDonald) M.P., John Clark, AV. D. Lysnar, J. B. Kells, F. Harris, Hon. Captain Tucker. Mr. F. W. Biakey was also in attendance. The Chairman read the following reply from Air. Blakey, regarding the Board’s request to the manufacturers for deferred payment in the event of their purchasing the dredge: "I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Bth inst., enquiring as to whether Messrs. Simons and Co. Ltd., would agree to accept six (6) equal instalments extending over a period of two years for payment of the dredge (£35,400), and at what rate of interest-, 111 reply I have to state that I duly submitted your offer to my principals by cable and have their cabled reply to the effect that they would accept payment for- the dredge in six equal four-monthly instalments, extending over a period of twenty-four months from date of order, for an additional amount of £6OO on their quotation, making £35,100 in all. Each instalment to be £5850, free of exchange, at Renfrew, Scotland. Trusting this arrangement will bo satisfactory to your Board, and awaiting your further esteemed reply.” The Chairman said that on the strength of that reply the statement (already published) was now before them, and he proceeded to read it to, the meeting. The statement was what they bad to depend on for the purchase, and he thought they would all agree that it could be done. They might be a little pinched at first, but the revenue was always coming in and he anticipated an increase in this direction. If the coal vessels were-sure of getting in the freight would he reduced from 18s or £1 to 14s pr ton, and tho same could be said of other vessels, There was not a harbor in the colony that bad not got a dredge of the sort for improvement purposes, and he had pleasure in proposing the -adoption of the statement, as he was quite satisfied that it could easily bo carried into effect. He asked the members to give the statment tlieir most careful attention and discuss it freely. He personally was strongly in favor of the adoption of the statement, and if any one wanted to improve the harbor something in tho nature of the proposed purchase must be done.

Mr. John Clark seconded the motion for tiie adoption of the report. ■ The Chairman said that £4OOO had been spent last year, and all that had been left out of tlio estimate without interfering with the present revenue at all. . Mr. Kells asked if m taking credit from 1911 on for £3OOO in reduced expenditure it was allowed for keeping lie “John. Townlpy” going an a barge. Mr. Witty, secretary, proceeded to read a statement of last year’s expenditure. , . Mr. Lysnar: Who is considering the statement, the secretary or the Board? The Chairman: Mr. Kells asked ior information and ho is getting it. M r. Harris asked if it was not intended to have two barges. The Chairman said they could have, two if necessary. While the “John Townley” was being taken out to sea the dredge would be filling herself and be taken out at high-water. Mr. Uysnar: Yes, when you got it out of the mud.

Mr. Bjakey, in.answer to a question, said it would take slightly over 11 feet to take the dredge out to sea. Mr. Clark said that he thought it would be preferable to have two barges and keep the dredge constantly at work.,

The Chairman agreed with the suggestion and quoted the cost. Mr. Lysnar said they would also have to add the working; expenses of a second barge. The Chairman: One is allowed for, double that and you have got it. Mr. Harris asked if the Fnance Committee had considered the question of a rate.

The Chairman said they had . not. They did not want a rate this year, but if they did, they could strike one next year. He did not think a rate 'would be necessary at all. Air. Harris said that some of the items under the increased wharfages would press heavily on local industries. They had now two large brick works, and a possibility of a large timber industry, land, a great export of white pin .e .Messrs. Clark and Lysnar each expressed the opinion that there could be little or no export of bricks as tho local demand would be equal to the output. In reply to Mr. Kells, the Chairman said that he understood that the manufacturers guaranteed the dredge to lift papa at the rate of 50 tons'per hour. Mr. Harris said that they were bidding for :i trade on the Coast,, and there were other industries.

Mr. Lysnar said he was waiting to hear those who had been keen on the uestion of tho statement address tho meeting, but apparently they did not intend to do so. Ho did not regard the statement as by any means a fair statement of the true position of affairs, but rather thought it was strained in every direction to try to show that revenue would ho available for tho work. There were numbers of tilings not provided for, and it was dangerous to say that the interest could be provided for out of the nominal increase of the growing trade of the port. The increase should not be mopped up for the purpose, but should bo left for the administration of the growing requirements of the port. Air Lysnar then proceeded to criticise the statement in detail on similar lines to those already reported in the "Times” last week.- In addition, he claimed that the very first item of £SOOO for the cost of running the dredge was misleading and should instead be £5316. This was the figure quoted by the manufacturers’ agent, and he should bo a better judge of sucli a question than the secretary of the Board. On the question of the assumed saving of £3OOO in upkeep Air Lysnar claimed that it could 'only possibly come out of tho item of £4349 for materials, and if they took the £3OOO out of that the remainder would not pay for the coal required.* The Chairman: When we get the dredge to work the ships will be able to come in and we shall get our coal at 22s per ton instead of 275. I am prepared to risk whether they come in or not.

Air Lysnar: You have always taken a risk Air Chairman, and have now spent several thousands in the river for no improvement. Continuing, Air. Lysnar claimed that if they did buy the dredge the burden should be placed on the ships, and not on tho people. The Chairman: Only the small ships can use the port at present. Air Clark: Let Air Lysnar talk himself out Air Chairman, or we shall be here until dark.

Touching on the question of striking a rate, Air Lysnar said that there was only one period of the year at which they con’d strike a rate, and they wore just on the heels of it now. The Chairman: Wo do not want any rate this year. All* Lysnar: If you intend to spend •all your money on a dredge you will probably not require a rate, but the danger to the river entrance should be removed, and no provision lias been made for that. J will say no- more at present, but I should certainly like to see the danger to life abolished. Mr Harris said that he considered the statment was a rushed-up affair, and, with Air. Lysnar, lie did not think they ought to mop up all the available money without providing lor the remedying of the entrance to the river. The raising of the wharfages, lie considered, would cripple local industries, and at any rate lie thought that flour should not be raised. . In answer to Air Clark the Chairman said that the adoption of the report would not bind them to the purchase of the dredge. In answer to other questions lie explained that they were! not touching! on the revenue for two years’ time, and the works in the harbor which had been carried on for nearly three years would soon be completed, and then there would bo a considerable saving effected. The statement, on being put to tlio meeting, was carried, Alessrs Lysnar and Harris voting against it. The meeting thc$ .proceeded to consider Messrs Simons' arichCo.’s offer. In reply to Air Lysnar, Air Blakey said that the barges would be on the basis of 150 tons hopper capacity at a cost of £ISOO each, and would be sent out in sections to be put- together here. Air Clark said tlnit be understood that £ISOO was the price of the complete barge landed here. Air Blakey said that £ISOO was the manufacturers’ prices f.o.b. on the Clyde. In addition iere would be the cost of freight, duty, and putting them together here. Mr Lysanr: There is no provision made for those extra items. The whole statement has been compiled in a most loose manner. All* Clark said that ho had come to the meeting prepared to support the purpose of the dredge and barges, but now he would touch nothing until he knew the exact cost of the complete barges delivered to them in Gisborne. Several other members stated that thev wore of the. opinion that the charge of £ISOO was for the complete barge delivered here. ® ■ After discusison it was decided that Air Blakey cable to his principals, asking the exact cost of two steel hopper barges, each of 150 tons’ capacity, delivered complete in Gisborne. The meeting was adjourned until this afternoon to receive the manufacturers’ reply. •