HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2486, 27 April 1909, Page 3

HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT.

NEW DREDGE TO BE PURCHASED

At the conclusion of the routine business at the meeting of the Harbor Board yesterday afternoon, the chairman read a letter from Mr. F. W. Blakey, representative of Messrs Simons and Co., offering to supply two steel hopper barges, complete in Gisborne, of 100 tons capacity, for the sum of £4750, and tho Customs duty on them.

The Chairman said that the only additional cost to the sum mentioned would be tho Customs duty, which ho feared would be 20 per cent. Hon. Captain Tucker said that it must be apparent to every member that the rock of offence was the barges, and lie had come to the conclusion that they could do very much better in the Dominion for bargos than from Simons and Co. He was certain they did not need to import barges, and the initial cost would be nearly three times as great. The matter of three years would do all the rock cutting that would he required, and, after that, wooden barges would do all they, would require. Probably they would have to go Home to get a suitable dredge, but lie believed that from tho data, they had, that they could not got tho specified barges from Simons and Co. under £6OOO or more, and they knew _ that they could get wooden barges built in the Dominion for £I3OO a-pieee. He would move that the letter be answered saying that the Board do not wish to order "any barges from Messrs Simons and Co. The Chairman seconded the motion. There would be ample time to get the barges built in the Dominion after they had ordered the dredge. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Clark said he had been anxious to get a price for a couple of barges, complete, here. Mr. Matthewsou supported the idea of getting everything they possibly could in tho Dominion. They could even get steel barges, if necessary, as it only meant getting the plates, unworked, from Home. Mr. Lysuar claimed that tho 100-ton barges would be much too small. Hon. Captain Tucker said ho would rather sec the size of the barges increased to 200 tons if any change was made. As he read the minutes there was a resolution stating that they should not, “in the meantime,” purchase a dredge, but he did not think th at it was ” meant that they should never do so. Mi-. Clark: There is also a resolution that wo do purchase a dredge. Hon. Captain Tucker said that his idea was that the motion meant not to deal with the dredge until a definite price had been obtained for dredge and barges. They now had this, and had come to a unanimous decision regarding barges. Thus, ho thought, that they could not do better than accept the offer of Simons and Co. for a dredge, unless there was as good a dredge obtainable in the colony. He did not wish to hurry the matter, blit he thought that in order to get something .suitable they would bo ultimately compelled to deal with Simons and Co. He did not. want to. force the question, but if members wished it lie was prepared to move in that direction, or to support such, a motion. Mr. Harris said that ho did not think they quite grasped tho expense thatwould be entailed when the dredge camo to work tho rock. He had understood that some mention had been made of obtaining engineering advice. Mr. Lysnar said he hoped the Board would follow the course suggestflA* and obtain proper advic-o from a coifmiting engineer. Much useless work had been done, and work had been done against engineers’ advice. They might be well adv, ed to consult Mr. !-’. V. March ant, who would he hero shortly. They -*adly wanted engineering advice in connection with the working of the dredge, and also on the question of using the “John Townley” as a towing boat. He hoped the Board would stand .solid in their decision and not deviate _ until proper advice had. been obtained. He had been speaking to a man who was. working a similar dredge down south, and who told him that it took half-an-hour for a boat to pass tho dredge when she was working. These and other matters had to he considered, and he hoped the Board would give them due consideration, and obtain outside advice. . Mr.. Matthewsou said he would strongly support anything for the improvement of the river, but lie was against any attempt to take the rock out of the 'channel by means of a dredge. He was not in favor of them tlrrowing themselves into the arms of Simons and Co. without any outside advice. When they wore going to the expense of £40,000 he thought it would only he wise and prudent to get the advice of an engineer of reputation and experience. The Chairman said he was as cautious as any of them, but he wanted to seo something clone. They had a guarantee from the oldest manufacturers of dredges in the world, and he failed to seo what additional information they would require from an outside engineer. This guarantee was more important than any engineer’s advice, and he thought the question of having room to work in the river was generally understood. Tho dredge “John Townley” was proved to be one of the best towing boats they had, and would steer better without the crane on her. The only way to get over their present difficulty in the river was to get a dredge. The amount.was large but they would he getting a dredge the like of which was not in the Dominion, and he foretold that in six months'alter her arrival the dredge would lie able to go out of the river at low water. He was not against the outer harbor, but thought that they should make provision for the years that must necessarily elapse before the outer harbor would bo an accomplished fact. If they were really serious in the matter, lie thought that there was nothing to hinder them from deciding to purchase the dredge. They had had an engineer’s report on the danger of the entrance, and they had the materials to carry out his suggestion lying on the spot. If they bought the dredge the manufacturers would leave a man in charge for three months. Mr. Clark said lie was much of the same opinion as tho chairman. 1 he question of barges disposed of. he was anxious to get tho dredge, affil that as soon as possible. They must do something to improve the river, and if they had at first got an implement like they were then, considering lie believed that tho river would now be deal. The Board had made a mistake - in always getting their machinery because it was "heap." He would move that tbo dredge he purchased from Messrs Simons am! Co: at the price and terms mentioned in the offer. Mr. Lysnar held that such a resolution required notice of motion. - Mr. Harris said that there was no good in rai'dtiri' that point, as ,app«! * only "’the xty&eH ,\vero y : cu

the job.” They had been asked to got an engineer to report, but had declined to do so, and let them take tho responsibility of such action in the future. Mr. Lysnar said that it rested with the chairman, and if ho wanted to eonduct tho meetings properly ho would rnlo that the resolution would require notice of motion. Members expressed the opinion that the resolution was in order, and did not require notice of motion. The Chairman seconded the motion proposed by Mr* Clark, and read the Guarantee offered hv the manufacturers. ° Mr. Lysnar said that he regretted the change of front shown by tho Board on”the question of obtaining advice. They were entering into the matter without really knowing the cost, and until they did, ho claimed that they were not justified in the purchase. The upkeep of the dredger- and tho interest on it would just be about onethird of the cost of working the outer harbor, ami they were proposing to get a dredgfe which would take 9m of water more than they could ever hopo to get in tho river, according to engineers’ reports. Practical suggestions had been made by engineers regarding the improvement to tho entrance of the river, and they had been defeated, and all the dredging in the world would not improve the trade of the port, or keep the river free from silt. W nut tlie dredge took away would not make any difference in the amount of silt coming into tho river. Without any engmeerino- advice the Board had turned right round from its expressed position at last meeting, and lie thought that it was a most regrettable state of affairs. Mr. G. Matthewson said that even if the dredge did all that -was required of it, it would only bo digging a deeper hole for the silt, which would constantly have to bo dredged out. They would have to get ail outer harbor, and then tho dredge would be simply scrapiron, and he would record his vote, strongly against the proposal to purchase the dredge. Mr. Harris also took the same view. He would record his voto against the proposal, find thought that tho people •who had to pay for tho dredge should be consulted in tho matter. Ihe members of tho Board were only trustees for the people, and he would advocate the obtaining of engineer’s advico. Mr. MacDonald said that ho would like to have had an engineer, to see if they could oeono'nically work the dredge without barges. Any man with any common sense must seo that the dredge would bo of great benefit to the port. .He did not, perhaps, think it would do all that was claimed for it without trouble, but, for the improvement of the river, lie thought they should secure a dredge without delay. Ho wou'd support the motion. Mr. Kells also intimated lus intention of supporting the motion, as with the guarantee they had it was fairly’ certain the dredge would do the work. The Chairman also supported tho resolution to ourchase the dredge as the best possible means of improving the river. Ho hoped and felt that the dredge would do all that was* claimed for it, and thought that it was unnecessary for them to have an engineer to supervise the construction of the dredge •as the manufacturers would bo on their mettle. , . In answer to Mr- Lysnar, Captain Cummings said that ho had known —ft of silt to be found round a vessel in the river after one night’s flood, but explained that this was only in the case of some projecting obstacle, and did not apply , all over the bed of the river. ~ ~ The Chairman then put the motion to the meeting, and it was earned by five votes to three, Messrs Lysnar, Matthewson, and Harris voting against the proposal. . The Chairman then declared the motion carried. . Mr. Lysnar: You have done a bad qav’s work for the district. The Chairman: The best days work since we have been on the Board.

The “Sydney Bulletin” thus-discour-ses:—Maoriland, which tried to rush in ahead of everybody else with its offer of contingents in Boer War time, is rushing again. It has leaped wildly at Britain with its mouth open) and an offer of a first-class battleship—or two if wanted. Maoriland is mad these days—raving mad. It lias borrowed till it has lost all sense of the value of money, and has lost most of its other senses as- well—till it is mentally decayed and irresponsible. . . Maoriland depends almost wholly on Lomron, Melbourne, and Sydney for its loans; and if the war scare comes in earnest tho chances are that it won’t be able to borrow at all.

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