HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2692, 23 December 1909, Page 6

HARBOR BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly inetting of the Gisborne Harbor Board wa s held yesterday afternoon. Present: Messrs J. Townley (chairman), W. D. Lysnar, F. Harris, J. Clark, C. J. Parker, and J. B. Kells. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were received from Messrs A. Dewing and J, Warren complaining that cut boxthorn bad been thrown into the Taruheru river.—The secretary stated that he had given the offenders notice that they were liable to a fine of £2O, and the harbormaster was seeing to the matter, -which he understood had been remedied.

A cable was received from Messrs Simons and Co., Glasgow, contractors for the new dredge, stating that the amount of work done on the dredgo up to 11th inst. .was £27,000. The 'weighbridge-keeper reporter! a big discrepancy in the Board’s weighbridge and another in town. —The socretarv said the Inspector', of 'Weights and Measures had examined the Board’s machine and certified to its correctness.

An application for increase of wages was received from the weighbridge-keeper.-r-It was decided to let the matter stand over till next meeting, when salaries increased during the present year will be reviewed. ; -- The assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works wrote regarding _ the land proposed to be takern at Waihirere for quarry purposes, stating that the area of 105 i acres seemed large.—lt was decided that a letter be sent to the Department explaining that anything less would be useless, as they were taking the stone from the upper end of the quarry-, and the land was needed for roads. .. S REPORTS.

The Harbormaster reported as follows: - . ... - “1 most respectfully beg the Board not to have any more cuts made in the groyne, as the present cut has. made a difference of 3fu to sft in the soundings in the lower part of the channel. We have now 9ft and 10ft where we had 14ft and loft. Shipping since last meeting: Steamers,, arrivals 39, departures 38; sailing ships, arrivals 7, departures 8. Moorages, extra lay days 6s Id, lighter dues (55 at 2s 6d) £6 17s 6d. The flagstaff, breakwater, lighthouse, beacons buoy, standards, signal station, and buoys have all been painted, and new gear fitted where wanted. The soundings for the past four weeks are as follows: —November 24: End of breakwater lift, third and sixth bollard- 7ft 6in, Snark’s' landing 6ft 6in, big crane 7ft, mouth of Waikanae 7ft, new crane 6ft to 7ft, halfway along wharf 6ft to 7ft. to crane 4ft to ‘sft, along Kaiti wharf 4ft to 7ft. December 6th: 10ft, 7ft 6in, 6ft 6m, 7ft 6in, -7ft, 6ft, 6ft 6in, 4ft to sft, sft to 7ft. December 13: Oft, 7ft, 6ft, 7ft 6in, 7ft; 6ft, 6ft, 4ft to sft, sft to 7ft. December 21st: 9ft, 7ft, 6ft,-/7 ft, 7ft, 7ft,'6ft to 7ft, 4ft t 0 6ft, sft to gf£ ” ‘ ... Mr; Lysnar said he would seriously question the Harbormaster’s .opinion that, .was affecting the river. He pointed out that. the chart showed that there had been less water there than at the -present time. The sand from the beach was/ flush with the groyne, arid every j puff of wind sent the sand into-the river,• and this,caused more trouble than ;the cut ui the oroyne. He quoted from the chart, showing that soundings /had been , as follows:— August 3rd: To fourth bollard 7ft, last sounding. 7ft; August: Snark’s landing :sft 6in, November 6ft: big crane, August 6ft, November 7ft 6in; mouth of Waikanae, 6ft 6m, n °Tbo Harbormaster said the bank was 60ft out from the breakwater now,

and he attributed the cause to the nut. in the groyne making, the sand stick. The Overseer (Mr. D. McLeod) reported that 1 the - Joh n l To w nley J had only taken 29 loads of spoil to sea this month, it being a short month, ~and she' being engaged one-third of the time in deepening the new dredge’s bertli, Which has: now an average depth of lift 6in at low r -water. The small dredge and suction dredge had been steadily at work, and the reclamation area was nearly full. The timber work' in connection with the'' two dredges’ berths wa«. completed;" and the portion for berthing the punt would be finished next month. Mr. Overton has not yet made a start on his contract of building the mud punts. The overseer estimated the cost of decking the portion of the Kaiti wharf between the coal bunker and old wharf at about £240. The corner near the small crane was broken by one of the Sheepfarmers’ Frozen Moat Co.’s lighters. He could not say yet what the amount of damage was. Stone and gravel removed from Kaiti this month, 130 loads. .

The report was received, the question of decking being left to the Works Committee.

The Dredgemaster (Captain G. P. Solvander) reported that the dredge John Townley had been constantly employed since last meeting, and the amount of spoil taken out was as follows : 900 yard R clay from along the coal bunkers, 400yds of mud from the steps,, and 2000yds from the various placos at the town and Kaiti. wharves, in all about 3300 cubic yards.—Received.

Mr. A. F. Long, engineer on the dredge John Townley, reported that the machinery was working satisfactorily. Mr. Allard, the fireman, had left, and Mr. Charles Perrie had been appointed in hi s place, subject to the Board’s approval. The Board confirmed the appointment of Charles Perrie. ’ The finanical report was as follows: Ordinary account, £2381 17s Id, harbor . improvements, 1909, £6340 3s 6d; #8722 0s 7d; bank, current account £S7I2 ll s Bd, unpresented cheques £9 9s, lid; £8722 0s 7d; outstanding, wharfages current £3O 0s 6d, rent £l4 lls 8(1, Ovorton’s contract deposit cheque £99 i7s 6d. ’ MOTIONS POSTPONED. Notices had been given to move the following motions at yesterday’s meeting, but as the members were' not present they had to stand over till the next meeting. The chairman said that nothing would be done in connection with the work in the meantime: — '! “That the resolution passed at the last ordinary meeting of the Board on the 26th November, to make a 50ft cut in the groyne, be rescinded.” —Mr. W. D. S. MacDonald. “That the resolution carried at the last meeting to put another cut through the groyne be rescinded.” —Hon. Captain Tucker.

The Chairman had given notice to move—“ That a Bill he prepared for Parliament to release the sum of £IO,OOO of the unexpended balance of loan funds in the hands of the Public Trustee, for the purpose, of extending the breakwater.” . -

As the Marine Department had not sent a reply concerning the plans, it was decided to let this motion also stand over. Th e Chairman said that the Hon. Captain Tucker had seen the Department when in Wellington, but they seemed to be holding back for some reason. Accounts and monthly payments were passed, and the meeting concluded. At the conclusion of the ordinary meeting the members met in committee, and considered the legal position in regard to the Tauwhareparae leases, but nothing was furnished for publication.