HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 344, 29 August 1889, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the above was held on Tuesday evening. Present: The Chairman, Dr Pollen, and Messrs Bievwright, Townley, Chambers, and Bennett. Mr Graham replied to a communication of the Beard in regard to the inability to levy a rate under the present Act, that the Premier bad promised to fix the matter up somehow. Mr Chambers said that from the report of the Harbors Committee, they appeared to be under the impression that the Gisborne Board wanted to borrow further money, while nothing of the kind was anticipated.— Members did not think there was anything in the report of which they need take notioe, Mr Bennett saying it did not matter at all to them anymore than a‘recommendation that the Board should go to Heaven. The Borough Council wrote asking the Board to repair the road near the blookyard, the Council having devoted £lO to put the road in order up to that place. A petition from carters was presented, backing up the application, and asking further that the blocks be removed from their present position. —ln reply to Mr Bbelton, the Chairman said he thought the Government had first taken the road and then the Board had got permission to use it for the blocks.—Mr Shelton said the road had been out up by those taking shingle for the Borough, and he did not think the Board should have to keep the road in order when it was cat up by the Borough's traffic.—Mr Bievwright thought the Board was under an obligation to keep the road open, and the Chairman considered that it should be done.—Mr Shelton said if the Board had not made the bridge, the road would never be used.—Mr Chambers thought it rather cool of the Borough Council asking the Beard to keep the road open for them to take shingle, every load of which would assist the reclamation. —Mr Shelton said they could prevent the shingle being taken from below the high water mark —Mr Bievwright considered they should act in a fair spirit to another public body, Messrs Bennett and Shelton said the shingle was used by private individuals,—Mr Townley said the Board simply had to keep the place open for traffic, but there was no stipulation as to maintenance. He did not think the Board could entertain the petition, road making being out of its province. He hoped the Board would place no obstacle in the way of shingle being got, and as the dry weather was now coming on the Council might spend a small sum on the road, that would enable traffic to be carried on.—The arrangement with the Government was read, and there was a difference of opinion as to what was meant by " sufficient access.”—Dr. Pollen contended that an impassable road did not give sufficient access.—The Engineer said it had bedn ex. plained that the Board should; have the use of the road, the Government’s right of proclamation being withheld.—The Secretary said the road and the houses ware within the Borough.—Mr Bievwright moved that the request of the Council be acceded to.—Dr. Pollen seconded.—Mr Chambers moved an amendment that the Board did not think it advisable to expend money on the maintenance of roads that were not necessary in the construction of the breakwater.—Mr Shelton seconded. —Dr. Pollen said he would vote for the amendment, as it was a mere truism and did not touch on the question.— The Chairman and Mr Bievwright voted against.—Dr. Pollen asked whether he would ba in order in moving that the blocks be shifted out of the way, and a tew loads of sand put on tbe road.—Mr Bennett objected, in the face of the amendment that had been carried.—Dr Pollen said, if members objected, he would not press the motion.

BKarSSBB’S REPORT. Mr Thompson reported :—Another section of the breakwater was finished on Friday, making a total length of 848 feet. Our works are only authorised to 9UO feat, so that action will have to be taken to get permission to continue either on the straight line, or on Mr Blackett's deviation. There is no improvement in depth alongside the pier. At high water, and 20 feet out, the depths at each 100 feet, commencing at the first, are as follows: 7ft, 7ft 6in, 7ftSin, 7ft 6in, 9ft, Bft 6in, 9lt, and at 800 ft, 15ft 3ln. We have commenced using the river sand again, as decided, and have lifted about 400 yards. It will be necessary to call tenders for lightering tbe cement on the Wave Queen. She may be expected at the Bluff at any day. Plans for the training wall have been prepared. I think it is important to push that work on, as tbe sea is encroaching on the Waikauae beach, and carrying the sand washed away into the river. It would save time it I went to Wellington with the plans, as, if Government wanted any alteration made it could be done at onoe. Mr Shelton wanted to know whether the training wall was recommended by the Engineer. At the previous meeting, from some replies made by the Engineer to Mr Townley, it might be understood that Mr Thomson did not recommend the wall. He thought the newspaper's impression was wrong, and he would like to know now. Mr Chambers : The report to-night recommends the work. The Engineer said he had recommended the first plan, and the facts of the two were the same, but tbe Board had recommended that one that would cost more money should be prepared. Mr Shelton wanted it clearly understood, did the Engineer recommend the second plan ? He did not want it to be afterwards said that the work was done by the Board, without the recommendation of tbe Engineer. Tbe Engineer said he simply wanted to get the wall to tbe termination point. The first plan was for the shortest and cheapest work. So long as it reached between tbe points where he wanted the work, it did not matter what course it took inside that. Mr Bennett; You recommended a training wall ? Mr Thomson : Yes.

Mr Chambers said he quite understood the newspaper was wrong in saying that Mr Thomson did not recommend the second wall. The Engineer and the Board had differed over tbe-details of the training wall. The Engineer only wanted to spend £l,lOO, but some members thought it was a pity not to make the work of a permanent character, and that by spending a thousand pounds more they would gst a permanent work. Ho would ask tbe Engineer if he did not take tbe responsibility of advising a training wall t Mr Thomson replied that he did. He had' taken the length out from the original plan, but they might require to take the wall out another hundred feet, Mr Bennett: Then would it not be better to have it on the plan f Mr Thomson thought it would be better to be guided by the original plan until they had the consultation in Wellington. Mr Bennett: You mean you could alter it down there ? Mr Thompson was understood to reply in ths affirmative. Mr Chambers : No doubt the training wall will have to go into fifteen feet ol water. Mr Thomson qaid he had been along tffe WftilHinae beach thM afternoon, gnd as far as he could judge the beach was affected up to -g£gut Grey Street, and the bank bad. been eaten intirfilSlßfigJkfeceol 6ftjnsome places. When the wall went out ths'Klrf—Would fill in again behind the wall. ' Mr Chambers said a tremendous amount ol sand bad been oaten away from the same place when the big flood occurred, and the sand had all made up again. The Chairman said his own opinion was that the Engineer's recommendation would be the proper course to take, and that it would ba the least expensive in the end, anff when in'Wellington he could also see about the proposed deviation from Mr Blackett's plan. Mr Bennett agreed with the Chairman and proposed the adoption of the report, and that the Engineer proceed to Wellington in reference to the matter.

Mr Bievwright seconded. Mr Shelton would vote against the motion. After the decision at the previous meeting he did not think it necessary to say anything further than that he thought it would be better to have a Government Engineer come here and judge for himself than for the Board’s Engineer to go to Wellington tfi explain matters, Mr Chambers: It the mountain won’t come ' to Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mono- ! tain. Mr Shelton said the Government had not yet been asked. Mr Chambers; We don’t want to ask i them. Mr Shelton: That.» evident.

Tbe Chairman said they might send a oom nunication to the Government not to believe anything the Board's Engineer says, and then Government might send some one back with him. Mr Shelton did not think they would care to send any officer of the Board down like that. The motion was passed, Messrs Shelton and Townley voting against. PAYMENTS : k SERIOUS DIFFICULTY. The following accounts were passed for payment:—lnterest on loan. £5119 0a Id j Wharfinger, £l6 13s 4d ; H irbor Master, £l6 13s 41; Secretary, £8 6s 81; Weighbridge keeper, £1; Gas Comnany, £23 13s 2d | Standard Company, £3 13s; A. R. Mair, £5 12s 6d ; Otago Witness, £2 16s; repairs and freight, £1 Is 10d ; Birough races, £3O 15s; Wingate, Burns and Co., £22 7s 5d 1 Kennedy nod Evans, £39 16. f Brown and Smaill, £24 I9s 6d ; E S. Spurdle, £2 Os 6d ) W. King, £l6 12s 41; McLoughlin, £l7 18s 24 ; J. Mullane, £5 8s 7d ; wages account, £294 2s Id ; W. H Tucker, £279. A communication was received from the Board's Solicitor (Mr DeLmtour), advising that the amount due on the blockyard be paid to Captain Tucker, but as that gentle* man had concurred in the Board's holding the money the solicitor did not think interest should be paid him.—Captain Tucker made an application for the rate of interest all >wed by law, 8 per cent, and contended that be was fairly entitled to interest, the Board having actually been rec iving interest for the money. The land had been taken under the Public Works Act, whether the owners liked it or not.—Captain Tucker then retired from the room, Mr Chambers being in the chair. A discussion took place, Messrs Bennett and Bievwright expressing tbe opinion that it was only a matter of justice that interest should be paid, though Mr Bennett considered that Interest should be based on what the Board itself received. Messrs Shelton and Chambers and Dr Pollen thought they should act strictly in accordance with Mr DeL.utour’s advice, Mr Shelton saying a mistake had been made in the first instance in not having paid the money into a trust account.—The account was then passed, as recommended by Mr DeLautour. ■< A question was raised by Mr Shelton as whether the B lard was bound to pay rates " to the Borough Council. Ths Secretary stated thia had always been done. As objection had not been made at the proper time it was considered 'hat discussion of the question would be useless, but the Secretary was instructed to bring the matter before the Board in good time prior to ths rates again requiring to be collected. A discussion took place on the proposed payment of interest on the loan. The Secretary said the matter had been delayed as long as possible, in the hope of the Bill being passed, as their Solicitor's advice was that otherwise the rats oould not be collected.—Messrs Shelton and Bennett strongly objected to ths payment being made when the Board actually had not the funds in hand.—Mr Townley said they had to choose the least of two evils, and the payment of the money was the lesser one.—Mr Bennett said that if by any chans* the Bill did not pass they would get them* selves into an awkward fix.—After son* siderable discussion the amount was passed. —Messrs Shelton and Benno t dissented, and afterwards stated their intention of resigning their seats on the Finance Committee. Dis* mission on the subject was then renewed. Mr Townley said the matter could be delayed by cabling the draft to England before th* time for payment expired, and Mr Shelton said a good deal of time oould be gained by appending the payment until just before the mail steamer was leaving Auckland, when they oould telegraph to that place. It wa* eventually resolved, on the motion of Mr Bievwright, seconded by Mr Shelton—" That in consequence of the Gisborne Harbor Aot, 1888, not being so expressed as to euab - th* Board to levy a rate, that Government be notified that the interest due in London on November Ist requires at once to be remitted, but the Board not being in a position to rat* has not the funds actually available for the purpose, and to ask Government what th* Board is to do."