HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 557, 15 January 1891, Page 2

HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Harbor Board was held on Tuesday evening. Prevent: The Chaiimnn (Mr Townley), Messrs D-L-ntour, Arthur, Sievwright, Johnston, Chamb rs and G‘-»rlc. It was decided to allow Messrs Pel User md J'lnea, of Napier, to have a bale of jute sacking at the same price as the Napier 80-ird, 10 1 a yard. With eg*rd tn Jute sent to the Napier Harbor Board, and eubsequen ly found to be dtmtged, the C»ptaiu of the Opodki said th® bales were landed in good condition and placed in the trucks; they wer® opened by consent of thy Napier Harbor Board, but heavy rsin came on after they h d been placed in the trucks. Th® Secretary sai the amount, of the dmntged material wur of th® value of £25 —lt was decided to inform the Napier Board that the Gisborne Board hid competed its part of the contract sa'isftctorily—the goods being in good condition on being shipped and also when landed; p «y--ment to be demanded. There being no other bußineim the Secretary read rhe report from Mr O Connor, Marine Engineer, rec »mmendiug the mi Latina of the present, pier by a new w ,11 from Rang) street, ea ima’ed to cost £21,000. aud give f om 15ft to 17ft at high water. After some general dhcusiiion Mr Sievwright suggested that the mat'er be adjourned to a special meeting at some future da’e. The Ch drman said all the members but one were present, and he did not see why they cou’d not enter in'o the business. Captain (Ihrisp would be opposed to anvthing dkfiuite b«i ig deci led that night, as it would be too ha-ty. At any rate Before any notion were taken ih~y should have the funds in band. Mr J hngton did not think they would be mad enough to spend money on a duckpond like that proposed. Mr Ar hur raided the question as to whether, even if they decided to go on with the work, they could use the funds for the purpose, as the new design was not an authorised one. Captain Ohri°p said Mr O’Connor was the Marine Engineer and would not disapprove of his own plan. Mr Aievwright flaid that in the multitude of Councillors they had many opinions, all the Engineers dff *ri ig. He could see no practical difference between rhe new design and Mr Th >mson’a proposed training wail. He sh >uld like to have seen that matter touched on. Mr Chambers said he could not understand why th : s farther expenditure of £21.000 was required when Mr O'Connor himself said there was no appreciable drift of sand. Dealing with the question whether the design allowed for the construction of wharves, the Chairman said it appeared that it did not. In reply to Mr the Chairman said that the £5OOO in hand was earning 5 per cent, interest. Mr DeLautour said therefore the disposal of the machinery would give increased money earning interest. The Chairman said if they concluded that they cou’d not continue the present work th®/ mkht decide to dispose of th-, machinery, which was losing value lying then*. Thn Secretary said that some harbor works were being gone on with at Woolloogong, N.S W. Messrs Johnston and Chambers said they would oppose the selling of the plant. Mr Chambers saw nothing to prevent the suocbsr of the present work being carried out to it® completion. Mr Arthur said they would not be allowed to continue the present work, but he thought that they could get the same facilities by spending only £4OOO or £5OOO on the present train! g wall.

Captain Chrißp said that in the face of Mr O’Connor’s report they would never be allowed by Parliament to continue the w >rk. There would also have to be a poll of rat**’ avers. Mr Johnston thought they should adjourn the matter until after the election. Mr DeLautour said the posit ion wa® plain that they must decline any further expenditure whatever in the present post Hon of the Board—if they did not conserve what they had they would be leaving thainselves Unable to pay the interest, and it would be wrong to spend what they had on a mere sporting venture If the Government would take over control nf the works, with the plant th>vt would be the best way nut of the difficulty, He was quite sure Government would n^ver do anything to the works if the plant was not on the spot. They should indicate their willingness to let Government have the plant if there was a chance of their doing anything in the matter. VVi h the vay impro ements » hat we eb® ng in tde in harbor eouatructiou both the Government aud the district would probab'y be gainers iu years to come. Any scheme leading to only 12ft of water seemed useless debating, but he thought they should be prepared when better f multies were given by improvements in the methods of harb »r construction. If they did away with the p'ant at the present stage, and condemned themselves to no better harbor aroommodatiorj for twenty years to come, thry wou'd deserve to be p mished. He advirol the simple acknowledgment of receipt of the report, and ipfurm Government that they did not at present s»® their way ro incur any such •xp nd it ure ; uls > that un ess Government saw its way to take over the works and plant, the plant should be conserved and the balance In hand at present be invested from year to year in aid of (he interest fund He wou’d if they liked put that iu the form of a resolution which might ba pqt at next meeting. In reply to a remark by (he Chairman Mr DeLautour said he thought there was a very prospect ot Government taking over the works. As it was they had very good reasons to urge in support of that view, and as their exports increased, which they were doing rapidly, there would be still stronger reasons. Mr Chambers would not be iu favor of abandoning the present scheme fur the sake of 12 feet of water. Mr Arthur would be against expending £21.000 tor the probability of getting such a small depth of water.

Mr Sievwright thought it was clear that Mr O’Connor Hi 1 not fake the matter out of th° region nf experiment. ThA Chairman quoted (he remark® that he“ undertook the reppniißibi ity <i »*C'nnm j ndi-g " He agreed with ChrHp's bp|iof thth°y would not get the sanction of PaJiam-nt to the c»n»innation of the work under Mr Th »mp-*on Reheroe. Mr Hi-*vwrj<?ht sail a fa I ’’ y*»ara m-ade a great deal of difference—th-r hid go» nre* - Sir John Onnd-’e report, and Mr report. (L The first portion of Mr DeLautour’® suggestion war put in the form of a motion, and wan seconded by Mr Arthur. Captain Chrisp thought it would be better to defer the matter for funher consideration, and not give a direct notice to Government, binding them in that way. Mr DeLautour said it seemed nonsenee for them to be there night after night dtßCu»»ing engineering problems when they well knew there war no money—«hev wh'tuld k *nw nwn minds, and not shrink from coming to a decision. Mr Jnlinaton would support the motion, strongly objecting to coming tb»ir night after night to dincuas euoh repor s, and animadverting on the new design. Captai i Ch dap said Mr O’Connor pointed out a way by which they could get funds without touching the money locked up , The public at present knew little ab mt the matter, and it would not be treating them right to dismiss the ques'ion in that summary way. He moved that the matter be adj turned for a fortnight. Mt b’evwriglr seconded. Mr DeLautour agreed to the Cadj lurnment, He said what he wished was for something definite to be placed before them The adjournment was resolved upon, and aleo the adjournment of a motion to the effect that if there whs no prospect of ’he Government taking over the works, the machinery be conserved for future use. General reports finm the Harbormaster and Wharfinger were read, and the folb wing payments pissed:—A R. Muir, £7 10<; Wingate, Burna and Co ,£2 14< Id ; Wages account. £2 8s; T. Adams, tl 12s 91; J. Jeune, £1 5a 6J; A. Thompson, £1 10a. In regard to tho necessity of having one of the boilers cleaned, the Chairman ®aid such item® nf expenditure would always be coming on them while they tailed the plant.