HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 563, 29 January 1891, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

A si'FCiAL meeting of the above was held on Tuesday night to discuss the report presented by the Marine Engineer, Mr O’Connor. The following members were present:—The Chairman (Mr Townley), Messrs Joyce, DeLautour, Chrisp, Bright, Arthur, and Shelton. Captain Chrisp said that he had moved that time be taken to consider the report mainly out of courtesy to the Engineer. It seemed clear that he did not intend them to adopt the resolution until the plant was disposed of. The Chairman, quoting from the report, nid it was evident that the Engineer did not wish them to sleep over the matter. Captain Chrisp said as it seemed that m ambers of the Board were not unanimous as to the sale of the plant, it would be better to deal with that phase of the question first. In reply to Mr DeLautour the Secre’ary Slid he had simply sent to Government a bare acknowledgment of receipt of the report. The Chairman said that what they had to consider was the motion proposing that the Government be asked to take over the works. If that vias carried they would ha vp no necessity to consider the question of plans. Mr DeLautour said that two distinct resolutions were moved, and the consideration of both adjourned. Mr Shelton asked what would be the position of the district if the Government took over the works and spent the £21,000 without being successful ? Would the district be relieved at all from rates? The Chairman assumed that it would be as with the railways, a colonial work. Mr DeLautour said the only analogy would be the Waimea railway, in regard to which the rates had been relieved in futuro, though he did not thiuk the present rates would be relieved. Of course there was distinct legislation that they would have to pay on the present expenditure. Mr Shelton said the £21,000 would be a great help in that way. The Chairman said there was nothing like trying what could be done. Mr Shelton said whenever they bad gone to Government they had come off second best. The Chairman: Well, we have this report. Mr Shelton thought that was little use. The Chairman said they might have had it before had not the majority opposed, and it would have saved a good deal of money. Mr DeLautour said it bad seemed to him that if the plant were disposed of there would be no hope cf colonial relief. It was safe to go as far as Mr O’Connor went that the expend!'ure world be an experiment but may be justifiable as an expenditure to try and make use of a greater expenditure. They had spent enough io experiments already, and bad come out of it very badly, though they had acted upon the advice of those specially qualified to advise. He (Mr DeLautour) held that there should be no further expenditure at present, but that the plant should be conserved in the hope that colonial aid would be given. He was in hopes that with an enlightened native land policy the district would be in a position itself to construct a harbor that would meet the requirements of the place. Mr O’Connor told them that could be done for £130,000, which added to th** £lOO.OOO already spent made a total Of £230,000 But in regard to the proposed expenditure of £21.000, Mr O'Connor’s own advise was in the opposite direo ion and his expressions were very guarded. The work was only recommended because of the present deplorable state of things, and the Engineer also cautioned them that the new work would be so fragile it would have to be carried out very carefully. They were indebted to Mr O'Connor for bis careful report, but it was after all only a tentative report, one of four given by men who had made marine engineering their life study, which he did not think Mr O’Connor bad. On the face of the report it gave them nothing which would justify further expenditure at the present time. He deprecated any attempt to race a sand bank. Mr Joyce bad come to the same conclusion as Mr DeLantour. He quoted from the report showing bow Mr O’Connor himself expressed bis opinion concerning the difficulty—as he put it, of making bricks without straw. On the face of the Marine Engineer’s own remarks it would not be wise to undertake any more experimental work at present, but ha considered that an effort shield be made to get the Government to take over the works, giving them the machinery, endowment, and everything else, if they could get a substantial work made. It would be folly for them to throw away £21,000 in experimental schemes. Mr Arthur agreed with Mr DeLautour. Mr Shelton also agreed that it wou'd be useless to go into further experiments, but he thought the sooner the plant was disposed of the better. As it remained there it would

rapidly depreciate in value. The concrete would not depreciate, but the sooner the machinery and timber were disposed of the hatter. The timber was now quickly being taken. In a few years the machinery would be only valued as old iron. They might have trouble io selling it, and the only hope he had waa to applylto the makers. It would pay them better it,they wanted plant at a future time to buy a new plant altogether. Mr Bright was pleased that the Board was go unanimous in deciding not to spend further money. When ths poll was taken for the £lO,OOO he had publicly and privately urge 1 that from a commercial point of view the expenditure should not be made, "He understood that the question of the plant was not then before them, and would content himself with expressing his cordial approval Of the resolution. The motion was put and carried unanimously, to the effect that the Board could not undertake further expenditure at present. Ths second resolution was that unless the Government took over the works the plant Should be conserved. Mr DeLautour admitted that there was much weight in what Mr Shelton said about the deterioriation of the plant, but be thought that they might conserve it for six months - so as to keep the district’s chance alive. Any chance shay might have would be decided Witbin the next year or so. Paptain Chrisp agreed that it would be advisable to sell the plant if they could get a favorable price for it. He inferred that Mr O'Connor had some idea of a method of getting the plant disposed of. RMr Bright understood that Mr O'Connor had simply arrived at the probable return by deducting 30 per cent, from the in-vplo-k, ' air Shelton suggested that the motion be jmVthat they should ascertain if there was any chance of disposing of the plant. That " would not bind them to anything, and would give them tjme to see If there was gny likelihood of the work being taken over by Government. He would not like to see the plant sacrificed. Mr DeLautour said he wanted the plant taret. ■ The Chairman said if they once gave up the hope of going on with the work, the sooner the machinery it was taken down for sale or storage the better. It was greatly depreciating where it was at present. If they could get the enclosure promised by MrO’Connor, ft woi’ld be a very useful one. They should drgo th* Government to take over the work,

and ho believed in that matter the report would bo useful. 11 was clear to any observer that the work would be useless without the western wall. Mr Dougherty had told bitn no matter what the depth of water, the captains would not bring their vessels alongside the solid pier, and if wharfage was put up it would bring the vessels on the sand bank. It seemed to him that the resolution passed met the question for the present till they knew what the Government would do. Mr Bright suggested that the opportunity should be taken to urge the district s claims on the present Government, in regard to the breakwater work and also on works generally. He would propose as an amendment— “ That having in view the strong claims the district has upon the colony, both general and in connection with the harbor works, a committee be appointed for the purpose of preparing a report for submission to the Board,and presentment to Government there after, having for its object the taking over by the colony cf the affairs and reaponsibi ities of the Board, and that such committee consist of the Chairman and Messrs D Latitour, Shelton, and the mover.” The case which they could make out he thought was such that any Government calling itse’f a Liberal Government must give them redress. He estimated that the district paid £20,000 per annum clear revenue to Government, in return for which the only public work the district had ever got was £6,000. Mr Joyce thought the Government should not be applied to until the new Ministry was in working order. They might call any Government Liberal, but so far as this district was concerned there had never been much liberality, Mr Bright said it would take a month to get a petition sent to Government. Mr DeL*utour would withdraw his motion and subsequently move in regard to the plant. He agreed with Mr Joyce that the Government should be allowed to harden its shell before application were nude. Mr Shelton seconded Mr Bright’s motion, which after further discussion waa put and carried unanimously. Mr DeLautour then moved that the plant be not sold at present unless, on enquiry, it be ascertained that an advantageous sale be made. Captain Chrisp cordially agreed with that motion and would second it. The plant was depreciating, they were losing interest on it, and it had cost £66 14s lid during the last few months for attendance. Mr Shelton proposed an amendment to the effect that the Board should try and get offers for the plant either in part or for the whole. The amendment was not seconded and the motion was then carried unanimously, it biing understood that enquiries would be duly made.