HARBOR BOARD.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 652, 27 August 1891, Page 3

HARBOR BOARD.

An ordinary meeting of the Board was held on Tuesday evening. Present: The Chairman, Messrs DeLautour, Sievwright, Clark, Arthur, Shelton, Bright, Matthewson, and Joyce. The Secretary had written to the Education Board claiming rates on school properties let to tenants. A reply was received stating the properties were exempt, and a further letter had been sent saying that pro pertics let under the' conditions of these cottages were not exempt. A letter was sent to Mr Kelly, M.H. R., urging that the Board be granted an endowment of Motu and Waikohu blocks. Mr Dobson wrote acknowledging information as to the plant, and stating that at present he had no use for which he need make an offer. Mr Knox offered £3 for a portable forge he had been using at the Patutahi quarry. — Offer declined.

Mr <l. Wogg offered 10s a ton tor a lot of ecrap iron lying about the works. —Mr Bright remarked that the iron was to send to the Onehunga smelting works,—lt was decided to sell the iron, subject to the Chairman's overlooking it. Mr M. Muliooly, whose hotel at Tologa had been burnt down some time ago, and had not been rebuilt, applied that the rateable valuation be reduced from £753 to £700.— In reply to Mr Shelton the Secretary said prior outstanding rateshad been paid—Mr Shelton moved, and Mr Joyce seconded, that the reduction be made.—Carried. Mr Whinray wrote, protesting against the assessment of his property made by the late Secretary. He did not object to the valuation being fixed the same as the Borough until the general valuation was made.—lt was agreed to reduce the valuation to £lOOO. The Wharfinger reported that several pieces of the planking of the viaduct had been broken, and be had given instructions to have some pieces of plank nailed on to pre - vent accident. Mr Shelton mentioned that horses were being used on the viaduct contrary to the Board's previous resolution.—Mr Clark said horses should not go through the viaduct unless it was rotten.—Mr Shelton : It is rotten.—The Chairman said the horses bad been used to lighter a vessel,—Mr DaLaulour supposed it would be a rare thing.—Mr Sievwright supposed they weie entitled to make use of the work.- The Chairman: Unless it is to be an ornament.—Mr DeLautour said the question was whether the expense of maintenance was worth the use that could be made of the work in this way.—Mr Matthewson said the work was never Intended for horse traffic, which would be sure to cause damage to It. —The subject was dropped, it being stated that so far there were only a few broken places in the viaduct. The Harbormaster, in his usual report, noted that the buoy which bad been carried away had been replaced. He remarked that the removing of the rocks in the river would be a great benefit.

The Chairman said he had received a letter from Captain Skinner, whose vessel had caught on the rocks, and who felt so strong on the matter that he had offered £lO towards getting the work done. He (the Chairman) thought the work needed doing.—Mr Shelton said they should not receive money from anyone in that way,—The Chairman said it at least showed the Captain's spirit in the matter.—lt was resolved to call for tenders for the removal of the rock.—The requests as to repairing spouting and removing a tank were granted. Messrs Richardson, Lucas, and Quigley applied for the poet of Returning Officer.— Mr Joyce proposed Mr Richardson.—Mr Shelton asked if the Secretary could not do the work.—Mr Matthewson said the Secretary might be required st the wharf and could not attend all day.—ln reply to Mr DeLantonr, the Chaiiman said the applications sent in were voluntary,—Mr DeLautour thought the Secretary might be appointed and then he could appoint deputies.—There being no seconder to Mr Joyce’s motion, he suggested that the matter be left over until they had moved into the new offices, and it was agreed to defer the matter, The Foreshore Committee recommended the favorable consideration of Mr Burns’ application for a portion of the foreshore for a slip to repair vessels. The report concluded :—The Committee recommend the granting of a license for short terms, say seven years, at a low rental, rather than a long lease. Your Committee see no reason for disallowing vessels with masts to pass through the bridges, seeing that the bridges are constructed with swings for the purpose of facilitating commerce. They would beg to urge the Board to make all reasonable concessions to foster trade in the district where such can be done without loss to the Board and ratepayers. The protest from the Borough Council was then read, urging that the cost of opening the bridges should prevent any portion of the foreshore being let. Mr Arthur proposed the adoption of the Committee's recommendation.—The Chairman said that for Mr Burna’ purposes there would be little opening of the bridges, but it would keep work in the plaee.—Mr Sievwright thought they could get over the difficulty by imposing addi'ional port dues on vessels going through the bridges.—Mr Matthewson asked would the dues go to the Borough ?—Mr Sievwright said that would be a matter for arrangement.—The Chairman said the Borough would have no objection to handing the bridges over to the Board. (Laughter.)—Mr Joyce favored Mr Burns’ application, saying that it would be a pity to let money for repairing vessels go to Napier. The bridges would seldom require opening for the purpose Mr gbelten said the most important thing was what effect the slip might have on the river. —The Chairman said the slip would not reach low water.—Mr Sievwright seconded the motion to approve of the report The motion was unanimously carried, subject to the Committee being satisfied that the s’ip would not affect the river channel.—Mr Delautour tnnved that the Council’s letter ba acknowledged, and that body be informed that the Board had no power to step traffic in the river way unless a private Act were passed, which the Board had no wish to take up It was resolved that a reply be sent accordingly.—Mr Matthewson suggested that the Committee refer Mr Burns’ attention to the possibility of there being a better site for a slip below the bridges. It was decided that the Finance Committee report on the Secretary's bond. It was decided to confirm the lease of Tauwbarepsrae to Mr Jackson and others. Thp Committee oonoerning the estate of the late John Bourke reported that it contained a lot of scrip that was valueless, some scrip that might produce a few pounds, 25 gas shares, a coup'e of horses, and any surplus that remained when the Bank had disposed of a couple of properties, A statement of accounts placed on the ta'tp-e. showed that the Board was in a position to pay the interest in due course. Mr Arthur gave an account of the way he had tried to push the interests of the Board In Wellington, and the Board passed a vote of thauks to that gent'eman. The following accounts were passed for payment: —Victoria Insurance Company, £7 10s; DeCosta and Hastie, £5 9s; A. R. Muir, £4 Os 61; Burns and Co., £2 Ils 41; E. J. Chrisp, £4 18s 61; Thomson and Co., £lO 19s 61; A, Thomson, £7 3s 4d; J. W, Witty, £l6 13s 4d,