D.—B

2

No. 2. The Assistant Engineek-in-Chief to the Chairman, Greymouth Harbour Board. Westport, 21st April, 1888. Ec Works and Staff at Greymouth. (Memorandum.) Eefekbing to arrangements already made, and our conversation on the subject, will you kindly arrange further as follows : Mr. Allen, your clerk, is to be appointed Secretary to the Board, at an addition to his present salary of £40; the arrangement being subject to a month's notice on either side, as in the case of temporary Government appointments. F. W. Martin, Esq., C.E. W. N. Blaik. No. 3. The Assistant Engineee-in-Chief to the Chairman, Westport Harbour Board. Westport Harbour Works. Sib,— Westport, 23rd April, 1888. Eeferring to the action that has been taken by the Government in connection with the Harbour Board, I have the honour to submit the following memoranda of what is required in carrying on the business of the Board until more permanent arrangements are made : — As already intimated, the new Board will only be asked to attend to such matters as are by law required to be done by a Board; the general conduct of the works and other business will be undertaken by the various Government departments immediately concerned. With reference to funds, the Government will on your requisition supply such funds as are from time to time required for authorised works ; and payments are to be made in such manner as will be directed by the Treasury and Public Works Department. The books of the Board are to be kept as at present, the accounts being still subject to audit as hitherto. The tenders just received for the quarrying of stones for the breakwater are not to be accepted, but a fresh contract is to be prepared, to include quarrying, hauling, and depositing. This will do away entirely with day-work, and all the foremen and other officials connected therewith will of necessity be discharged. Any of these officials who under their engagements require notice are to be at once informed that their services will not be required after the works are handed over to a contractor. Until so handed over the works are to be carried out by day-labour as at present, special attention being directed towards getting the quarries into the best working-order possible. As it may be necessary, in putting a new face on the quarries, to take out a greater proportion of small stones, you are at once to begin the eastern wall, where this class of material is most required. You are also authorised to arrange for the building of the eight or ten stone-wagons still required. They can be built as an extra on the present contract. As the Government is reducing salaries and wages all over the colony, atid as the wages paid on the harbour-works are higher than is given in other places for similar services, intimation is to be given at next pay-day that foremen who are now receiving 13s. 4d. a day will in future only receive 125., and that all other employes who are now receiving 12s. and under will be subject to an all-round reduction of at least Is. per day. The present system of paying workmen all alike is to be discontinued. Each man is only to be paid what he is worth, the above reduced scale being the maximum for first-class workmen, such as a contractor would select. In order to carry out this system readily, it may be desirable to divide the ordinary workmen in the quarries into two classes —quarrymen and labourers; the former to receive 95., and the latter Bs. per day. Surface-men on the railway should be paid wet and dry. With reference to the administrative staff, as the Government is curtailing expenditure in every direction, it is necessary to reduce the Board's staff to the lowest possible limit, and amalgamate the work with that of the Public Works Department. Will the Board, therefore, kindly give formal intimation to the Secretary and Assistant Engineer that their services will not be required in their present capacities after the three months' notice required under their agreements—the notice to be given as from the Ist May. You are, however, authorised to re-employ Mr. Greenland as a clerk in the Public Works Department and Secretary to the Board at a salary of £250 a year, the engagement being terminable in the usual way —a month's notice on either side. Mr. Austin is for the present to be employed on the survey of the Mokihinui Eailway. If the work is not finished within the three months over which his notice extends, you will keep him on under a monthly engagement, at his present rate of salary, till the survey is done, after which you will be instructed as to further disposing of him. In intimating these changes to Messrs. Greenland and Austin, kindly say that the Government wishes to express its appreciation of their services, and regrets the necessity which has arisen for reducing their status. Under you, Mr. Wilson will have general charge of the harbour-works and all the business connected therewith. You can employ Mr. John Barrowman at once, and give him charge of the out-door work after the contract is let. He is to act as Inspector, with Mr. J. G. Balfour to assist him. Mr. Barrowman is to be paid at the rate of £4 per week, and Mr. Balfour at the rate of £3 10s. In addition to the above, you will require one or two weigh-clerks, who will also do the storekeeping. As the greater portion of the plant and stores is to be handed over to the contractor, the storekeeping work will be very much lessened; and, as the working of the traffic on the railway will also be handed over, the services of the Stationmaster can be dispensed with altogether. Correct inventories and lists are to be prepared of all plant, documents, and other property taken over from the Board and included in the stores returns, under a distinct heading. All con-