JJ Underwood, tug - £4 -14 - 4
As to a letter received from the Bank, the Commissioners were not in a position to submit any proposals for reducing or paying off their liability at that time. As such a response seems to indicate, revenue from the port was declining and every effort had to be made to attract trade. This meant having the approach channels as deep as possible which in turn required almost constant dredging. But there were other parties opposed to that operation. In October 1927 the Harbour Commissioners received a letter from Meldon and Company, Solicitors, Dublin, threatening to obtain an injunction against such dredging as they pointed out that previous actions of that kind had caused some of the reclaimed land of the North and South Slobs to fall into the sea.
The chairman classed the letter as ridiculous, saying that dredging had occurred before the sloblands were ever there plus the fact that they had jurisdiction over the harbour and were carrying out their statutory obligations.
An indication of work practices under the Harbour Commissioners can be gained from the entry of August 7th, 1928:
"An application was read from Charles Kehoe, night watchman, asking for one weeks absence leave. Mr.
McGuire proposed and Mr. Gaul seconded. His brother to 'stand in'. "
In September 1928, the Board received a copy of plans from the Electricity Supply Board for lighting of the quays and side streets. A small committee was elected to consider them. The question of using steel or wooden poles was also referred to a later date.
Also in 1928 we find the Commissioners paying a sum of money to a pilot who was 'off sick' in order to bring his sickness benefit up to his usual rate of wages. Sickness benefit at that date was 10/6 per week.
The annual inspection of the harbour for 1928 was carried out on July 28th.
The following Commissioners toured the area in the pilot boat: R. Houston (chairman), Capt. Boyle, Capt. Cardiff, Ald. J. Billington, Messrs. J. Browne T.C., J.H. Martin, W.S. Kearney, W. O'Connell, and J. White (secretary). Capt. T. Morris, pilot master, had charge of the boat.
They pronounced themselves very pleased with the inspection, the channel and buoys were in perfect condition and as far as depth of water was concerned it had seldom been better. Their spirits were buoyed by a better set of trading figures than of late, with as many as 6 vessels discharging at the quays at one time during the previous week. Mr. J.J. Staffords cattle service was not alone filling his vessel but turning away the surplus. They awaited the completion of the Shannon Scheme (by the ESB) and hoped to light the harbour from Wexford to the Raven Point. It was remarked that since the break in the banks at Rosslare the 'bar' had actually improved, against all expectations.
Despite this improvement, dredging was still an urgent necessity to keep Wexford open and in the following year we find the local dock labourers sending a memorial requesting the retention of the dredger 'Saxifrage' in Wexford to clean the channel. It was addressed to the Minister for Finance and to Wexford's Dail deputies. All replied saying they would do all in their power to retain the dredger.
In 1930, the lighting of the quays again came up for discussion. The ESB proposed to supply lamps and fittings on any existing standards free of charge. It was suggested that 26 lamps would be required to sufficiently light the quays and that it was the duty of the commissioners to light the quays from sunset, or to midnight, to serve the shipowners. Once again no definite decision was made.
Despite an earlier downturn in trade, the figures for the year ending March 31st, 1931 gave much encouragement. Over the previous 3 years trade had actually increased.
There were 275 arrivals in 1928; 314 in 1929 and 335 in 1930 with tonnage increasing by 8,361 to 61,884
tons between 1929 and 1930.
In 1930 the Wexford Steamship Company had been formed at Paul Quay from J.J. Staffords company and would go on to build up one of the best fleets in Ireland. Also in that year, Wexford Coal Company was enjoying good trade and actually rented the Ballast Bank and its shed for storage at a rate of 5/- per month exclusive of the use of the crane.
Another indication of work practices on the quays was illustrated on November 11th, 1931. John Butler of Bride Street and Matthew Stafford from Ram Street applied for the position of weigh master in charge of the weighbridge at Crescent Quay. Mr. Butler, a disabled ex-serviceman on a pension of 12/- per week offered 2/- per week to hire the weighbridge. Mr. Stafford offered 5/- per week. Stafford was appointed.
The position of Harbour Master was also vacant that year following the resignation of Captain J.
Saunders. The following people applied for the job:
Charles Kehoe, harbour constable, Bride Street; James Carroll, The Faythe; Michael Doyle, Barrack Street; Patrick Hawkins, Michael Street; Captain D. Murphy, temporary pilot, Clifford Street; Captain Thomas Morris, pilot master, Carrigeen Street; William Bent, Bride Place. Edward Wickham, North Main Street.
Mr. Wickham was appointed to the position. Once again one is struck by the addresses of the applicants, only one was from the north side of the town.
In 1931 the Wexford Harbour Commissioners decided to take a half page advertisement in 'Free State Official Handbook.'
From a record of September 7th, 1932, it appears that the previous ESB lighting offer had not been taken up. On the above date they offered to light 26 lamps on Wexford Quay from half an hour after sunset until midnight for £92- 16-10 per annum. They proposed a contract, to run for 3 years. Yet again no decision was taken.
Meanwhile, the board had other matters to discuss. From the minutes of 1932:
"Mr. Walsh said that in the new lavatory on the quay, there was an awful waste of water. The two cisterns
