PORT OF WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 44, 30 January 1945, Page 5

PORT OF WHAKATANE

RETENTION DESIRED EVIDENCE BEFORE COMMITTEE The value of the port and coastal shipping to the town of Whakatane was stressed, at a meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce last Thursday evening, when a discussion on the forthcoming visit of the' Committee of Enquiry into the question of Coas4al Shipping and Rail took place. The chairman, Mr H. G. Warren introducing the subject said that the Commission proposed visiting Whakatane on February f> } and would be investigating the co-relationship between rail and water transport. It Avas obvious that the majority of the people in Whakatane Avould be strongly averse, to any move which would jeopardise the existing shipping transport. At the same time he felt he was on good grounds in asserting too that they desired an up-to-date and efficient rail and road service, as well. Mr G. Brabant, stated that it appeared to him as if the Government Avanted to do away Avith competition in freights and divert all the transport to the railway. The fact that Whakatane had harbour facilities AA r as one of the things that was helping to hold it in its present position. Opotiki did not AA r ant to lose their harbour, and it Avould be a retrograde step for Whakatane's port to be closed down. Mr R. W. Schofield was of the same opinion. The Government certainly appeared to be doing Avhat it could to close Whakatane's port and, divert the traffic to the railway. Apart, from the effect this would have on the community as a Avhole it Avould also mean that 7 freights, Avould be much higher, especially if the railway employees succeeded in getting their Avage increase —a total of £3 000 000 per year more. In any case, to take aAvay a natural facility such as the port and replace it by a man-made one such as the railAvay. would be nothing short of sheer madness. The AvaterAva'ys AVere the heritage of NeAV Zealanders. The sea Avas in the blood of NeAV Zealand youth but the railway, Avould never make seamen of them. Every step possible should be taken to defeat the aims of the Government. Mr Canning pointed out the situation that had arisen in inland towns and those not served by shipping since the commencement of the strike. Hamilton Avas crying out. for flour. With the stoppage of the railway all supplies had ceased. Fortunately Whakatane was in a totally different position as the Aveekly boat Avas still running. Mr Warren backed up these statements by a brief resume of the manner in Avhieh the Government had steadily pushed coastal shipping into the background. He recalled the days before road and rail services netAvorked the country—days when coastal passenger boats did a thriA'ing business. With the advent of motor vehicles and the progress oi I the shipping companies had had to fall back on freight carrying alone. Now the Government Avas trying to I oust the auxiliary cargo boats also land divert all the traffic to the ran-k-ay. No effort should be spared to prevent this coming about. It was decided to appoint, two delegates in the persons of the President and Mr R. W. Schofield to attend the sitting of the commission in Whakatane early next month and also to endeavour to get the commission to sit in Whakatane.