HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16164, 19 March 1918, Page 2

HARBOUR BOARD.

ANNUAL MEETING. CITY AND PORT QUESTIONS. The forty-first annual meeting of the Lvttelton Harbour Board was held yeste'rdav Present—Messrs A. Kayo (chairman), Geo. Scott, H. B. Soraisen, W J. Walter, E. J. Howard, J. J. Graham, T. D. Boag, J. Storry, H. ?■ Nicoll, T. A. Blackley, F. Horrell, S. K. Sleigh, the, Hon. R. Moore, M.L.0., and Dr. H. T. J. Thacker, M.P. CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL ADDRESS. The chairman, in his annual address, in referring to tho revenue decreases, said that the cause might be about equally divided between tho general strike in Australia (which lasted two months) and the marked decrease in the number of ocean-going vessels railing and loading during September, October, and part of November. Though tliey had no cause for anxiety, aiul cheerful!} accepted loss of revenue caused by tile war, it was well to consider whether there were any other sources from which, thev might reasonably expect to obtain some relief. He reminded members that the Board had no endowments and no rating powers. Referring to dues on transport, the chairman pointed out that the British Admiralty recognised their responsibilities in this matter; ancu iu such circumstances he thought that in asking the New Zealand Government to pay such dues tho Board was n?t askin" anything more than was equitable. New Zealand Government vessels aii<l troods used the Board's wharves, and the Government paid nothing except whartage on ooal that arrived in port for trad in o- purposes. As the Board existed foAho benefit of the public, and he understood that services renderod by one Government Department to another had the cost of such services debited and paid for by the Department benefited, he strongly held that Harbour Boards should receive the same treatment from tho Government's us© of the harbours and wharves. The Minister of Marine had expressed sympathy with this contention. Mr Kaye referred to the improvement of communication between city and port, and said, in connexion with the proposed traffic road, that it would not disturb vested interests, but rather enhance their value, and that once the scheme was satisfactorily demonstrated, and when it was realised that the benefits to be derived from it were well worth the oost, then unreasoning opposition would fade away. He had, however, an open mind on the whole subject: he had always advocated that by some means the port, wherever it was, and the city should be connected by a roadway, so that lorries would be able to get alongside the vessels and the wharf sheds. This could be accomplished without any detriment whatever to the dircct country traffic, which would be entered for much in the manner as at present. Referring to harbour improvements, the chairman said that the dredges continued to keep up their full reputation for their respective kinds of work, and they had reason to be satisfied with the steady progress of deepening'the channel, which now could bo reckoned as 29 feet at low .water spring tides, or 34 feet at high water neap tides, practically enabling any of the vossels that nowadays visited the Dominion to bo berthed on any and all occasions required. He moved the adoption of t"ie accounts and the reception of the reports and statements.

THE DISCUSSION. Dr. Thacker, in seconding the motion, complimented tho chairman on the excellence of his address, which was full, explicit, and to the point. liemarking on the necessity for a port "on this side of the hills," he said.that his return to tho Board, by overwhelming majorities, and the fact that Christchurch city had returned members favourable to u port on this side of the hills, proved that the people of Cliristchurch wanted such a port. He contended that anew port on this side of the hills could be constructed for less than £700,000, and for less than it would cost to make Lyttelton harbour deej> enough to accommodate vessels drawing 40 feet. Mr F. Horrell contended that at tlie rate they were deepening the channel at Lyttelton, they would have it deep enough in ten years to accommodate vessels drawing 40 feet. One who, like Dr. Thacker, absolutely condemned Lyttelton, had no right to be a member of the Board. Tho country districts, which supplied the staple products which provided the wharfage dues, should have greater representation 011 the Board than the city. Mr S. K. Sleigh remarked that sufficient time had not been a;iven members to become conversant with the details of the accounts and reports. The chairman said that conies would have been available earlier but there had been unforeseen delay. The Hon. R. Moore, referring to Dr. Thacker's.statement, asked how it was, if the tx>ople of Ghristchurch were so favourable to a harbour on this side of tho hills, that one who had taken a more prominent part in the agitation than T>r. Thacker himself had been turned down by, the electors of Christchurch. Mr Walter interjected that Mr C.

Allison had been turned down not by the electors but by the Citizens League. Mr Moore contended that there were many people of business capacity in Christchurch. who did not favour the scheme, and the members of the Board ought to look at it from a business point of view. Reports from unbiased men, and from experts., were adverse to a port on this side of the hills. Mr Graham complimented the chairman on his address. . . Mr Scott referred to the existing disabilities, and stated that so ■ long as they continued Christchurch,- a«s a manufacturing centre, .would, be hampered, and new industries would not be established readily.

Mr Howard said he was of opinion that the question of Port Christchurch was one not so much for the Board as for the proposed Progress of Canterbury League. He emphasised the necessity for a report of a more recent date than fourteen years ago, the project. The chairman said that as regards city and port, they had to study everything as from year to year. He had always felt that, wherever their port was situated, they ought to gee in touch with it. If the port was to tomain in Lyttolton for all time, then they must study the best means of obtaining access to it. The question was one to which they ought not to bring bias. As a Board they had to do their best to combat disabilities, because they had a port controlled entirely by a Government Department. If they could get the Railway ment to realise that the railways wero made by the people, for the people, and to bo a benefit to the people, and- if the railways nrorked in sympathy with the needs of Christchurch, they would not have much to complain about. In the existing condition of things they had lo agitate and endeavour to got out of the present impasse. The discussion of means "jt improvement served a useful purpose by impressing on the railway authorities that the people were far from satisfied with present facilities, and that would go a long way to remedy the evils that exist. He emphasised the necessity for unanimity on the Board if any progress was to be made in the matter.

The motion was agreed to. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. The treasurer's report stated that the year began with a balance to credit of £13,462 2s 3d. The revenue for the year was fairly satisfactory till August, receipts for the first half of the year covering expenditure, but in the second half the shortage of shipping ( tonnage adversely affected the xevenue, and by the end of the year a net overdraft of £4181 Is lid accumulated. ]n Aujrast the Board advanced from its ordinary account £2000 to the Sinking Fund Commissioners to enable them to tako up, a substantial amount of the Government "War Loan. Receipts for the year were £8550 ISs 3d less" than in 1916. The earnings for 1917 amounted to £59,726 wharfages showed a decrease of £2935 3s, duo to a falling-ofi of 47,55-1 tons in the quantity of floods passing over the wharfs; value of exports, £3,926,241, an increase of £180,292; imports, £3,243,861, a decrease of £791,236. Vessels entering the port numbered 1983, a decrease of 142; total tonnage, 1,403,458, a decrease of 229,777 tons. Assets exceeded liabilities by £494,408 8s lid. The estimated receipts for 1918 based, substantially, on those for 1917, were estimated at £65,155. The estimated expenditure provided for carrying on to completion, or for another yeax, all works in hand, in addition to £1500 for sundry small works, and £-3500 for improvements to No. 2 jetty.

WORK AT THE PORT. The engineer's report stated that during the year the Canterbury lifted 1,186,728 tons of clayey mud. The Tewhaka removed 45,360 tons from between No. 6 and No. 7 jetties. The reconstruction and enlargement of No. C jetty was completed dnring the year, and it was now suitable for berthing vessels 550 ft long and drawing 33ft. The conversion of the electric lighting system resulted in a saving of £400 per annum. The accommodation for storing butter and cheese was increased to 15,000 boxes and 6500 crates respectively. At the conclusion of the meeting the Boaid resolved itself into the Harbour Improvements Committee, and agreed to postpone the consideration of the engineer's report on suggested methods of improving communication between city and port till next month.