SHIPPING DELAYS IN WELLINGTON

Press, Volume C, Issue 29514, 16 May 1961, Page 16

SHIPPING DELAYS IN WELLINGTON

(Neto Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 15. “It just seems hopeless to bring ships into Wellington now,” said the managingdirector of the Union Steam Ship Company (Mr H. H. Dobie) today. “Because of shed congestion, our schedules are upset, and delays are involving the company in additional heavy expenses.” he said. A 10-day delay to the Wairata, which has 1000 tons of cargp from Calcutta, Bombay, and Singapore, which should have taken only one day to discharge, had cost over £lO.OOO so far. “So far, only a trifling amount has been discharged from the Wairata. which arrived from Auckland on May 6.” said Mr Dobie. “On another occasion, a vessel with only 5C3 tons to put out at Wellington wa l

held here for four days. “It sometimes seems a hopeless position,” he said. The real reason for the present serious wharf congestion was the using of the transit sheds as warehouses by merchants, he believed. But the aftermath was falling on the shipping companies. who were having their schedules upset because of the unreasonable delays. “We are not the only ones suffering, either.” he said.