CONGESTION ON WHARF

Chronicle (Levin), 15 December 1947, Page 7

CONGESTION ON WHARF

Press ASsociaiiorij

APPEAL to importers to lift " GOODS IN HOLIDAYS

(Per

AUCKLAND, Dec. 14. A warning -that the port of Auckland, will face a inajor tran'sport problem if warehouses do not make arrangements to lift cargo from tlie wharf over the holiday iieriod is given by Mr. G-. J. Browne, eliairinan of the Cargo Control Committee recently established by the Covernment with w ide.powers to ensure the smooth movement of shipments. If merchantS\observe the ordinarv holidays, warehouses will be closed from Decejnber 24 until about January 12, a total of 18 days. The waterside workers will be absent only on sev'en days and four half-days, liicluding iSaturdays and fciundays, during this period. An exceptionally large tonnage of imports, the last slnpments of the 1 647 iicensing year, is arriving in the next i'ew weeks to provide an unprecedented eomplication to the holiday problem. Altliough the Cargo Control Committee will have more otf-tlie-wharf storage space under its jurisdiction than during the war Mr. Browne considers that. if warehouses are not opened the stores will be swaiuped by 35,000 tons that the full gangs working all the slii^is could land each week. Already the port eoiigestion is serious and three overseas ships will be at anchor tomorrow waiting for berths. Thirteen of the overseas and intercolonial ships in port have inward cargoes. Four are from Australia, four from North America, "three from the Uiiited Kingdom, oue is from Fiji ancl oue from North America. Five vessels are loading. Two of theni are taking cargoes to Britain, two are travelling to Britain by ivay of "other countries and one is loading tor the islands. Eleven ships are so far listed to arrive by the end of this month with .inward cargoes. 1 lve are from Nortli Arnerica and one is from Britain. Two sliips have phosphate shipiueiifs, one has bitumen and oue tanker is expected. Under an order of the Wateufront Industrj' Connnission, the Auckland watersider workers will be on holiday from nooii ou Chrisunas Eve until the following Mondav niorning auid again from noon on New Year's Eve until the morning of January 2. AppeaL have beeu made by the Cargo Control Committee to iuiporters to maintain skeleton stalfs at their warehouses, but so far tlie response has not been as good as was expeeted. If coastal goods are not lifted from Ihe wharf slieds within 24 hours and if overseas merehandise

is not iuoved within 48 hours, the eoni mittee will tnove the mateidal at its own diseretion to storage slieds at the expense of the meri-hants. Mr. Browne stated that the comuiittee did not wish. to take this step unless it could be avoided. The ouus rested dn importers to eolleet tlieii goods. If it became neeessary for cargc to be shifted bei'ore tlie e.\j>iry of tlie timo liinit, it vvould be done at the (roveniment 's expense. "It was a grave mistake to niakt December 31 the expiry date for iniport lie(Onsing for tlie 1047 year," said Mr, Browne. "The end of January whei! warehouses would be opou would lu tnueh more •■satisfactbry. " Mr. Browne [xiinted out.- that'iu the last six niontln the 1'nited K'ingdoin exjiort drive hae gaiued gt'eat impetus and that a greal volume of cargo for New Zcaland ha been built up. As a result extra shijit were coniing out (illed to eapacity.