THE KING'S WHARF.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 684, 8 December 1909, Page 9

THE KING'S WHARF.

, + STRUCTURAL FEATURES CAUSE SLOW - ' , DISCHARGE. I A SERIOUS POSITION. For some htllo time'past it has boon aseoitcd that tho now King's Whalf was hardly an ideal structure in more ways than ono. Tho chiof of these is that tho fittings and ' gear—tho wharf's top-hampor—rathoi irapodo than ,'assis.t smart dispatch. Tho expeditious handling and delivery of cargo is tho first essential in v.harf construction and inaiirge ment, and it is avorrod by moro than ouo authority that this is lacking on our latest and - ei'e&fest wharf. An instance of how o \essel using tho King's Wharf can bo dolayed is aiforded in the caso of the Shaw Savill and C'o.'s steamer-Athenio, which urnvod horo fiom London on Tuesday of last Under ordinary circumstances, whon berthed at tho Queen's Wharf, tho vessel could dischargo ns much cargo as she has (or Wellington this i trip in fiom fonr to five days. On this oc- > casion she cannot leave foi Lyttelton until to-morrow at tho oarliest. It is unneccssaiy to dwell on tho seiurosncsß of such a delay. Captain Kempson, R.N.R., tho commander of the Athenic. was'interviewed yeslordny on tho subjoet ol tho vessel's dotay. "Wo arrivod hero last Tuesday,"' said Captain Kempson, "with about 4000 tons of general cargo to dis chaigo here. This wo can put out under ordinary conditions with our own gear in four daja or a littjo o\or East voyage, when no discharged about tho sanlo quantity of cargo at tho Queen's Wharf, wo got away on tho Sunday morning to Lyttelton. This time, whoa we are discharging,nt tho King's Wharf, we will not bo able to get away until Thursday at iho onrhost. Yet this tup wo haven't been delayed an hour on account of the weatht-r-the working »onditious havo bcon porfoct right through.' '

'® ;^Tm^A^ ;:;;:'/ of'-this;is 'that',we' : cnnnot:work /^Vionr^own'and 'the>■ bdard'a igear^ati.tho ; :same ;/;';• time::';They:(the'.board)jexpect us.to.nse r their ':/ cranesj'-as-a matter'of -fact,;they'.-itJsist; on : X - 'J-'it, ;• ;is;;that :the ;.CMgg'.,cannot. : , bo. ; ;; ; ;.- ? :hftndled/so,:smartly;/aS i (WOUId; be :the" case..wero WVftwoi>t.o":use : our"own'ge'i!ir'."|;:. ■;;■;;; : .; /;. ;■;: ';:J ; ;f; \>:- W Kyfl^--'-'-: : -; */.':■ •i'.'.'Boca.usd.i.'.we .'are'Vin':a :; way/'compelled to ;;ii-;;.nso/;tho''board'sicrancs./;' ! Oiir/gear.: would not .'://,;' throw/the. slihgs'vbldar'/ol'the'donblo lilie of 1 :,;:;;/rails;'in',thoVcrane.'itra'cki'' and./as/.these'rails ;;:i;'.''-BroVri.o'fc..flush '''withy'the ; decking,-;tlib -triicks ; //"/wouldjiot/ho : able/to/got;t6 .tho/slings, aud ;.;;V/-;.tha ..men/nro<ndtJiible'-to^wdrk. -''.?3'r{sk'H /:;■■.'. ':-'-: v'if'-I; told,- them, a\Vear.;.a'gb/.whati.thd';position" ;// -/would he, .but riothing.'jVas/'ddno. '-/-They...havo ;:;./; r ]aidi,a^Bort.of' : plattorm : n opppsitd ''' : .;-.<nse ; :our,.own/gear -td ; .;som'o/bxtent./but'in tho .'./•. foro'vhatch, whero.the/bulk.pfitho .Wellington. /', : f;;: c^ r ßd/ii Stowed, -wb;havtiitoiddpend.on/ono ,of . !,::•,these;.'slow/'.ißranbs;%ai(di;vdf::';coursß,/''.'the}V; speed :';;.'■;. of; the; ship .is'thc speed/of ,tho.:6lov/est-hatch,, '■"-■ ;/r, om .°', .watch;itf.''.'Se'oi' I thcJ-;haT l b'to'drag ;. -;'/'tntit 1 ;' heavy./phhin-,1 and !iroh -hall/'right ..under /;'/. : 'decks : 'to' get'/ati-tho 6lihgs/mdde-.up i ;/ : "/ 'tr^fe'! eck --'With'/tbo'ship's-'gedr wconly■ have . : ./ithd-'.tlun ■ wiro-'rdpb'-j'andjhook^light./^trqiiK,: ;;;. and:, casily.ihahdlod.-'/'oThc -chain /of -tho .cranq '■'•:': Vfanned gTadhally,':,ther,'n'rin -swung - round ''.de-..'iliborately,-,and .'the/sling'/'was;lowered: to..the 1 ;.';':;:.'wharf,;-vvherc;it'whitcd,un'til a/truck came biit,' .■;.,,'. when it.was.raised agairii'placed:on tho:truck,/;4//and:;whceled:iintd,tlio;shbd./':;■'/;/;;•■*••■ ««■-,; .' ;: /. : ;: -"We /used/.to/; wear/ 'j by/'/Wellihgton—any -:;•,;;;.,. quantity ;'of cargo .'did -;■:■/. cpuld^always two/gangs tb/a' hatch;;and' v'.;.\Y..\B^';.throu»h-: , K; , ';;V w .°™«fl' overtime every 'night, ;U AAnndVy^t-:we^cin'tjgot'tho/stnltfdut; v.:At the' ,':; tjueen,s: Wharf.' w'b.':nsb r bu'r. Vown •'.gear—tho ,?;/.'/'J J anes :aroiot ; big ; ertongh to-plumb itho KY : :v;hola^,ofvbig?;boats/liko: ; tW ; ;vl':'^^A^NG;.^^(^^ ■ : '■ '■■Coi^¥^^^^'"'" i^'tt » t^ho .'iytteiton'/ftiiid; r. t :- ; ;Yrgpodß.^They;9!up;;by i .our''boats/dr^/ ; payA .:.•;;'; ;haps/a'. little/mora cf reightZ because '/they-' know : ;;;■';,,,wo:'afe'.nsually.iup to .time; -but■ are' ;A;■/.;e!amouring;for r :their;:stulf,';ahd/I^expect■;they , 7;.; will ;;have , ! a ;,good ideal ■' to: say/about ■■:■. ;liere.;.rThoy/build;bn/our:.;:tim« r table; :and/'we: ::.•: ;;., j ';-aro..;u'3ually..fieyer.-.inore'than.-a;'ddy-but : 'any-' /; /,;bow./|,r v ;cp.uld ..tell; you ;now;on'/what/days jvb .'-' 'I arrivo'fhore hbxfc.;ybar. i /;/Wei' : lcave.,Lohdon :■."■•^^on'MafchjS;-:-anii'arrivb .:/ ; Y- arr /Wellington:-;otfiSeptpinborV6;' {:■:■■■. ■'■■;Bad-.to-go;mto-1911-?oiii'Jariuary; ,:;:'; : i;;6hipnjents;to.th»'smaller'boats:her<j"have also '•: * /sboeii j dblayed. s'Tho'-! trouble - cohld ■.■■■be easily ;«,;;..;remedied; ;. ; Jf ;f'tha;=bbard;';built4iip7 the/wharf •^:'/ de ok l Dg/leVel;withitkirails;/imdvallbwed us- ,'.,;■■■', -;to nse. pnr ;6wn■ gear,'; ; the.■trouble-.would; bp' at '" /*. : / a R .« n "'. ;; l' don't sco.what-a :wha'rf grants with -•,..• .all.this: 'Every modern:steamer '. has her- ,,•'<;;;; own < gear^ahd: -it as, than/tho ,;.Y :-Jiarbour;Board3:craneß'.''S::-: :s : !>>:: :^^X: >^-; ■'■'•■

\'i'': -v'. One Jot : ,the;.f lbcal;"papef si;:; (Tiris dJoMnrioN)' ■V''.-i'™s.v;on.^aitiblo'--:in:.-;it;;-th'is>niortiing' : . *v :s they -'irV : Commercial ■ •'.•;; News ' : - ; { and '■■'.--Shipping ;"..; ..Gazette ")■ (:; about ■:£ the'itNiseV- bfv: Jcraaea '■: >'■ i'jn -A lV.J.',have 1 . v.!,;.;.'Deen.v oomplathlng-'sohie. tlme'i-now -ih"bur'-col- ■'•' '*■"■•S? n -? : i ?".•"}* ; Present;?systeni:"of' the^Railway; ;; . Jungs,;, and;.'.Glasgow,!,Wharv<s,;■■ whereby any T ; wharves'oanVvery; ra rely-. ■■'■■.: J?SB :her-own. gear,;having";tb';use;the[Harbour' ;.-,.!', -.-Board'-crane at a :rate:.ot:: l ss; per:hour.--YWel--'m' •{ I PB™%,SHPP?t 3 /, haT ® :a PPa r 'eri u y guat-.woke : up. ~,-.-toi it ho.;fact,;-K;havA: h i(d- Ith«-pleasuro'iof:;per- <■ "'''■ ''■• ff w £uf -^™r;:writtenAby v ;Capfain; Neilsen, 'of-' ;'SV;-Harbour-Board; ;:i;jrhe,Thyra!.has: visited' Wei/ ;;...: berthed-'always h ?' K*M a Z 7 -frMk the : Railway>V- Wharf,/ owing 'to; the., construction; of .the iraiK, ■:-:•: ,iway./liMs-:onjthe/wharves,;sho-.could ; '-'ribbW';ft.:; : her;qvra; gear,.; and -had ito.'pay'. something;: ap- : ,; -prpaohing. ,£l2O ;to-the-Harbour, Board for the y';y : :-'^ a «'? ran «3;^AVtAuokland'ithe-vessel, got' - l - r^i^ be^ dis< * tl^ e 2s^per;v6ooft.-; ?at .■ii.'.-LyiteUon 600ft;,tand -at' ■'■'■'-• lhngt ?S^: i ,F o^ ' 2s ' ■ per: 600ft.v■..pin's-' about U ; ;-. 10d. -per COOEt; -for ; ; ~raul^^be-:dpne;r a wafi:;withAby; : thei : Httrbburi ~j ispftrd. provi(ling-.reraovablo:: ; platformS'.Vat', ' a ..; f - cost, of a; few' pounds.-butatils -apparehtly:; tho : ... 'intention io, make t.thaxskip/iuse: ;the "Cranes;: /; ;\vhethcr.,:she:wantsVto.-otvnofcSMedntime'.'a ;.::,;shipjhas-to -foridis-' ■;. ; ■;..<, charge than; she.has'-.at:ahy^'bther-pbrt.'■;'. ■'"-•■