DOCK PROSPECTS

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 958, 27 October 1910, Page 5

DOCK PROSPECTS

A PESSIMISTIC VIEW.

; .Mr. C. E.. Daniell, who yesterday,''re-' I-- sumed his. seat, on the Harbour Board' and was congratulated by his fellow mem: bers .on"hisrecovery. froma late illness; '? was ...questioned -by -a Dominion reporter,: - as to his views in reference to the dock question. Owing;to his absence through '. illnessi Mr/Danieir. has'not hitherto expressed any public opinion: on the re- ... cent developments. r '■-.'•' -■■:• . ■ ' , : ' . , .Replying, Mr. Daniell stated 'that 1 he had always been 1 opposed to the construction-; of a -dock'at.'Wellington;- 'He' was :. now prepared, to back lip the chairman, : Mr;; Fletcher,- who ; had, • he'■.considered, •-.. rendered good service to the board 'in' securing, the -annulment -of the, contract. In. .the--position selected for it the 1 pro- . posed dock would cut the line of 'wharves, would stretch ■■ -right harbour basin." As it was the : Clyde Quay/Wharf would'be cut off if , the dock were constructed, and traffic between" the Clyde Quay Wharf and others would be greatly hindered. The difficulty and cost • of administration in.this way bo appreciably increas- : ed. In his (Mr.Daniell's) opinion, Wellington did not require a dock at'- all. Only emergency or breakdown cases would come here for repairs. The oversea companies ' would naturally profer to dock their, ships at Homo where letter facilities existed and labour was-cheaper. The Union Company had its own dock and at Anckland there was a big dock subsidised by the general community. Mr. Daniell . estimates, that the annual loss on a dock . at Wellinfrton would amount to at least ; It ; would-be still greater unless '. an ' annual return of .£SOOO could be secured and ho doubted if this wero pos- ; eible. ■'. ■ - ■ '