ORDER ON THE WHARVES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1012, 30 December 1910, Page 4

ORDER ON THE WHARVES.

THE CROWD CONTROLLED. The Harbour Board's new scheme for the prevention of overcrowding, and disorder 011 the wliarves was in successful operation on the Queen's. w'harf jesterday morning, when the lonic arrived from overseas. A barricade was erected across the wharf just within tho outei tee, where the liner, was berthed. ' Ad. mission to the space beyond the barricade was conditional upon production of a threepenny ticket, obtainable at thetolls and inquiry offict. ■. JThe tickets, . however, would not -carry . its beyond the chains which .were' stretched across in the customary places, and kept , there until all likelihood of overcrowding'" was past. The whole Space on the wharf between the ship's side and the sheds was thus kept clear for thq,disembarkation of passengers and— the" r 'operations ' preliminary to discharging cargo. Ons of the shed doors was opposite the~6hip's gangway, and the passengers as they (lis* . embarked, walked through, tbo shed,- to. the interior of which not -even ticket-"}/, holders were admitted. Three hundred' ' tickets were sold yesterday moining.Tht -' tboard's object is not to ' make revenue, but to maintain order, and it is ■ stated that the proceeds of the sale of tickets - will only help to provide for the extra pay of tie officials engaged in carrying, out the new system. Spare, gangways: have been' used hitherto as baTricades, ■ but something more convenient, in the " shape of iron standards and chains,-will be'employed in future. , The chairman of the board, Mr. -R. Fletcher,' was on - tho wharf when the lonic arrived, actively interesting himself in the workinj . 7. of the new system. . t-.i 1 '"