NEW SLIP?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1654, 22 January 1913, Page 7

NEW SLIP?

TO TAKE SMALL STEAMERS. | PROPOSAL BEFORE HARBOUR BOARDAT LOW CHARGES. At a recent mooting of tho Wellington Harbour Hoard, tho ironmasters of Wellington'cfimo its a deputation to urgo that something should bo done to prevent shiprepairing work being sent- out of Wellington. Tho ironmasters allcgod, in effect, that' owing to tho Patent Slip being inadequate for tho needs of ■. Wellington shipping many small steamers wont to Lytlelton for overhaul.

Tho chairman of the.board, at tlio meeting last night, submitted tho following recommendation of tlio Wharves and Accounts .Committee:—"That the board call upon tho Wellington Patent Slip Company, Ltd., under Clause 8 of tho Fifth' Schedule.- of tho Wellington Harbour Hoard Empowering Act, VJOB, to proceed with the erection -of a second slip in accordant with agreement.", Mr. Fletcher said that this was the best tho board could do in the way of reliev-

ing tho hardship under which tho local ironmasters now worked. It was a fact that soino ships had gono to Lyttclton to bo - overhauled,' and ;if another smaller slip wero built for smaller steamers they would be spared this necessity of going clsowhero to bo repaired. Mr. Danicll suggested rather that the grievance, of tho ironmasters was that the slip was operated mainly in tho interests of tho Union Steamship Company, which controlled tho Patent Slip Company. In reply to this the- chairman stated that if any.instance could bo discovered of preference having been shown in favour of any particular company, the ironmasters would only have to complain to tho Harbour Board, arid the board would take steps to deal with what was an irregularity under the. Act. Mr. Jones: Did tho ironmasters give any instances of steamers going to Lyttolton because they could not bo accommodated on tho Wellington Slip ? , . Mr. Fletcher: No. - ■' ■

Mr. Jones: Surely before adopting this recommendation,we .must have some evidence . that this other slip is required. You say ' the deputation did not do this-j-didn't mention ■ a single icase! That is clearly tho essence of {ho posi-

Mr. Fletcher said there was no doubt that some small vessels had gone to Lyttelton,, and tho reason was that the charges for them-were higher in Wellington than in any other port iii the Dominion. If a new sjip were put down the charges could bo reduced. Mr. Cohen pointed out that tho charges had to be mutually agreed upon. What if the Patent Slip Company refused to accept lower charges? . Mr. Harkness said that Mr. Cohen had touched upon tho weak point in tho present proposal. Thero was no doubt that the board had power to call upon the Slip Company to'bulid another slip, if, in the opinion'of the board, it was considered necessary in the interests of tho port,-but tho board could not altogether control tho charges payable. '■•■' Mr. M'Ewen asked whether tho.board could do anything to bring about a reduction of the present high charges. :' Mr. Fletcher-said the board could not do so while the present big slip Was used. But if a smaller slip were built, for smaller' vessels, the cost of operating it would be lower, and the charges for smallcraft might be reduced accordingly., Mr. M'Ewen: I am afraid wo shall require a lot of data before wo can do very much with this matter. '\

Tho recommendation was adopted. rThe board'need now pass no further resolution. According to tho agreement under which the land in Evans Bay was ceded to the Slip Company for a period of 25 years, tho board retained power to call on tho coranany to erect another smaller slip afld rthe expiry of four years.- The term of four years expired on October G, of last year. At the end of 25 years tho slips and.appliances become the property of the board, but they must be paid for at a valuation as improvements on tho lease.] -