MODERN TRANSPORT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1782, 21 June 1913, Page 5

MODERN TRANSPORT.

THE SERVICES AT SYDNEY, Three modern marvels to be sera in Sydney, according to Mr. H. J. Ji. .mow, ■who has just returned from a visit to the New South Wales capital and other parts of Australia, are the port equipment, the ferries, and the trams. Of the harbour equipment, in particular, Mr. Blow speaks with enthusiastic admiration. While in Sydney he was taken round, the bammr by Mr. H. D. Walsh, Bngincer-in-Cluef to the Harbour Trust Commissioners, and ,was afforded extended facilities for observation. It is a fact, Mr. Blow remarked in conversation with a reporter, -that the wharves at Which the Mew /estland steamers lie in Sydney are very poor, and a long way below the standard which 'has been reached in. Wellington. Tne Sydney wharves and sheds, as a whole, however, are planned upon a scale of-mag-nificence. If some of the wharves are out of date it is because the wonderfully rapid development of the port makes it difficult to keep pace with the ever-grow-ing demands lor berthage and 6torage. .The position may be guaged from the fact that eleven miles of wharves are being rebuilt. ■ , . . , ... The later wharf-sheds are being bunt of two stories, and advantage is taken of the presence of land at the harbour-side to form two roadways, one leading away from each' story of tne building. Where these modern sheds exist cargo is discharged into both stories at the same time. Tho double roadway enables the shed to bo emptied as quickly as it is filled, drays and lorrys working simultaneously at each story. With, such aids a ship is discharged in a marvellous-, ly short space of time. Some fragmentary statistics of the three great services at Sydney which Hr. .blow has designated modern marvels may be ' of- interest to New Zealanders. The official handbook of the Port of Sydney contains instructive tables which show the 'development of trade during the nineteenth century, and during the last twelve years. In 1800, 29 vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 7642, entered tho port. Moderate progress during the century brought tho totals in 1900 up to 1819 vessels of 2,716,651 tons. Since 1900 the proKress of the port has been phenomenal. In 1912 it was entered by 952-1 vessels, aggregating 8,191,083 tons. Fleets of ferry steamers carry close upon 83,000,000 passengers' yearly between the northern and southern shores of Sydney Harbour. Practically half the population uses the harbour in the coutso of business; the other half ta£es its pleasure and recreation on and about the harbour waters. Some 3849 trams arrive at and depart from Circular Quay daily, the greatest number, during the busiest hour (5.15 to 6.15 p.m.) being 327. During the year ended June 30, 1911, Sydney had 189 miles of tramway route open for traffic. The capital value of the system was £5,121,586, the number of vehicles employed being 1333. Earnings totalled 365,631 for the year, working expenses ,£1,143,949, ' and net earnings ,£221,682. Tram mileage for the-vear totalled 22,541,429 miles, and the number of passengers carried 1 was 230,275,938. Tramway employees numbered '7294. The lines are divided into _ penny sections, which average two miles in : length. .. '■ -