PORT OF LONDON.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1786, 26 June 1913, Page 8

PORT OF LONDON.

COLD STORAGE SPACE. REPLY TO RECENT AGITATION. Somo interesting correspondence referring to improved facilities for the handling of refrigerated cargo at the Port of London has been received by Mr. W. G. Foster, managing director of tho "Wellington Meat Export Company. Dr. "W. V. Piobiuson, representative in London for tho Associated Freezing Companies of tho North Island, writes, enclosing tho following letter from Mr. It. I'hillipson, of the general manager's office of tho Port of London Authority:— "The correspondence which you havo . , . sent mc indicates that many misrepresentations 'are being circulated with regard to the Port Authority's accommodation for frozen meat, and I shall bo glad if you will allow mo to make a statement of the facts. - "Almost the first subject which tho Authority considered after its appointment was tho qiiestion.of improving tlio dock and warehouso facilities in London for tho colonial trade, and special attention was devoted to the facilities for frozen meat. Tho new dock to the south of the existing Itoyal Albert Dock, where tho'colonial trades are chiefly carried on, 'amt.will doubtless be developed, was authorised nt a cost of ,£2,000,000, and its 'construction was begun in July last. At th'c£';,same time the question of the warehouse accommodation for meat .was most carefully considered, and tho Authority were'for a time placed in serious' difficulties in connection with this subject,' owing to tho considerable differences of opinion expressed by the interests concerned in the trade as to the nature and situation of tho new accommodation. Eventually the Authority decided on an extension ;of their city warehouso at Smithlield Market, thereby making tho storage there double what it is to-day, and, further, they decidcd to construct an installation at the west end of the existing Royal Albert Dock, on lines whicS may fairly bo claimed to bo the most comprehensive over undertaken by anyport authority. There will be two insulated sorting-sheds on the quay, each 500 feet in length, and connected with these sheds there will bo at the rear a warehouse capable of holding 250,0110 car-' casses. This will bring the total capacity of our cold storage warehouses up to 1,150,000 carcasses. The temperature of the sorting-sheds will be the same as that of the warehouse, namely, I'arcnheit 15 degrees. It is proposed to fit machinery which will enable meat to bo conveyed direct ,I'roin tho ship's hold through tho sorting-shed to the warehouse, or to conveyances, without handling. Tlio cost already sanctioned of erecting these warehouses and sheds will be upwards of ,£•100,000. One great advantage of >the schemo is that it can bo extended as the trade requires, along the whole length of the dock, namely, about 6000 feet.

"I am aware that some of your friends are disappointed at tho delay in commencing the works. Part of the delay was undoubtedly duo to the opposition raised in certain quarters to the Authority's project. Considerable delay was duo to the disorganisation of all our arrangements caused by the disastrous striko of last summer, when tho efforts of everyoiKTliere had to bo directed to carrying on current business under most trying circumstances. So far as the Smithlield depot is concerned, several months' delay uas caused by legal ditliculties in connection with the adaptation of tho site to the purpose-wo had in view. All obstacles have now been overcome, and the position is that the contract for the Smithlield depot has been let to Messrs. Trollope, 'and that the tenders for the Albert Dock installation are not duo io bo returned which should permit of tlio contract being entered into within three or four weeks.

"It is absolutely untrue to surest, . . . that tilt Authority arc lukewarm in , carrying out these great improvement?. The Authority recognise tlio value ot thiy trade to the I'ort, and are determined to do their best 'co satisfy nil thv requirements of traders. Tlio works will be pushed forward with all possible expedition, and as financial provision is already made, jio delay will ariso after tenders arc accepted. "I will add that the Authority are nowconsidering the question of improving tho method of transit to Smithfield Market, and, amongst other matters, are in communication with the London County Council, with a view to seeing whether it would be possible to use their tramrails for conveying the meat from the docks to I he market. Sucli an arrangement, if it can be effected, will render the dock and market stores practically one establishment, and reduce to vanishing point the injurious exposure of meat in trail-it. The time occupied in conveyance of igeat from /he AlbnrJ; DneJr to

Smithfield will be les? under this system than would bo possible from any other point on the river." Dr. Robinson cabled 011 June I'.'i as follows:—"Port of London Authority tender has been accepted cold stores, sorting sheds." In explanation of this loiter. Dr. Robinson writes aw under, dated May 10:— "1 cabled you last week, (titer an interview with Mr. liroodhaitk, of (lie fort or London Authority, to Hie following effect:—-'Satisfactory interview Port Authority promised official explanation and assurances next mail.' I am glad to be aide to enclose copies of 0 letter from the Authority which will, I hope, dissipate all doubt of the good faith in which their endeavours to meet our requirements have been made, iietweeu tho time of my first conversation and (ho receipt of tho Authority's letter. 1 had another interview with ".Mr. lirocdbank, in company with Sir Walter Huclmnan, during which .1 endeavoured to go over all the points touched upon at tho previous meeting, in order that Sir Walter •might be, 011 his return, in a position tv speak authoritatively on all matters connected ivilh these negotiations, and tho cause ol' the delays in carrying out the announced project of the Authority. Disappointing as those delays have been to me, and to everyone interested in improvement, 1 have been able to realise many of the difficulties which (he Authority lias had to overcome in devoting a considerable amount of dock accommodation to this purpose, while the demands on tho docks arc such as to necessitate inconveniencing long-estob-lished branches of trade bv removal lo new and less convenient kerths. From (he quay where the sorting sheds are to be erected it was necessary to evict I lie Holt Lin-Si long in possession, that line had to bo accommodated by annexing i.ho berth of a second, which, ill turn, had to bo transferred to another dock. All these interests were opposed to change, and could not be denied a reasonable delay to adapt their business to the new order.

.... With a section of the Cabinet, acting hand-in-linnd with the Trades Union leaders in the endeavour to force Ui3 Authority to tlio men's terms it is little wonder that, attention was diverted from all else but the exigencies of the moment. Another point lightly touchcd lipou in Mr. Phillipson's letter is the divergent views of the interests eDnccrned. The allusion is in general term?, but it crystallises itself into persistent opposition to tho Authority's scheme from a singlb faction, whose activity has been in inverse proportion to the intelligence shown in directing that activity. Continued agitation and misrepresentations liave been, and appear to be yet, directed towards the one end of securing 0110 particular locality for the discharge of Nc,r Zealand cargoes in the Port of London, and,'powerless as that agitation has been to alter the policy of an Authority constituted of business men, who are unaffected by sentimental considerations, it may well have rendered them less keen on expediting ' the expenditure of vast sums of money in providing benefits for interests some of which arc actively hostile. Jt is a matter for congratulation that the Authority have not been mislead into doubting the desire of all who have the real interest of Now Zealand producers at heart for the provision of the best possible facilities for the frozen meat trade at the spot where those facilitics\will bo -utilised to the greatest advantage. ... . The mention in Mr. Phillipson's letter of negotiations with the L.C.C. Tramways for the uso of their lines at night for conveyance from tlio docks to the Smithlield depots • opens a prospect of the greatest possibility. "With electric traction, in empty thoroughfares, the'run from docks to town store should not occupy moro than 30 minutes. Already the line reaches to within a hundred yards or so of the I'.L.A. John Street Store, and could easily be continued into the new Charterhouse Street Store when erected. This would render tho Authority easily able to deal with the storage of all market supplies, and I have no doubt tliat, when .such is tlio case, the fullest use will be made of tho P.L.A. Stores. Already tho John Street Store is used to its fullest capacity by those who are .solicitous to avoid damage to their meat, and tliero are very lew, in my experience, who are otherwise among market salesmen. Next week I hope to send you plans of tho stores. Sir "Walter Buchanan's presence in London has been of advantage to tlio interests of the companies (as I aiu sure he has not failed to press the nftd of reform on all with ' whom he has como in contact). I will conclude by mentioning that during our talk with Mr.' Broodbank, he promised to accede to a suggestion of Sir "Walter Buchanan's that tho Authority will, during tho' erection of their stores, send a special engineer to the States to exaniino tho mechanical conveyors and handling methods in use there, with a view, to adoption* of any useful features."