HARBOUR AFFAIRS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2679, 27 January 1916, Page 6

HARBOUR AFFAIRS

MEETING OF THE BOARD STORAGE OF WOOL The monthly meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board was 'held ; last night, when there wore presont Messrs. C. E. Daniell (chairman), O. \V. Jones, H. L. Nathan, J. G. Ilarkness, W. Cable, R. A. Wright, M.l'., A. H. Hindmarsli, M.P., W. T. Hildroth, J. G. Cobbe, a! M'Farlane, R. E. Sinclair, M. Cohen, R. Fletcher, M.P., and J. W. M'Ewau. Tho bank pass books showed: Current account, credit balance. £43,996; imprest account, credit Balance, £2107 14s. lid.; on fixed deposit, £60,000. Payments: For interest, sinking fund, accounts, and wagos,. £37,458 ss, 7d.; for progress payments on contract's, £740 6s. 6d.; for salaries for January, £863 19s, Bd'.; total, £39,06 i lis, 9d. The chairman reported that owing to the congestion of wool in local stores and the scarcity of loading vessels the January wool sales were postponed, and the board's executive, at tlie request of the Wellington Woolbrokers' Association, asked the Railway Department to stop receiving wool from the country until further notice. Haulage, however, was resumed ,on January 24. Mr. Cohen pointed out that the accommodation at the 'harbour was unduly encroached upon by the manner in which the wool was handled by the Railway Department. Wil.en it reached tho City from the country for various consignees it was conveyed to tlie harbour sheds, and there sorted out. This meant that a demand was made upon their space which they should not be called upon to meet if the Railway Department carried out their obligations. Mr. Jones inquired whether it was a fact that in giving away space for sales of wool they were short of 'space for shipping wool. The secretary (Mr. H. E. Nicholls) said they were not short of space for wool for direct shipment, because they could dump that wool and stack it up. Mr. Cohen asked whether, when the Railway Department took wool consigned to Dalgety and Co., for instance, it went direct to the harbour. The chairman replied in the affirmative, adding that the board allowed this as a matter of business, as they were paid for it. There was ample space for wool for direct shipment. The chairman reported that the subcommittee appointed to deal with the tenders for contract No. 177, refrigerating machinery for store "Z," had accepted the tender of Messrs. John Chambers and Son, Ltd., for the sum of £5291. A motion was carried' that the seal of the board be fixed to the agreement of contract. In reply to a verbal application from the Defence authorities for greater storage accommodation for fodder and other transport stores to the average amount of about 4000 toils, it was reported that certain arrangements had been made, and that a letter had been received from the Defence authorities thanking the board for the accommodation provided. A letter from Mr. J. Fuller, jun., with reference to the question of accommodation for ferry steamers at Taranaki Street Wharf on Sundays and holidays, was referred to the harbourmaster. A Floating Dock.

Mr. Cable moved: "That the engineer be instructed to arrange with Messrs. Clark and Standficld, consulting engineers, London, for the preparation ol the necessary working drawings for a floating dock of about 1000 tons lifting power, as outlined in the penoral design submitted by them." He thought it would be recognised that the time was about ripe for the board to take some action in the direction' indicated in the motion. Theirs was the only port in New Zealand of_ any importance which had no facilities of its own for shipping repairs. Dissatisfaction was being expressed with the present patent slip arrangements, delays being numerous. Mr. M'Farlane seconded tho motion pro forma. Mr. Nathan moved as an amendment that discussion of the subject bo deferred for six months. He did not think that the time was opportune for the board to begin this undertaking. They had been informed that there would be an annual loss of £2000. Mr. Fletcher, in supporting the amendment, said that when the time came for the construction of a dock it should bo a much more useful structure than the one proposed in the motion. Mr. Hindmarsh pointed out that the motion would commit them to nothing beyond a resolve to obtain information. It was stated that to give cffect to the motion would entail ail outlay of £750. ; Mr. M'Farlane deprecated the incurring of any large expenditure while the war was still in progress, and tbe.v were figliting practically for their existence. Mr. Wright said that he would favour a postponement of the matter until they had evidence submitted tLat when the dock w;as erected it would pay. The total cost was_ estimated at £28,000, and they were informed that it would take £2000 per annum to run

itMr. M'Ewan, while stating that h» could not support the motion, said that no doubt the time would come when a graving dock would have to be provided at Wellington. Mr. Harkness referred to the E.istako which had been made when the beard had' lost control of the vatont slip. It was a question whether some such proposal as that put forward by Mr. Cable would not prove a useful lever in the hands of tne board, even if it cost the sum mentioned, in securing better results in connection with the patent slip. Mr. Cable said that the dock wculd accommodate all the Wellington-owned vessels, and the dredges. He' assured the board that there_ was an urgent need for such a dock in Lambton Kar-; bour. The patent slip was three ir.iles away from the shipping which, as a result, was under a heavy handicap. The dock would bring trade to the port- . , . On a division the amendment was carried by nine votes to five. It was thereupon moved by Mr. Cohen that the words "for six months" be excised from Mr. Nathan's proposal. This was agreed to and the lacismn of the board therefore was simply that consideration of the question be deferred.