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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE PORT OF WELLINGTON ' DEPLORABLE CONDITIONS. Sir,—The members of the Wellington Harbour Board appear to bo only just beginning to appreciate the very serious position in which Wellington is placed owing to the extreme shortage of berthage and storage accommodation. ;At the meeting of tho board on Wednesday evening tli© chairman was obliged to that there was great difficulty in handling cargo in Wellington at tho present time—the stores were overcrowded" and thora were serious delays in delivery and transhipment. Why and how have we reached such a deplorable condition? , The facts appear to indicate that thero has been gross neglect on the part of tho Harbour Board during the past ten years, and the recommendations of tho responsible officers of tho board have received scanty consideration. Let lis examine the facts.

The last berthage accomodation provided was the' King's' Wharf, which was completed-and handed over to the board, in MaTcli, 190?, practically ten years ago. At that date Wellington Harbour was up to date; to-day it is in a deplorable condition-land-short of every convenience for working such a growing- port. In the -board's annual report, for. the year ending. September 30, -1911, there occurs the following in the engineer's report:— Wharf Accommodation: It is, in my , opinion, necessary that steps, be taken at an early- date to provide further ■ berthage accommodation; It appears to me. that the first addition should . Tie the.Pipitea-Wharf, which will lie; •to the.east of the King's.Wharf. ; . . Thus it will be seen that two years after the King's Wharf was completed, and three years before the war commenced, the need-for additional accommodation •was obvious; ■: and. what did the board .do? Nothing. ■ ■ In the following year', the .engineer further emphasised the need for berthage in the following words*.— 1 - In yiew..of the' continued increase; ■-in shipping arriving at Wellington . and of the increased' size of the' ve's-' sels, I think that the board would be justified in going on., with thg' work; .. (Pipitea 'Wharf*. • The members of the board apparently -knew.better,.than the engineer, for they ■did not agree with his recommendation and took- no steps, to build the' wharf. Had tlio advice of their expert been accepted the board would not be experiencing'the trouble, that.,it is enduring dayWellington,., mainly bewiuse of 119 central position and direct connection with coastal potfß, will'always lie the principal transhipping port of the Dominion, providing ordinary facilities exist for the purpose. ' At the present time the greatest difficidty is experienced in' handling transhipments, but Mr. Daniells's statement* that the" shipping companies, have not enough ships for coastal work is a perversion of the facts.' truth is that "transhipment goods . are shortshipped on coastal. steamers time after time'because cargo is stacked 7 behind later shipments in the stores,'and owing to the incomplete' system the''board had . in ' dealing' with' this important .branch of. the business. Congestion .and chaos prevail because the half-fledged.: politicians ijn the board have failed, to realise their responsibility or - accept 'the advice of their expert officers. The war, no doubt, had some effect;- -but it is somewhat ' singular that the war did not stop the Auckland Harbour ■■ Board from carrying 'out a progressive polioy.'During tho war period the Auckland .Harbour .Board spent nearly i! 70,000 on wharf improvements and.extensions, while Wellingtons policy has * been to' shield itself behind the excuse of the : war and do Now.. the chairman of itho board. is •appealing to the' shipping companies, to merchants, contractors, and eleotric •trucks" to help the board overcome tho difficulties into which they have floundered for tho lack of foresight and business ability. The'.situation to-dav is 6erious, and' before adequate berthage and storage accommodation are provided it will become intolerable. ; At this point it is necessary to ask why did Mr.' J. G. Harkness refrain - from speaking at Wednesday ; nighfs meeting?.There must surely,.'be.-some reason-.for •his silence! '>'*• ' ..v ;' • The war has wrought "immense changes and it is obvious that there be a • very great increase ill. the shipping- calling at New-.Zealand ' ports,- via the Panama Canail, and' Wellington will receive the bulk of the tonnage, but-not if the accommodation:- is not available. Every ship that avoids Wellington is a direct loss to the port and. the community. , " • The present serious position, which is due to the deliberate negligence of tho board and the incapacity of its. mem- ' bers raises the question whether- board management is the best. There is everpresent the political factor that. with fourteen members .with so many conflicting interests it must be impossible to have the - business of port carried out in a satisfactory,', businesslike way. , It is opportune to.direct attention to this aspect of the matter, as the elections are approaching". ' Is"it not possible to : have 'a better system of management, without - sacrificing a single'democratic principle? Instead of an elective body,-or a bus load of men'.of sorts, the management of the harbour, is vested; in a port authority, consisting of, say, thiee 'commissioners, better" and more satisfactory' results. would be obtained. The Wellington Harbour Board .htt's given ample demonstration of the of a ohange, for it has illustrated''how things/ should not ■bs am',' etc.,' " *•' HUBERT L. NATHAN. .Februasy 28.,".

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190301.2.15

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
856

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 3

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 134, 1 March 1919, Page 3

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