WHARF CONGESTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 265, 3 August 1920, Page 6

WHARF CONGESTION

THE CARGO QUEUES

IMPORTERS SEEK A REMEDY

At yesterday's meeting of the Council of the Chamber of Commerce the report of a meeting of the Importers' Committee of the chamber, which considered the cargo congestion trouble, in Wellington, was presented. ' The report, which is of interest to the whole of the trading community, is ns follows: "It was explained that the meeting was called and shipping clerks were invited to discuss matters appertaining to the handling of goods upon Wellington wharves. In particular, the meeting would be glad to have any suggestions from shipping clerks which would eliminate or tend to reduce the queues of carta, and consequent waste of time and money, and facilitate tho loading of coastal steamers. Captain Petersen reviewed what has been done by the chamber during tho past year. In his opinion the chief things which were I wanted were additional 6hed accommodation and additional steamers. 110 thought town cargo should get at least as good treatment as export cargo wa.? given. ""I'ho queue of carts for tho recent Monowni loading was discussed. Mr. Marshall (E. W. Mills and Co.) recommended a zone system for the receiving of cargo. Shipping companies in stamping boat notes would tnlce a note of tho tonnage and mark on the boat note tho time at which tho cargo was to be delivered to wharf. If cargo was not to hand during the hour which was allotted to it, the shipping company should not take it, or at best would only take it after receipt of other cargo. He recommended that companies should give a special timo to transhipments, so that the wharves would not bo blocked with transhipment cargo and town cargo being received at the some timo. At the present time cargo was not- stacked on tho wharf, as had been done in years past. The custom of the shipping companies was to receive direct from tho cart into ships' slings. He thought this entailed delay. Cnptain Petersen stated that ho wished it to be quite clearly understood that'the practice of his company was to give one day for transhipments and one dav for town cargo. He admitted this was sometimes upset, but this was not through the fault of his shipping company, but beeauso tho Harbour Board could not get carts to handle transhipments. Mr: Campbell stated the reason that carts were not available was that they were often tied up in the queues. He'stated that somo shipments his firm was handling for the Monowai should have cost about Bs. 6d. per ton for cartage. Owing to tho delay in the cartago tho cost would be 17s. 6d. per ton, and tome of tho goods had not been got away. Mr. T. Munt also advocated the zono system, and stated that, tho coal traffic into carts was now being regulated, in that carts were required to be m attendance at specific times. The matter could bo handled through the shipping companies. Mr. C. H. Young called tho attention of the meeting to what had happened in September last year during the operations of tho liailway Goods Transit Committee. Members would recollect that there were railway clerks in attendance who noted tho tonnage for each town as tho consignment notes were presented and approved by the commit, iee. The consequence was that the committee knew from time to timo what quantity of goods it had available, and when it could say definitely Wo can take 110 further goods for Wmrarapa (or Manawatu, as the case might be). Ho saw 110 reason why the same system could not bo carried out by the shipping companies. Mr. Stunrt Wilson moved: 'That it to a recommendation to tho council of the chamber to approach shipping companies in Wellington, and urgo them to adopt a zone system of receiving town cargo.' This was seconded by the chairman. "A discussion then ensued on the receiving of cargo for coastal steamere into •lied the day before sailing of vessel' in accordance with Harbour Board By-law No. 210. 1 Mr. W. Bridsou pointed out tlmt Ronerally Vhero.was no shed accommodation available. Mr. Brown (Sargood, Son. and Ewen) stated' that the difficulty often arose with the transhipments. He realised: it was the- policy of the Harbour Board to get away transhipments ns early as possible, and ho suggested the advisability of a snecial shed for transhipments, so tlmt they could readily be disposed of. Mr. Vickerman stated that he had been given to understand from tho Harbour Board that it shipping Companies would mark boat notes with the time at which tho cargo comprised therein wns to be at '.ho boats side, instructions would be issued that .-.arts were not to bo on tho wharf except at/times stated in boat notes. _ Mr. Mvsrs stated thfit ho was of thfi opinion that at times there wns want of co-ordin-ation botween the Harbour Board and shipping companies in the matter ot having labour available. Mr. Hylum 'Briscoe and Co.) stated that sometimes clerks wero receiving both transhipment and town cargo. He suggested there should bo one clerk for transhipment cargo and another for town cargo. On rh<? motion being put it was carried unanimously." , , , ~ After the above report was read to the chamber yesterday, Mr. S. lurkealdie moved. nnd Mr. .T. Mills seconded:-— ; "That copies of the committees report j l>e forwarded on to tho represcntflti\ es ot the shipping companies and tho Harbour Petersen said that he would prefer Mr. Kirkcaldio to withdraw his iiiotion as ho : thought it would bfi much, better 'to bring the shipping companies, the Harbour Board, and the Chamber of Commerce together, and thrash the idling out. When the Hippie wns here last there was no trouble. The difficulty was that there was no accommodation for the ships. The Harbour Board had been "going slow." He did not see why tho board could not build wharves tor the mcrchnnts now, seeing that it wns a bio to build a wharf for the dairy farmers during the war. Plenty <rf accommodation could be made available nloiig the Lnmbton breastwork. • Mr. It. E. Sinclair:. You haven t got the L'liips—thafs the. point! Tt was decided that the minutes of the Importers' Committee bo fonvarded to the shipping companies and the Harbour Board. and that the committee ask for a conference with representatives of the companies and the board. i Mr.-Mills suggested that tho committee should also ask for tho presence at the conference of shipping clerks who had a practical knowledge of the troubles that were encountered. Tho names of Messrs. H. Marshall and Brown were added to those whoso presence was desirable nt the conference. Subsequently it was decided that the conference should bo held within tho next fortnight, so that a report misht bo furnished at the quarterly meeting of tho chamber.