WHARF ACCOMMODATION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 7

WHARF ACCOMMODATION

CRITICISM REFUTED

STATEMENT BY HARBOUR BOARD CHAIRMAN Statements made by members ol the Chamber of Commerce in reference to storage and benhaec accommodation at tho Wellineton wharves, were replied to by Sir. J. 6. Harknesß fchairnian) at Wednesday's meeting of the Harbour Board. Mr. Harlmcfis said it would be recognised by members of the board'that there was: a feeling amoncr the commercial men of the city that, in the nast few years, theboard had not been doing all that it ought to do in the way of providing sufficient berthage, and storage accommodation. Whilst It might bo admitted that there was some wound for such criticism, it. was not altoircther warranted when it was remembered that the board had been carrying on under serious difficulties and disadvantages duriug the last five or six years. Mr. Harkneßs said he desired to reply to certain criticisms of tho board made at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on AugUßt 2. He denied that the board had ever built a wharf for dairy farmers durint; the war such as one member of the Chamber of Commerce had EUgncsted. but the board had.-jprovided storage,, which had been a very''remunerative asset. Criticism based on irenuino facts was a vital power in local, and public nolicy, but when crfti-' rism waß based on misrepresentation, then :B was not helpful. The criticism that had been induleed in by members of tho Chamber of Coromerco was a mere form of "clap-trap" which was not in accordance with the facts'. Baring the last six years storage capacity at the wharves had*-been increased as follows :-(?las?ow Wharf, 1000 tons; erection of No. 1 Pinitea shed, 1000 Ions; Z Btore, increased by 2500 tons, malting total capacity of that store, 4500 tons; and erection of Lambton shed with capacity of 3000 tons. The Taranaki Street store was almost ready for accommodation, and it had a capacity of MOO tons, and. in addition, a maintenance store, with a capacity of 2000 tons was being built. Material helonginir to tho board would bo removed from other sheds to tho new maintenance shed, thuß n-ivincr additional room for storage. Altogether, in comparison with 1914-15. the increased storaso amounted to 19,500 tons. Extensions to the wharves had also been made, provid-. ing 1540 feet in extra space as compared with tho position in 1914-15. In view of all the difficulties with which the board had to contend' in the way of labour scarcity and the increased coßt of material, he considered that the record of the board was one that the members had no reason to be ashamed of. iHear, hear.) What had the board's critics done to meet the increase in coastal 'and coastwise traffic? They had complained that tho board had been "eoing slow," but what were tho facts? Mr. Harkneßß quoted figures showing the increase in -intercolonial and coastal trade, and said that for the year ended June, 1920, the increase in the coastal' trado alone had been 31.4 per cent..- and this trade had increased very larcely -over the volume done in 1914 i and 1915. Since 1914-15.- 16 Tessols had been taken out. of tho trade of Welling-ton-some through fire and shipwreck— i md in 1920 there were seven steamers rnnninf that were not tradintr in 1914. The total tonnage of those seven vessels was only 589. Although there waß an increased coastal business amounting to 31.4.per cent, there were 6071 tons less to do tho business than in 1914-15. That was a complete answer to tho gentlemen, who stated that tho board had been "going-slow," and the board called upon them to do their part as faithfully as the board had done Its duty. The board' had not stood still, it had not gono back, but had marched forward; unfortunately, the people who ! had been passing the criticisms had not marched forward. Mr. Harkness depracated the "naming" criticism that ho said had been indulged in, and pointed out that tho work on the wharves was not being done 60 expeditiously now as in years gone by, but that was not tho board's fault. If other people, would do their part in the same manner as tho board had done its part, then things would bo as they were in 1914-15.