HANDLING OF CARGO

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 208, 28 May 1921, Page 5

HANDLING OF CARGO

MECHANICAL FACILITIES ADVOCATED FOR AUCKLAND.

A report upon tho most suitable appliances for mechanically handling cargo, loading and discharging at the port of Auckland, is to be prepared by the engineer to the Auckland Harbour Hoard, with special reference to the most suitable conveyers between ships to sheds, and sheds to ships; the most suitable tyixss of tiering and piling machinery for use in sheds, and the use of electric or gas tractors or 'both, with or without trailers for shifting cargo ou wharves. A motion in this direction, moved by Mr. W. B. Leyland, was adopted by tho board without discussion. Speaking to his motion, Mr. Leyland said it. was imperative that the port facilities should be kept up to date. All progressive port authorities were now moving in this direction, improved facilities being in the best interests of exporters and importers, the shipping companies, the waterside workers, and the whole community. Recently the Auckland wharves and sheds were congested, and seven overseas ships at one time were waiting for berthage. Mr. Leyland referred to the observations he bad made recently at Canadian and United States ports, and to the convention of Pacific port authorities at Seattle, where two-thirds of the time had been taken up by papers and discussions upon mechanical equipment as a means of reducing the expensive terminal costs of handling cargoes. One engineer had stated that in Japan 19,000 “man-hours” were required to bunker 3000 tons of coal, as compared with 470 hours in some ports using modern coal-handling equipment; also, that two piling machines had repaid their cost in 507 working hours. With reference to tractors, it had been asserted that either gas or electric tractors should replace men when the distance exceeded 150 ft. One machine occupied very little more space than a man with a truck, it carried 40001 b., and operated nt s speed of five to eight miles an hour, as against men at one to one and a halfmiles an hour. Mr. Leyland stated that recently at Auckland it took five weeks to discharge -100,000 ft. of eawn timber from a barque. Ten years ago a s H'ri e Auckland firm took delivery of 420,000 ft. from two vessels in two days, and maintained this rate for ten days. At present the working conditions on the waterfront were most unsatisfactory, while the cost of handling cargo was absurd. Mechanical appliances would take much of the drudgery and danger from the work. The more roan-power was relied upon the lower the wage-1 and the lower the standard M living. Machinery would prove to be a h-etor in making possible a permanent staff, better paid, and working under safer conditions, and managed possibly bv a joint committee of workers, stevedores, and ship owners.