HARBOUR BOARD CONTROL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 83, 8 April 1911, Page 9

HARBOUR BOARD CONTROL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — In this evening's Post, I notice t that the cnairman of the ' Harbour Board does not care to take on new responsibilities in the. matter of enlarging the wharves or building new ones, and says the shipping companies are responsible for the blocking of the sheds, owing to them working extra gangs and dumping the cargo. I remem-. ber, not very long ago, when the board" conducted the business on the wharves for the benefit of the public, and when the sheds were getting blocked tne ship would be stopped, x> prevent the public's gopds being bas'aed about or mixed up. The shipping companies say they pay the claims for any damage they do, and that may be so, after a good deal of trouble ; but the merchants do not want their goods broken or delayed through examination, etc. I think it is time the board took the control of the wharves into their own hands, and not allow the shipping companies to run the wharves, and I also think the wharves should be prepared to receive anything that comes along. For instance, if a ship should come along with nine thousand tons of cargo (as the Kaikoura had for Auckland recently), I fear to think what the result would be on the Wellington wharf. There is still scope for new blood on the board. — I am, etc., AM OBSERVER. WellingWn, 6th April, 1911.