THE MURITAI

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 8

THE MURITAI

WHY THE DELAY IN TAKING OVER?

A QUESTION OF SPEED

COUNCIL, CONTRACTORS, AND BUILDERS At VARIANCE.

The ferrj' steamer Muritai, which arrived at Wellington from Montrose, Scotland, a couple of months ago, has not yet been handed over to the Eastbourne Borough Council by the contractors, Messrs. Cory-Wright and Salmon, of Wellington. The delay has raised a great deal of criticism from Eastbourno ratepayers. The Ferry Board, which consists of the Mayor of Eastbourne (Mr. F. 11. Mather) and Councillors H. W. Shortt, C. A. Marquis, and E. A. Dawson, has been meeting almost daily during the past month, and, in fact, on one day last week three meetings were held in conference with the contractors. The officials of the'borough have been reticent on the matter, but to-day this silence was broken by Councillor E. A. Dawson in the course of an interview with a reporter. „ "I feel that the time has coma when I must put myself right with tho.ratepayer's of Eastbourne," said Mr. Dawson.

"The Mayor and the members of the Ferry Board have given the subject much consideration, but, withal, the Muritai is apparently no nearer being handed over. by the contractors than the day she arrived in the harbour. Tho question in dispute is purely one ot speed, and in all other respects the vessel is a- faithfully-built ship. She was contracted to do 13^ knots per hour, but on the first test was only able to reach 12.9 knots, which was further reduced to 12.7 knots after certain adjustments had been made. These adjustments wera carried out by the contractors after lengthy cable communication with the builders at Montrose. For the purposes of negotiation, the council has. taken the mean—l2.B—in carrying out the negotiations, which have been based on the established fact that the .Muritai is short of her contract speed. "Thoscouneil have made - progress payments during the course of building, but still have a substantial amount of tho purchase money in, hand, which is being held back pending a solution of the mattsr on which the parties disagree. The Eastbourne Borough Council proposes to withhold £250 for every tenth of a knot that is lacking in tho Muritai's speed, and this amount will only bo paid over when the vessel is proved to liuve reached the required 13£ knots. ' In. addition to this, the council are withholding a further sum against anjr eventuality that may arise. "Negotiations on these lines have "been going on between the council and Messrs. Cory-Wright and Salmon, the contractors, who have in turn asked the Coaster Construction Company to release the vessel and allow 'her to bo placed in commission. This the Scottish shipbuilders have refused to allow until the whole of the'purchase money has been paid over. They contend that the vessel's snsed is a matter for future adjustment.

"A cable message has now been sent to the Coaster Company," continued Air. JJawson, "insisting on the vessel's release, and this lias been supplemented by a cable from Mr. Cullen, the company's representative with the vessel Ml New Zealand. What the future result will be I have no idea. In the meantime, negotiations have ceased, and can only be resumed liy an offer from the builders. The result is'-most disappointing, especially after such frequent meetings, which have all been carried out amicably. "I feel sure," added Mr. Dawson, that both (he council and the ratepayers, as well as the general public should have every confidence in Messrs. CorvWright and Salmon, who have had "a very heavy load to carry during the past few weeks. The vessel is to cost 333 - 000. The present trouble could. I submit, have been obviated had preliminary trials taken place at Montroso before _ departure. Adjustments, such as are involved in the present case, are not unusual, but mostly happen beside the builders yard, where every facility that modern ingenuity can devise is at hand to put any such trouble right. The contractors have- had to resort to cables in placing the details before the builders. Apart from the question of speed, the Ferry Board and the council have every confidence in the ship. "In conclusion;" said Mr. Dawson, "I want to make it plain that I am not iv any_ way antagonistic to the Mayor and desire to g.ve him\ all the help I can during a most anxious time in the history of the-service. At the same time I fed convinced that we are but Imhcv M,,M' the rf^^ s' welfare, ami of tL v 6 P"b f should be informed of the position as it stands to-day " -.«/£■ m™'- 5™ also £tated that as s°°» "h« cLwT' M M, mi t, into emission, v ™ i he take" °ff the se-' o her ZJ- I!eW.PJ ope"cr instfllied ™« otJiei work carried out. This was ex ported to t ;l ke about a fortnight Tho to aiJffla Wellington to-day, and wiH be unloaded on the Jervois Quay Wh- uf Hie boiler, which weighs 27' tons will wferf^tw 1?^ S;^ EH---sd\ a £