DEPUTATION.

Evening Star, Issue 3237, 5 July 1873, Page 2

DEPUTATION.

At two o'clock yesterday, * deputation from the owners of steam vessels, and coasters coming up to Dunedin, mad the merchants of the City, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent, to pnass upon the Government the necessity for certain arrangements calculated to facilitate the trade of the port. The deputation were introduced by Mr John Davie, M.P.C,, and Mr H. 9. Fish, jun., M.P.C. They were Messrs Brook, Houghton, R. B. Martin, Prosser, K. Ramsay, G. F. Reid, Whitelaw, and Robert Wilson. Mr Fish stated that he and Mr Davie had been requested to introduce the deputation, who represented the mercantile community. Their object was to bring under notice of his Honor the necessity of extending Rattray street jetty. It was obvious the jetty accommodation was totally inadequate to the requirements of the City. They were told the railway pier at Port Chalmers was already overwhelmed with traffic, and the jetty at Rattray street was not sufficiently large for the increasing trade of the Province. Mr Houghton would more fully explain the objects of the deputation. Mr Houghton said thp object of the deputation was to urge upon His Honor the abac* lute necessity there was for giving effect to the recommendation of Captain Thomson, the harbor master, respecting wharf accommodation. He said The railway pier since it was opened for traffic has been almost constantly lined on both sides with vessels of large tonnage, and provides only about one-half of the accommodation required; but I look forward to the contemplated quay along the shore being finished before the next summer’s throng, and a steam tug procured, which is just as necessary in connection with the pier, as the locomotive is with the line—indeed, a considerable amount of passenger traffic has been lost to the railway fcr want of one. The traffic at the Rattray street wharf has so increased, that to meet the present requirements an extension of same of at least 200 ft is necessary, and should bo carried out at once, in order to remove the inconvenience the shipping and mercantile interests at present labor under. A portable steam crane is also very much wanted on this wharf. It was also necessary that two or three additional sheds for goods should be constructed. As a proof of the necessity for increased wharfage accommodation, he might mention that on Monday week the steamers Maori, Samsou, Wanganui, Storm Bird, and Pretty Jane were all discharging cargo at the same time. Upwards of 4,000 bags of grain, much of it for transhipment to other ports, were discharged that day. At the sgtme time, the sailing coasters Elderslie, Mary Webster, Paxton, and Coronet were loading and discharging cargo, aud it was scarcely possible to do the work properly. The extension of the jetty 300 ft in length, and the erection of two additional sheds, would meet the requirements of the trade. There was a large quantity of heavy machinery now received aud shipped in Dunedin, for loading and discharging which the present ciane was utterly useless. It broke down three or four years ago, and since that time had been useless for any purpose. A boiler was brought down weighing six or seven tons, and twenty-four hours were required to land it. Had there been an efficient crane, it might have been done in an hour. The reason why so much time was needed was that it was necessary to guard against an accident, by building timber underneath the boiler as it was raised. He would suggest that a steam crane should be erected capable of raising live tons. The next point to which he desired to direct attention was that, under the present Ordinance for levying jetty dues, too little time was allowed for the class of vessels new coming up to Dunedin to discharge cargo. The Ordinance was passed when only small craft of forty or fifty tons burthen came up to Dunedin, but now vessels of 300 or 400 tons came alongside the jetties. The time should be extended to five days for discharging, and seven for loading vessels of that class. Another object the deputation had in view was to recommend placing a light on Timaru Head, as recommended by Captain Thomson. Almost all the coasting steamers coming up to Dunedin were obliged to leave Fort Chalmers at night, aud therefore a light there was urgently required. Another matter requiring immediate attention was the establishment of a Shipping-master’s office in Dunedin, under the control of the Government. At present the greatest trouble was experienced in findiri£ seamen, for there was no recognised place of meeting, and any master of a vessel wanting half-a-dozen hands, found it impossible to obtain them under Government control. Those were the chief points the deputation desired to bring before his Honor, and they asked that sufficient money might be placed on the Estimates to carry out those objects. A few hundred pounds would be sufficient for Rattray street jetty, and if Dunedin was to maintain its commercial position in Few Zealand, it was necessary those works should be done. He was authorised to state that one firm witbiu the last two months sent down 10,000 bags of grain, some received coastwise, as the only port possessing facilities for shipment. Objections had been raised that goods were merely brought for transhipment; but that was an advantage, and by opening up facilities 4a or 5s a ton might be saved, an expense which operated now much to the disadvantage of the port. Mr Ramsay, as representing a large number of coasting vessels, could attest the inconvenience, annoyance, and loss suffered through absence of proper wharfage accommodation. When it was necessary tr apply for room at Rattray street jetty, the answer was, “ You may take a berth, but if a large steamer comes in you will be put out. ” He thought as vessels of 150 tons came np to Dunedin, accommodation should be provided for them at the Jetty street jetty, alongside of which the harbor should be dredged so as to provide sufficient depth of water. By that means Rattray street would be left free for steamers. A shipping officer was much required. At present it was found necessary to engage seamen at Mr Colin Allan’s or the Custom House, or at public-houses, which he considered very objectionable. He also approved of giving vessels alongside the wharf a little more time, for it seemed some* what hard that they should be compelled to load aud discharge in so short a time thrqugh deficient accommodation. So far as he knew, vessels coming to Dunedin were taxed as heavily as in any other port, while they bad not equal accommodation. His Honor said he was glad the deputa* tion had waited upon him, as they had expressed views that he hoped would strengthen the hands of the Government in placing appropriations on the Estimates for the objects specified. Already sums had been placedon the Estimates for extending Rattray street jetty. It would have been done sooner had the Province had the money. A deputation waited on him six months ago, and he was in hopes the extension would have been made by prison labor, but it could not be done. It would have to be done by free labor. The crowded state of the wharf was a disgrace—not only were vessels double, but treble banked. A vote would be proposed to the Council for extending the wharf so as to berth two more vessels, and, in addition, it was proposed there should be a wharf from Rattray street to the new jetty. He dared say they had seen the prisoners had commenced to drive the piles. It was proposed to dredge it in front to the same depth of water as at Rattray street. The pri- _ aonera were going on slowly, so his proposition was to do the work by free labor, and employ a steam pile-driver, soastogetthrongh the work. A steam crane had been purchased by the Government with the Port Chalmen Railway, which it was proposed to place on Rattray street wharf, although he did not think it would answer the purpose of lifting heavy weights. For that end permanent shears should be constructed. The Government would give attention to it. As to jetty dues, he hoped they would be abolished, al-

though in consequence of an agreement with the General Government they were not prepared for that. He was going to Wellington, and intended moving for their abolition. With regard to the light at Timaru Head, a sum was proposed on the Estimates for placing one there, and he hoped the Council would agree to it. As far as a shipping master was concerned, it was in the hands of the General Government. The Provincial Government had nothing to do with it. At his instigation they had agreed to have a shipping office at Port Chalmers on the same principle as at Melbourne. A seafaring man would be at the head of it, as he would be acquainted with the habits of seamen, and do all that was necessary to see them shipped. Another matter the deputation. had not touched on was instituting an Examining Board here, so that it would not bo needful to go to Wellington for certificates of competency. Mr Ramsay’s suggestion of utilising the old jetty was exactly what was contemplated by the Government. As soon as the dredge had deepened the channel to the end of the training wall, it was intended to send her there; and when the reclamation was carried out, it was intended to extend it there. As the dredge was working at the rate of twenty or thirty punts a day, the work would soon be done. . . Mr RamsAy thought a shipping office would do better in Dunedin than in Pork Chalmers. Mr Houghton was not competent to say at which place it would be the best. The Superintendent said it rested with tiie General Government where it would be placed. He was really surprised at the patience with which all connected with the ■hipping interest had borne with the crowded state of the wharf, and the destruction of goods that must have resulted.