WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 February 1928, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

DOCK FOR POUT WELLINGTON. (Special to “ Guardian”.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 24. Mr .>l. Cohen, who was chairman of tlie Wellington Harbour Hoard for several years, has just returned from a comprehensive tour of America, timing which he visited the principal ports, and at the meeting of the Hoard yesterday remarked that although these were faced with a greater accum- . illation of problems than was the Port of Wellington its difficulties were practically of the same character. Wellington’s Port considering the centre and the work it is called upon to handle, (lid not suffer by any reasonable comparison with the ports ol the old world. They were fortunate in that they had been able to profit by taking lessons from older ports, aiid by doing so they had discarded "practices which had been found impolitic. Of all the blessings and benefits New Zealand ports, and particularly Wellington, derived from this, the foremost was the investment of foreshore rights in our harbours. For this he found that the Old World ports, and particularly America, envied this Dominion. As if to justify the remarks that Air Cohen had made, the Chairman announced at the same meeting that as the result of the report submitted to it by the chief engineer as a result of the report of his visit to Great Uritain, the Board had agreed to the provision of a floating dock for the port, and had approved of the genera! plans for the same supplied bv the engineer. The site for the dock would be at the end of the Thermion sea wall, and it was stated that as soon as the necessary plans had been prepared tenders would be invited lor its construction and erection,, and that as soon as the ’I liorndon reclamation was sufficiently advanced the necessari approach jetty and mooring berth would be put in and the site for the dock dredged to the required depth. The not lifting power of the dock would be Id,ooo tons, and with the pontoons the length would be 1033 ft., with an overhaul width of 114 ft., and a draft of water over the keel blocks ol 24ft. Provision will also be made for increasing the length by a further (59ft. It will be remembered that some years ago aii unsuceestsPul endeavour was made to construct a graving dock in the vicinity of the Taranaki street wharf, but after the expenditure of some thousands of pounds the work was abandoned, as the bottom was found unsuitable. It is satisfactory to know that this, practically the only blot in connection with the facilities of Wellington as a seaport, will soon he removed. In connection with the exports of New Zealand produce during the month of January from Wellington it is pleasing to note that a considerable increase took place as compared with the same period of 1027. the figures for which arc given in parenthesis:—Bales wool ipid hemp transhipped, 7017 (8082) ; wool and hemp shipped. 33,449 (30,101); buttei shipments, 2,328 (1,308); cheese, 0,100 (4.201); frozen meat. 2,480 (1881). The total cargo handled for the month was 101.314 (129,330). DAIRY EXPORT. At the meeting of the Dairy C'ontro. Board held yesterday it was announced that the Dominion production was keeping imi remarkably well, considering the continuous dry weather. 'I he expectations early in the season ol an increase of from 13 to 2(1 per cent in butter-fat would, however. not be borne out, but the output on a butterlilt basis would bo probably fully up to that of last season, which was a record production. The Board authorised further payments totalling approximately 1120,000 in respect to ihi: second butter pool and the cheese pool. The secretary reported that, it was hoped to close the second butter and cheese pools iu .March. The following payments were available: Second butter pool, approximately €50,000, equal to .13 Id per lb. bringing the final pay-out to f.o.h. finest is :i.4277, first is g.Ogiid, and second is 1.0277(1, out of which the factories have paid the levy. Cheese pool : Approximately €70.000, equal to .lC'-d per lib, bringing the final payout on an f.o.h. basis to: Finest 7.840(1, first 7.500(1, second 7.340 d. On net weights, allowing for 2.75 per cent shrinkage, out ol which the factories have paid the levy. The 1.0. b. prices for cheese are the average prices. To the individual factories there will he a slight variation owing to the variation in shrinkages. 4he Board has arranged for space for eighteen boats, sailing between Feb. 23 f and April 22, for 299,000 boxes of butter and 189,150 crates of cheese.