PORT OF LONDON

Hokitika Guardian, 21 March 1931, Page 6

PORT OF LONDON

EMPIRE AND OVERSEAS STUDENTS AT ENGLISH UNIVERSITIES VISIT. Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South A'rica, Rhodesia, West Indies, U.S.A. and Germany Represented. University undergraduates from the Dominions and Overseas spent the first weeks of their Christmas vacation inspecting places of interest in London and as the guests of London hostesses. They were enabled to gain an intimate insight into some of Mritoin’s commercial institutions and home life. A day was set apart for a visit- to the Port of London and under the guidance of the Port of London Authority officials the visitors were shown round two of the London dock systems. The young students were greatly impressed with the vast ramifications of London’s great Port and were particularly interested in seeing in the warehouses a great variety of commodities with which they are familiar in a natural state in their native countries.

At the London Docks a display of elephant tusks attracted the attention of Rhodesian scholars. Sonic 175 tons of ivory are imported into London annually and a spacious floor in one of the warehouses is set aside where tlm tusks arc set out for public, show to the best advantage before the periodical auction sales are held. The Wool Warehouses had a wider appeal as consignments are sent to London from all the wbol-produeing countries. Nearly 10 acres of -floor space at the London Dock warehouses are devoted to the storage ofwool. Nearly a million and a quarter hales or 60.000.000 fleeces passed through London in 19*29. The visitors were fortunate to see large-quantities set up for show on the extensive show floors, which are visited by buyers from file manufacturing areas of Britain. most of the Continental countries and also America, The wine vaults visited cover an area of 10 acres and much of the Australian wine imported into London is kept in them to mature.

After luncheon as the guests of th f * Port of London Authority the party proceeded hv motor coach to the largest group of docks in tile Port of London. The Royal Victoria and Albert and King George V. Docks cover an area of over 1.100 acres, of which 2-15 acres are water. This group <ii docks, which lias a capacity fop 500,000 net register tons of shipping at one time and more than 12 miles of quays, alone deals with more trade than a large number of well-known ports throughout the world. A general impression of the modern and efficient equipment, including some -300 3-ton electric cranes, provided in those docks was obtained. Through the lock entrances of this system in one afternoon recently no less than 25 ships, representing 175,000 gross register tons were handled. One of the -10 warehouses, in which : over 50,000 tons of tobacco is stored.

was inspected by file party. This stock is valued at .£60,000.000 duty paid and approximately one-third is grown in the Empire. About 70% or approximately 650,000 tons per annum of the meat imported into the United Kingdom is brought into London and is dealt with chiefly at the Royal Victoria and Albert Docks and the party w»'re afforded th' opportunity of descending into the chambers of the biggest cold store. The hulk of Fho meat landed at these dock's is delivered immediately after arrival to the world-famous Smithfield Market- for distribution in the huge local mnrekt round London and hv insulated railway wagons to all parts of the country. It was a happy occasion for the Port Authority to he able to entertain so many receptive minds from tiie four corners of the earth, aiid for their part, the undergraduates were full of ; appreciation for the facilities afforded to them to see something; of one of the. Jinipirc’s most valuable possessions—a port that deals ,with over one-third of Britain's overseas trade and sen es ! the largest as well as the richest market in the world.