PORT OF BRISTOL

Hokitika Guardian, 24 August 1931, Page 8

PORT OF BRISTOL

FILM OF THE DOCKS. GATEWAY OF THE WEST. LONDON, July 10. In pursuance of their object of making the facilities of the Port of Bristol more widely known, the port authority have bad an excellent film taken illustrating the dock s and its activities. This was shown at the exhibition at Buenos Ayres, and it is to be exhibited throughout the pro.uniat towns. Yesterday, London journalists were invited to see the film. Those who have been entertained at the docks at Avonmouth on various occasions must have come to the conclusion that from a well-planned ft

one may learn even more than from a personal visit to’ the docks, and with a great deal less effort. A film may be taken during the period oi several months, and every branch of trade may lie illustrated when it is at (lie peak of activity. On a personal visit ac-

tivity is not obvious in every quarter of the docks. The exhibition of the film should be a very effective way of directing the attention of the puh'ic to this “Western Gateway of England.”

An historical touch is given to the film. One is reminded that 2000 years ago, Bristol was the terminal place of barter for the Phoenician traders, and afterwards of their successors, the navigators of ancient Rome. In the days of the early Saxon kings and for centuries the Port of Bristol was second in importance only to that of London

Modern times are first illustrated 1 the picture showing the arrival of the ship Duchess of Atlioll, of “0 000 t n The largest vessel which has dock d there, the Rotterdam was 25,000 tons. The film gives a clear idea of the exte - sivc trade of the port, and the 'oici-e of the operations in handling al classes of-cargo. Passengers are seen going on hoard the liner from the train which has done its 120 miles from London in two hours. Vessels are seen working to quay and craft, an 1 deliveries to road, lorries and trams arc shown. Grain is seen being discharged by *he floating elevators. Twenty-one million bushels, or ten per cent, of the total United Kingdom imports are de-tit. with annually. New Zealand lamb, man-handled only twice from hold to cold store, is seen coming off the ship, and the “fern leaf” of the butter boxes is plainly visible in the picture.

BARGE HOLDING A FORTUNE. Bananas—a great trade at the Bristol port—are shown being unloaded by means of an endless chain—-100, 0 bunches in a few hours. ' A trn n ten or fifteen enclosed trucks (smpletoly filled with bananas starts (i its way to London, where the fruit is on sale in the shops the next day. About 25,000 tons of tobacco arrive at the port each year. One barge laden with tobacco is more valuable (when the duty is included) than the vessel which brough the produce. Each tierce of tobacco is worth ‘about £OOO. Hie duty on the tobaco coming to Bristol amounts to £2(5,000,000 per annum, 100 ijmes as much as the net revenue of tlio Port of Bristol.

The discharging of oil tankers, the loading of export cargo, the capacious graving clock 875 feet long, the handling of fruit at the city clocks are shown. The film concludes with the authority’s estate at Avonmouth, comprising 800 acres of land available for works,,and factories, with factory bui clings on the'- site, and railways with dim-t connection to all parts of the British Isles.. Truly, the authorities' have planned for a, great and prosperous future.