THE RIVER THAMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22986, 15 September 1936, Page 7

THE RIVER THAMES

ADDRESS BY MR E. WOOD An interesting and instructive address was delivered in St. Matthew’s Hall last night by Mr E. Wood, who chose for his subject “The Thames, the River of History Romance and Commerce.” The lecture was divided into two parts. The first dealt with the course of the river from its source to the Tower of London, this section abounding in romantic and historical associations. The second part dealt princioally with the great dock system of the premier port of he world now controlled by that famous body the Port of London Authority. Dealing with the historic aspect, Mr Wood quoted the statement of Mr Hilaire Belloc that “ England had been built up on the framework of her rivers, and in that pattern the principal line had been the line of the Thames,” the lecture* adding that, flowing as it did across the south if England, it had been the natural centre of all that had happened there, and the history of the south of England was till the last centurv almost the history of England. The lecture throughout was illustrated by many beautiful lantern slides, included in the first part being a series of Oxford and Windsor Castle, Stoke Poges churchyard (the scene of Gray’s immortal Elegy),, Henley, Staines, Runnymede (the site of the signing of Magna Charta in 1215), Hampton Court and its famous palace, Kingston, Kpw and Richmond, and, coming to London itself, views were shown, including Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, St. Thomas s Hospital, the Thames Embankment, old and present London bridges, and a series of the famous Tower of London. During a short interval the audience joined in singing the wellknown song “Old Father Thames. The second half of the lecture dealt with the history of the great dock system from the beginning of last century up to the time when the various private interests were, in 1908, amalgamated under the Port of London Authority, the purchase price being £23,000,000, since when improvements had cost nearly a further £ 12,000,000. Well compiled statistical slides conveyed an idea of the vast extent and ramifications of the work of the Authority at the present time, such as the handling of 2,500,000 tons of imports and 800,000 tons of exports per annum, while upwards of 500,000 tons of merchandise were continually held in its stores, including 36,000 tons of tobacco in bond. The employees numbered about 12,000, including 5000 labourers. No less than 41,000,000 tons of oversea, and 18,000,000 tons of coastal shipping passed through the port every year, the speaker continued. Coming to individual items of commerce, some striking figures were quoted, such as an annual turnover of 8,000,000 gallons of wines and spirits, 200,000 tons of tea, and 2,000,000 tons of wheat. It was pointed out that even New Zealand played her part in this great trading, for in February alone of this year Dominion imports to London included 500,000 carcasses of mutton and lamb, 10,000 quarters pf beef, 23,000 carcasses of pork, and 27,000 cases of evaporated and dried milk. Indeed, Mr Wood added, London alone handled 42 per cent of the imports and 25 per cent, of the exports of the United Kingdom, the total trade exceeding that of the total of the next four ports, An interesting description was given which was also illustrated, of the wonderful and up-to-date methods that were employed in handling this huge volume of traffic, including a reference to that old and interesting factor of the life of the river—the Thames barge of lighter, under the control of the famous bargees. The lecturer mentioned that for the latter part of his talk he was indebted for the slides to the Port of London Authority representative in Sydney, who had kindly lent them. The lecture closed with the singing of the National Anthem, after which a hearty vote of thanks, moved by the Rev. W. A. Hamblett. was carried by acclamation.