THE JETTY AND PILOTAGE.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 45, 14 April 1863, Page 2

THE JETTY AND PILOTAGE.

A meeting of shipmasters and others interested in the navigation of the New River was held in the Victoria Hotel on Friday evening, to consider the delays and obstructions at the port of Invercargili. At the appointed hour the large apartment was completely crowded by captains, merchants and others. Mr. McDonald (representative of Messrs. Dalgetyj Rattray and Cn.) was called to the chair, and explained the objects of the meeting. He thought it necessary that in order to forward the commercial interests of the town, a Chamber of Commerce should be established. He called on Captain Pendleton, of the " Evelina Kutter,'> who addressed the meeting at length on the want of Jetty accommodation. He submitted the following memorandum, setting forth the grounds of complaint, for the consideration of the j meeting :— "I have the honor of laying before your notice this evening, and for which purpose I have, at the desire of many captains and influential parties, convened you here together this evening, for the purpose of bringing before your notice the delays, inconvenience, trouble and annoyance met with in this port. " 1. "Wharfage and tonnage accommodation; "2. Lighterage. "3. Pilotage. " 4. Customs. " 5. Insufficiency of moorings and buoys.^ " Wharfage and tonnage accommodation will he the first point to aim at, which you all know to be a most important part. The accommodation here is well known to be totally unfitted and unsuited for the vast and increasing demands of this the most flourishing river of Southland. In the first place, at the jetty, we have to meet with nothing but inconvenience and -abuse from authorities employed or professing to be employed by principals whom we know nothing about, and cannot gain necessary information. They are negligent of taking delivery, or properly looking after goods entrusted to tbeir care, and their answer is, in short, they do not care a rap, or do not recognise Captain Elles, Collector of ll er Majesty's Customs, or anyone elre; necessarily, as our agents or , consignees ' and others do not know anything about, or verv little about this important subject, ' we are, as masters of vessels, acting on behalf of owners and those interested. At the last moment, when it comes to tiie clearing out of the ship, we are wrongfully detained, ft^d from what cause or from what source it is impossible to gain information or properly understand." A discussion of a conversational uatere then took place, at tho conclusion of which a committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. Macdonald, Jionar, Miller, Hallenstein, Tully, "Watt, Gilles, Captains Pendleton, Tucker' Cheyne, Levy, Tuck and Jamieson, to draw up resolutions, to bo submitted to an adjourned meeting, to be held in the ,same place the following evening. After a vote of thanks to the Chairman, the meeting broke up. Adjourned Meeting. The adjourned meeting was numerously attended by merchants and captains of vessels. Mr. Macdonald, who was called to the chair, regretted the absence of several of the older merchants in town, who ought to have occupied that position. He found, in conversing with some of them, that they were trusting to the proposed Marino Board remedying the evils complained of; but in his opinion they were trusting to a broken reed. Without waiting lor the formation of the Board, he would call on the Executive to remove the causes of complaint. In proposing the resolutions he Imped that all personalities would be avoided. Captnin Pendleton, in a few pithy remarks, proposed the first resolution :— " That the present management of the wharf is very unsatisfactory, leading to great^ delay in discharge of cargo and dr.mage to goods." Mr. Sylvan seconded the resolution, which, on being put to the meeting, was carried unanimously. . Mr. Gilles moved the second resolution with a few remarks . — "It is strongly urged that the wharf be strengthened, so as to admit of dray traffic, in. stead'of the present system of tramway; but in the event of t'via :being found impracticable, it is desirable that the double line of rails be immed;ately laid, and a sufficiency of trucks provided ; abo that cranes and sheds be erected with .the least possible delay." Mr. Tucker seconded the resolution. Mr. McKay thought the jetty was never adapted for horses. There was nothing to hinder a stage being erected within eight days, and goods could°be landed from it into the sheds, where they would he protected from the weather. Mr. Grilles replied, and after some discussion the motion was put and unanimously carried. The third resolution was proposed by Mr; Hamilton: — " That the working hours be from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the discharge and delivery of free goods, and that horses should be employed for dragging the trucks, if these are to be continued, instead of manual labor." After some discussion, the resolution, which, was seconded by Mr, Tucker, was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Miller, in proposing the fourth resolution, could see no reason whatever for its not being carried. It was as follows: — " That the lighters be discharged strictly in turn according to their arrival at the wharf, and that no goods be landed unless trucks are alongside to receive them." The resolution, on being put to the meeting, was carried, there being only one dissentient. Mr. Bonar proposed the fifth resolution : — " That until the permanent improvement of the Wharf and wharfage accommodation are completed, sidlings be laid down at the head of the Jetty, with a platform, to afford greater facility in loading drays." The resolution had several seconders, and was unanimously agreed to. Mr. Watt, in proposing the nest resolution, regretted that it had not been in the hands of an older merchant of the town. He was afraid the meeting might be looked upon as got up by " new chums," but he could, assure them that the sympathies of the " old hands" were with them. Mr. Hallenstein briefly seconded the resolution; Mr. Leary strongly urged that tide waiters should not give a discharge till all the free goods were out of the ship. After some discussion, this was considered a matter for separate consideration, and the motion as follows was put and carried unanimously : — "That the Provincial Government be requested to take steps to have the number of landing and tide waiters increased, and that a competent officer be appointed who shall keep a register of all goods delivered on the wharf open for the inspection of shipmasters and consignees." Mr. Mitchell moved the seventh resolution. He thought it the corner stone of the whole matter. It was responsibility they wanted, and that was what they had not got at present. If goods went a-missing, they went to Tom, Dick,

and Harry, and neither knew anything of them. The captain would swear he put them on the Jetty, but afterwards no one could tell what became of them. He proposed — " That this meeting is of opinion that it would be found more beneficial for the interests of trade, and more profitable for the revenue, that the wharf should be leased to some responsible party." The motion was seconded by Mr. Gilles, and carried unanimously. The meeting then took into consideration the pilotage of the New Biver, when the following resolutions were unanimously agreed to : — 1. " That, from the frequent accidents occurring to shipping in navigating the river, the present pilot system is considered inefficient, and the channel also unsafe from the want of proper buoys and dolphins." 2. "That leading beacons are required at entering the New Eiver Heads — the present signals not being discernible outside." 3. " That tidal signals be established at the Heads, or some other suitable locality." Tae Chairman then announced that the objects of the meeting, were accomplished and a commit tee, consisting of Messrs. Pendleton, Grilles, Leary, Mitchell, Watt, Jamieson, and the Chairman were appointed to wait upon the Superintendent, and impress on him the wants of the meeting.