WHARF EXTENSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 146, 17 July 1909, Page 6

WHARF EXTENSION.

DELAY BY THE HARBOR BOARD. LBSSOXS OF A WORLD TOUR. rTlie question of the comparative merits of long and short wharves for accommodation of ocean-going steamers was revived at yesterday'* Harbor Board meeting. The Board originally decided to add to its wharf accommodation by extending the present wharf seawards. Whether or not there should be ail angle hi the extension created an argument, and the engineer and Captain Bone, Marine Superintendent of the Xew Zeahiud Shipping Company, were called in to report. Upon their report I being presented, the Board decided not | to lengthen the structure but to strengthen and widen it, with room for transhipment .sheds o;a the wharf. The chairman and treasurer of the Board were in London on the Board's business when this «t<\p was taken. Uopn their n'turn, they were not conversant with the v hole of the details, and they asked ihi? Board not to proceed with calling • iiii'ts for material until they had had i.ue to consider the matter. Mr. King opened the 'ball by request- • :g that the engineer be instructed not » call tenders until after next Board

.'•eting. Mr. Maxwell said that it would re:;i!ire noticfe of motion to alter a pre* '•us decision of the Board. The chairman asked the Board to al■v him to move without notice that the Board refrain from calling tenders as previously resolved. It was only fair that he and Mr. King should 'be allowed a little time to go into this important matter, and as yet they had had no opportunity. It might be that the other memlbers of the Board, after hearing their arguments, would be prepared to modify their view-,' to some , extent. Mr. Wilkinson asked with what ob- ; jeet the matter was to he deferred. Mr. Connctt said that the members Blight decide not to widen the wharf to the extent decided 011 previously. He and Mr. King, as the result of their tour of the world, had modified their views as to the necessity for placing the sheds on the wharf, and if the I Board agreed with their arguments, the I plans would have to be altered. He was entirely in the Board's hands', of course, for he could only move in the matter by the unanimous consent of the Board. Mr. King suggested as a compromise that a telegram be sent to Mr. Marchant, telling him to delay matters pending the decision of the next meeting of the Board. •Mr. Wilkinson remarked that the. Board had not authorised the calling of tenders for the wharf extension. Mr. King said that was s>o. but tenders were authorised for the supply of timber and material. Mr. Connett added that if the Board decided to make any modification of its plans the lengt/lis of timber would probably be altered, and the Board would look silly then.

.•Mr. Maxwell said that although the matter was 'iiot in order lie would like to make an explanation. When the Board decided on its procedure in this matter, its action was based on very full investigation. Before Messrs Connett and King left here for England, H l ad 'been decided to call in Captain Bone j to give his opinion on the extension proposal, the understandiiij; being that lie and the engineer should confer, and the engineer make some recommendation to the Board. These gentlemen stayed here for three or four days and went into the matter very carefully. I'hey were agreed in opposing the lengthening at all. Captain Bone was emphatically against a long, narrow wharf, and stated that the whole of modern wharfage accommodation was on the lines of short, broad wharves. He gave the Board full reasons why the idea/ of long wharves and wharves with many Ts had been abandoned, and Mr. Marehant was mholly in accord with Captain Bone. Mr. Maxwell stated that he had doubted all along if ocean iiners could be berthed here in any but calm weather, if they had the lengthened wharf. Captain 'iione was of opinion that with the long wharf it would not be possible to berth one of the English steamers in bad weather, or

even in weather that was not completely settled. Captain Bone was also emphatic in his statement that if the plans were carried out as he suggested—widening the wharf and dredging inshore—any ocean liner likely to be berthed at this port could be berthed there in any reasonable weather, and ride out a storm ra any weather short of a furious gale, with ilmt verv little wear and tear. When the Board had both these gentlemen here, and the full in)ormation before it, the widening was decided on, and he felt still tlistf thev had adopted the proper course. Whilst the matter was under discussion he had stated his opinion that were Messrs Connett and King present they would agree to this course being taken. The chairman pointed out that although Mr. Maxwell declined to allow linn to present a resolution he himself was speaking on the subject. .Mr. Maxwell replied that he was' inak. if!g this explanation 'because lie found the newly-returned members not prepared to endorse the Board's action. The Board had been anxious to hasten the work, for the dredge was due at a certain date, and they wanted the timber here by the time the dredge had dredged out the berth. "

Comiett said' they were not asking to be allowed to discuss the lengthening of the wharf, but tlu» narrowing of the .proposed wharf, owing to the changed opinion as to sheds o n the wharves. The Board was' piitiin« Mr. King and himself in a false position. Captain Bone had come here not in connection with any widening proposals, but to give an opinion as to whether the Board should have <i straight or {■• rooked extension. He aud Mr. Kin* had been adverse to the crooked wharf for the reason that 500 feet extension wa s proposed when 200 feet would do. Captain Bone, in his report, seemed to l)C concerned only with providing for his own class of steamers. An "addinon of 200 feet to the present wharf m a straight line would provide all the accommodation required for i'l ami ocean v,~..ck l| e (t | u , stiJl opposed the crooked wharf scheme. He remarked that ,1 200 feet extension of the present wharf i 7 i a straight Jine would not the wharf close to the breakwater, lv.it farther away than now. Tic had h?r>n, lie said 34 years on the Heard, and (ij r the last •'3 jrwttf hail Wn ligbtir.# for this iiaijior improvement, lie wanted to see the completion of the harbor and to make sure that the Hoard should not make a mistake near the as li" thought there wa,. *o„i:. lianjer of it."."in?. (Several mnulii-rs: Hear, hear I here was no need to jro to the r\ pense of providtajr shed accommodation on the wharf. Mr. Kins said ( he liad no desire to appear antagonistic. He would appeal for Inn:' on different ground.;, or fuller ground*'. Tiie Board knew that the money had run short. According to the plan adopted liy the Hoard rccentlv, the wharf was to lie widened to SO feet! Afr. Alarchaut •advneatinff this principally because Messrs Coiinctt and Kin" wanted the transhipment fiheds on the wharves. Mr. Wilkinson: No, not principally. Afr. King quoted from Air. Alarchant's letter, in which lie wrote: ''T may explain tliat both' Mr. Connett and Mr.

Kiug were strongly in favor of such shcus being 'built on the wharf opposite the shipping berth. Mr. King urged it very strongly. 'Remembering this, it seemed to me to 'be the "best alternative suggestion I could offer if Captain Bone vetoed any extension at all.'' In the face of-that letter, said Mr. King, a letter written since his report to the Board, "if 1 am against those sheds going on the wharf, 1 claim that you must listen to me." He 'believed that a lengthening of the wharf by 200 feet would meet the case, although ne was' not wedded to that scheme. That extension would cost probably £OOOO or £.10,000, a-ad the strengthening of the present wharf would cost about .£SOOO ( £14,000 in all), as against the engineer's estimate of £24,000, being £21,000 for the wharf and £3OOO for sheds. The engineer .practically said he was providing 28 feet of the extra width to make room for sheds liccause lie (Mr. Kr.ig) forced it so strongly. ■Mr. Wilkinson pointed out that the letter Mr. King wias quoting from was ».ritten to a newspaper, not ollicially

to the Board, Mr. MaxweU staled that Messrs Marchant and Bono had both made it clear that the present wharf was neither vide enough nor strong enough. Mr. King assured the Board that ho was as anxious as anyone to do the bca't tiling, lie wouldn't like to have any risk to any steamer willing at the port. !Mr. Wilkinson suggested that this argument was hardly the best way of securing what Messrs Connctt and Kfog ■were alter. It was* just a matter of whether he and Mr. Maxwell would agree to this motion 'being put, and their acquiescence could be obtained only by -asking for it. Mr. Maxwell said he niras entirely opposed to the principle that because the Board had done certain things in the absence of certain members, those mem-

l>ors should be allowed to upset everything upon their return. He recognised, however, that they should have a chance of looking into this business fully, and it might be thought unfair if he refused to give 'them that opportunity. But he was sorry that Messrs Connett and King had not been alble to trust the Board. Had he been away from the Board meetings, and come back, and the Board assured him that after full consideration it had been decided under the special circumstances; in view of the restricted spending power; upon the evidence of and positive assurance of Captain Bono that there would he no hitch about berthing ocean boats under this scheme, and tluit that would not be so if the wharf were lengthened; then he would not try to upset the decision of the Board. Then there was a further point. Both the gentlemen consulted had been emphatic that the wharf must be very greatly strengthened, and Captain Bone had I urged that it' it were extended to any I extent at all it must lie very much wider. The long narrow wharf would not answer the Board's purposes, for it would mot bii strong enough. Ulr. Wilkinson suggested that the. discussion might be postponed. Mr Maxwell, however, thought there was no need for postponement or for the delay that the delegates' wre advocating. If they wanted to extend the wharf they could do it afterwards—the widening would not hamper that. The evidence was sullieieut to convince the Board that the wharf should be widen- : ed, and to put oil calling tenders for a j month was merely to keep the ocean l.ners out for a month. But he was rot going to have it said that the delegates were debarred an opportunity of giving their views. Merely to give them that opportunity, and for no other reason, iie would consent to the chairman moving as he desired.

;Mr. Wilkinson was sure that when the matter came up again at next meeting the delegates would not he able to bring forward any arguments that would shake his opinion. He was pleased to give Messrs Connett and King a fair opportunity of making enquiries and bringing the matter before the Board again. At the same time they had already had an opportunity—they could have given notice' of motion. Mr. Connett pointed out that they had only arrived on Friday evening from Home, and thus could not give the necessary seven days.

Mr. King: Besides, we wore not ready. Mr. Wilkinson withdrew his remark. He stated that the iirst duty of the Board was to provide a .berth. They could lengthen the wharf at any time. Captain .Bono had been emphatic that they must not lengthen the whnrf by a single inch. Mr. Wilkinson thought tlie Board should conserve its resources, with a view of building a new wharf Altogether. The more they lengthened the wharf the greater would he the cost to maintain, and the less money the Board would have for building a new wharf when tin? time eanie for it. The motion that Mr. Marchant he instructed to do nothing till after next meeting was- then moved by Mr. Connett, seconded by Mr. King, and carried. The chairman thanked the. members for this concession. As disposing of the objection to a long wharf, he mentioned tli.it at Melbourne he salw live of the biggest steamers that traded there, hei nig- worked at one and the aame time, three 011 one side and two on the other. There were no cranes on that wharf 1 find no sheds. That disposed of tile-al-leged disability o<f wording a ,lon.g , wharf. j Mr. Wilkinson: Not quite, i Mr. Ward was glad that Messrs MaxI well and Wilkinson had given way. j Mr. (.onnott: But they haven't given 1 way at all. I Mr. Wilkinson: Xot an inch, j Then the Board went on to other I business.