PORT'S EXPANSION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 September 1920, Page 4

PORT'S EXPANSION.

NEED FOR FURTHER BERTHAGE," URGENT PLANS TO BE PREPARED. That members of the New Plymouth Harbor Board are fully alive to the need lor providing additional wharfage at the port at the earliest possible moment, with a view to providing for the rapidly increasing trade of Taranaki, was made clear at the meeting of the Board yesterday. During a brief discussion on the plans submitted by the Railway Department in connection with their proposed requirements for the junction of the Te Roti-Moturoa line, and also the station yard, Mr. E. Maxwell stressed the Meed for the provision of qxtra berthage accommodation at the earliest possible , moment, and he suggested that the engineer should consider amending his plans so as to provide for a breast work near the root of the present structure, which would provide deep water berth- ' age, and would also reclaim land that would be available- for sheds for storage accommodation. The Railway Department had taken all their shed room, and under the present scheme it would be 10 years before they would be abb) to provide storage accommodation. He did not think that people would be satisfied with that. Mr. Con net t said that there wai no question that additional berthage ac- ' commodation was required. Captain Waller agreed. He said that- > they now had the ships coming hare and no berthage available, and he instanced that he had even had to keep the Corinna outside for 12 hours. The chairman pointed out that the visit of the Japanese boat with coal Interfered seriously with the accomnoda- ' tion, as she required so long to unload and occupied the liner's berthage, Mr. Maxwell said that the need for storage accommodation and another berth for ocean liners wag imperative. They must have another berth, and must decide how it was to be obtained. Trade was growing too fast for them'to handle; and they would simply sacrifice the port's success by turning trade away. Members agreed on the matter, and the engineers were authorised to submit a report on the question. , A special meeting of the Board will be called to discuss the report as soon as it is available.