HANDLING OF GOODS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1922, Page 4

HANDLING OF GOODS.

DELAY AT NEW PLYMOUTH. RAILWAY DEPARTMENT BLAMED. The lack of adequate facilities for the despatch of goods at the port of New Plymouth was brought before the notice of the Harbor Board yesterday, 4b « letter received from the secretary of the Hawera Chamber of Commerce. The letter stated: “At ttye last meeting of the council the questiota of the handling and forwarding of goods ex ship' for inland towns at your port and rait way station was discussed in coxpaectiog .with correspondence which had taken place with the railway department on the question. The members of thia chamber were strongly of opinion that, in view of your attempts to build up your port, one of your first steps to improve business with country towns would be the provision of adequate sorting sheds at the breakwater in order to facilitate the despatch of goods in complete consignments. My chamber considers that while your port is deficient in this asset, its growth will be much retarded owing to the unsatisfactory way in which consignments are at present reaching the business people of this district. We are informed by the Railway Department that there is little hope of an improvement from their side for some time to come.”

In commenting upon the letter, the chairman (Mr. C. E. Bellringer) said the matter had becJn taken up by the board with the Railway Department time and time again. It wps gratifying to know that Hawera was alive to the position, and were giving support to the board. The Hawera district had a direct interest in the port, and the board was anxious to meet the difficulty, but the matter rested entirely with the Railway Department. The matter of sorting goods, would, he said, be dealt with by the ’ board itself when the new wharf was oompleted. In the two years between now and the building of the wharf, the board hoped to build its own sorting sheds at the breakwater. The Railway Department seemed to think that the public existed for the Department, and not the Railway Department for the public. If a shed could be erected which would be capable of dealing with transhipments, that would meet the difficulty. Mr. G. 11. Burgess suggested that if •pressure were brought to bear on the Department, this might do some good, as two years’ delay meant waiting too long. Mr. Maxwell moved that the Hawera Chamber of Commerce -be informed that the board regrets it is impossible to do anything, as the whole matter of handling and sorting was in the hands of the Railway Department. The board hoped, however, that when their new wharf was built, an entire alteration of the system would be possible. Mr. Burgess seconded, and the motion which was carried. Mr. D. J. Hughes then moved that the attention of the Department be drawn to the letter, and that they be asked to give better facilities for the handling of goods at New Plymouth. Mr. Burgess seconded, and the motion was carried. Mr. Hughes said that at Manutahi, for instance, preference was given to Wanganui cm account of the delay in forwarding consignments from New Plymouth.

The matter was brought up at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce last evening by Mr. C. E. Bellringer, who asked for the help of the Chamber in having the improvement effected. The president (Mr. T. C. List) said that the matter had not been lost sight of by the Chamber. In fact, it had for a long time been engaging the attention of the Railway Sub-committee, who had been in close touch with the railway authorities regarding the matter. The General Manager had promised, some eight or nine months ago, to have temporary extensions made to the goods shed, but owing to the financial depression, the money to carry out the work was not available. The subcommittee felt certain that as soon as tho financial position improved this would be one of the first things put in hand. It had to be borne in mind that the department had plans out for comprehensive yards, sheds and station, to meet the needs of a town three times the present population of New Plymouth, and that any work done now to the sheds was only of a provisional nature. It was satisfactory, how«?ver, to know that the General Manager so fully recognised the pressing need that he had agreed to make the extensions as soon an the necessary funds were availal/