CARGO WORKING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 September 1941, Page 4

CARGO WORKING

COSTS IN WELLINGTON HARBOUR BOARD FIGURES CHALLENGED. BY WATERFRONT CONTROL COMMISSION. IBy Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. A statement that it intended to make a full investigation of the figures submitted by the Wellington Harbour Board'-s special committee and chief executive officer in reports on the increased cost of waterfront operations, and to present a report to the Press at the earliest possible moment, was made yesterday by the Waterfront Control Commission in commenting on the reports discussed at Wednesday night’s meeting of the board. The reports to the Harbour Board stated that, since 1935 the cost of handling English and foreign cargo had increased by 95 per cent. The commission challenges the findings of the Harbour Board special committee. It states that the present wage level shows an increase of only 37.3 per cent on the level of 1935. It is also stated by the commission that the figures presented by the Harbour Board with regard to the rate of discharge of cargo are not accurate. On one ship, it is observed the Harbour Board figures show a rate of discharge of 10.88 tons per gang per hour, while the actual rate of discharge was 15.49 tons.

“The question of handling costs to the Wellington Harbour Board.” the commission says, “’can be determined accurately only by one method, namely a practical test, and the Waterfront Control Commission is prepared to undertake it. We will discharge any number of vessels that the Wellington Harbour Board may determine, coastal or overseas, and land the cargo into the shed at a rate much less than that which the Flarbour Board states it costs at the present time. The commission will, of course, have no responsibility for delivery.”