SHIPPING HELD UP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1915, Page 3

SHIPPING HELD UP.

CALLIOPE DOCK MONOPOLISED THROUGH MISHAP TO NIAGARA. SMALLER VESSELS AWAITIXG REPAIR. The smaller class of vessels trading to Auckland are feeling the pinch, of inadequate docking facilities. .It wae pointed out a few days ago that a hitch had occurred in the working of the new slipway erected by the Harbour Board at a. cost of £17,000. and that in the absence of the dismantled graving dock,, small vessels requiring attention wtere being sent over to Calliope Dock. The position has been rendered still more critical by the mishap to the Vancouver: liner Niagara, necessitating her occupation of CaJl'tjipe Dock for two or three days. To make way for the Niagara the Harbour Board officials had to withdraw a coal steamer which was undergoing repair, and will have to go back after the exit of the big Vancouver steamer. And in addition to this four other vessels have been put behind in their docking , . The Island schooner Ysabel was- to have gone in yesterday, and now muet wait. One of the -ferry boats, the Peregrine, ie also biding her opportunity for overhaul at Calliope, likewise' the 1 mission schooner, Southern Cross, the small steamer Glenelg, and possibly bthcra. The Niagara goes in to-day, and is expected to remain there until Thursday. DELAY IX LOADING. Captain William Ross, the ownermaster of the Ysabel, informed a reporter that the delay in docking would at least prevent him from loading until next week, whereae he had hoped to start on Friday or Saturday. He desired to state, however, that the harbourmaster (Captain Sergeant) was endeavouring to facilitate matters by providing for the Ysabel to go into dock at the same time the coal steamer, "which was awaiting the withdrawal of the Niagara. "At the same time," said Captain Ross, " this unfortunate position bears out what we shipping men eaid when a number of us raised a strong protest against the dismantling of the Auckland Graving Dock. Again I would ask. why the need for this indecent haste? Before even making sure that .the new slipway was working satisfactorily, the Harbour Board has rushed on i the tearing up of a dock which made Auckland justly popular as a refitting port for vessels up to 2,000 tons. But apart from this serious aspect of the case it seem extraordinary for the Har ; t>our Board to reduce the docking facilities rather than increase them, as the trade of the port increases. For some days past we have seen small vessels awaiting docking which have neither been able to go on tlie clip nor get into Calliope Dock, and now the accident to the Niagara has given -us a taste".of what might happen at any time with respect to the latter dock. In the past it ha 6 been occupied lor six or seven— and even ■ ten—weeks on end. What guarantee have we that ■ this will not occur frequently, and that if the slipway is not equal to the demand further delays will not recur?" :. ~ PRESTIGE OF THE PORT. Captain Ross expressed the opinion that Auckland was the natural refitting port for the Northern and Eastern Paci-! fie A vessel setting out from Tahiti for repairs could- «iy«t 2000 miles (counting both ways): by coming to Auckland instead .'of. going, to Sydney. As an island trader,- he knew bow much this fact had been appreciated in the past by vessels of various nationalities, jnd he feared that Auckland was going to suffer in name as a docking port. The slipway, even when working satisfactorily, was only capable of"taking ves■vessels up to 600 tons. What was going to happen to vessels.,above, that tonnage, and below the capacity of the Auckland Dock—2ooo tons? He "thought that other docking centres were likely to profit by the inadequacy .of the facilities, in Auckland. i ,■ :> . DIVERSION QF INDUSTRY. ' The president of the, Shipbuilders' Association, Mr. W. -H. said it seemed to him that the Harbour Board would have. difficulty. ji\^explaining the blockage in regard-to. docking at a time when fifty or 'eixty" 'men- were "bringing -about the destruction; ,<rf~ the Graving Bock, 'Which had done such good service. If these hindrances continued he felt euro that the shipbuilding industry in Auckland would suffer a great blow, for the simple reason that vessels requiring attention would go to other ports. About six weeks ago a steamer came all the way from Tahiti for the especial purpose of refitting. Vessels like that would probably now go elsewhere. When they came here for refitting alone, $hey < were.. exempt from harbour dues, pilotage, etc. In the past that had been an attraction, but there muet be adequate docking facilities to ■back it .up. Sydney had twelve docks end slipways, while Newcastle had 'four patent, slipways. Our harbour, while being the deepest and most convenient in Australasia, had one dock and one slipway. The Niagara had caused a uerious enough blockage, but what would happen if a warship put in for repairs which took several weeks to effect? Something" ehouKT etill be done to prevent the use of the Graving Dock being lost to the increasing number of vessels trading to Auckland. ENGINEER'S STATEMENT. The Harbour Board engineer (Mr. W. H. iHamer, reporting •on the 600----ton slipway, states •• that the electric denoting light at the training pier waa gazetted for the 22nd inst., and that the slip has been in -commission. . The smaller slip is in regular commission for the Board's own plant. Steady advance continues with the removal of the Auckland Dock. - •■