PORTS AND SHIPPING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 75, 30 March 1943, Page 2

PORTS AND SHIPPING

THE purpose of the visit to New Zealand of Mr. Charles ,E. Brown, regional director of the United States War Shipping Administration, is, in his published words, "to endeavour to speed up the loading and discharging of urgent war cargoes ... to cut down port time, so that more voyages can be made." A great deal was heard earlier in the war of the necessity of a quicker "turn-around" of ships in New Zealand ports, and ihe public has been given the impression that the measures taken to secure this object proved effectual. Mr. Brown's visit, and his guaMed comments, raise doubt as to the accuracy of this impression. It seems apparent that, whether or not an improvement in the speed of the "turn-around" has been made, he considers there is room for further improvement now. The need for the utmost efficiency in the loading and discharge of Allied ships, at every port, has probably never been greater than it is now. While there has been an enormous increase in the building of new ships there, has been an enormous increase also in the shipping requirements of military campaigns, and the Germans, knowing, full, well,how much is at stake, have intensified their submarine activities. ...These..are the. circumstances which'require ■ the utmost; possible use to be made of every merchant-ship; afloat-.- So-far as New Zealand is concerned, if Mr. Brown has specific proposals to'make to secure a quicker "turn-around," he need not hesitate to make them public, for he will be assured of popular support for any measure designed to cut down port time and enable more voyages to be made.