THE FERRY SERVICE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14918, 17 March 1914, Page 2

THE FERRY SERVICE.

LYTTELTON BERTHING

QUESTION

In the course of his report to the Harbour Board yesterday, the Engineer, Mr Cyrus Williams, said: —

Tho perennial question of tho most suitable berth for the Lyttelfcon-Wel-hngton ferry steamers again cropped up during the year. The position is that from the steamers' point of view the present berth or one at No. 3 jetty is infinitely more convenient than one o-i any other part of the harbour, because these berths can be reached directly from the entrance, the vessel passing the entrance and backing into her berth like a railway train, on arrival, and are left by the vessel 6imply going full speed ahead. Frpm the point of view of railway connexion, however, these berths are not so suitable. In the first place the express trains have reached such a length that the whole train cannot reach the jetty, part of it lying beyond the connecting points of the jetty lines with the yard lines, which leads to complications in connexion with the attachment and disconnexion of the luggage vans. Besides which the arrangement of running the train nearly on to the Gladstone Pier, and shunting back on to No. 2 jetty is inconvenient, and causes delay. The most convenient place from the rSliway service point of view is the Gladstone Pier. Here all .the piesent disabilities would be avoided as far as tho railway is concerned, and the difficulties thrown upon the ship. Undoubtedly there would, on occasions, be some delay in berthing the vessel in 6trong north-west or south-westerly weather, and the vessel could never, in the nature of things, lie so easily at a breastwork wharf as at a jetty pointing towards the entianco to the harbour, but these difficulties can be minimised by the use of spring fender piles, and by carrying a spring fender wharf in a curve round the present end of the breakwater.