CONTROL OF WHARVES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16881, 8 July 1920, Page 9

CONTROL OF WHARVES.

REQUEST TO HABBOTJR BOARD. A request to acquire full control of tho wharves at Lyttelton w-as made by a deputation from the Tunnel Roadi League to the Lyttelton Hflrbcm Boai d yesterday. Mr H. J. Ranger said the "business of the deputation was to ask the Board to hare an amending Bill prepared and presented to Parliament, conferring on. the Board full control over the wharves at Lyttelton. It was nocessary in tho interests of progress that tho Board, should h*iv<? the control and us© of its own wharves. Even the adoption of tu© Hiley scheme would not meet the transport difficulties in the future, for he failed to see what consideration could be expected from a monopolistic Government concern. The port could onlv be developed and operated on modern lines if the Board had control of the wharves. Mr W. T. Lester, Mayor of Lyttelton, said it had been shovfn over and over again that Lyttelton waa a good and adequate harbour, and much betteii to develop than any other harbour proposition. It was necessary, however, ir Lyttelton was to compete with other ports, to give the Harbour Board full control over tho operations of the port. At present tho Harbour Board was. overridden by the Railway Department, who secured control of the wharves by the 1877 Act. Tho congestion so much complaincd of was not •caused at Lyttelton itself, but in the goods sheds at Christ-church. The port of Lyttelton, he believed, would be adequate to carry the trade of Canterbury for the nest 500 years, provided the Board sccured control and developed the port in an up-to-dato manner. In reply to a question, Mr Ranger said the League did not discount the value of the Hiley scheme so far as it effected improvements in the way of more expeditious and sorting. The League, however, proposed to relieve the congestion by relieving the railway of a considerable amount of haulage between Lyttelton and Christchurch. Mr R. Macartney asked if the League proposed to carry out the Tunnel road scheme themselves. Mr Ranger said the League proposed that the Harbour Board should take control of the work. Mr Macartney asked who would pay the cost. 3lr Lester said the people would pay the cost. The big point, however, w:is not who paid, but that the port should be developed in the interests of Canterbury. Mr T. Blakelev said the Harbour Board should liavc the right of access to the wharves, and he considered that tho matter should be brought before the Canterbury members of Parliament. The Board decided to refer the matter to the Harbour Improvement Committee.