SHIPPING DELAYS

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17060, 3 February 1921, Page 7

SHIPPING DELAYS

♦ TRUCK SHORTAGE STILL ACUTE. In his summary of officers' reports on shipping delays, the secretary of the Lvttelton Harbour Board gave the following details at the meeting of the Board yesterday:— Up to December 80th (when the position in regard to shortage of railway waggons became a little easier, although reports still indicated a general shortage), the position waa as follows: — Berthago Space: Sufficient; no vessels in stream. Labour: Barely sufficient. If trucks had' been available for full gangs, the supply would not have been sufficient. Railway Waggons: Shortage acute. More vessels discharging than loading. Ihere was a special shortage of waggons Delays: The steamers Kittawa and Kahika were compelled to discharge part cargoes of coal into hulks. The Board's stores were unable to secure sufficient waggons to load out 8000 cases of gasolene for s.s. Ripple, to give the vessel a good start on arrival. The work was hindered right through by shortage or trucks, and occupied five day's, instead of two days with full gangs and adequate truck supply. From December 20th to 22nd every vessel in port reported working shorth|\ndfcd through shortage of trucks. From January 6th to 22nd, the reports showed that there were no delays through lack of berth-! age. Railway Waggons: The shortage was frequent and continuous. On January 6th the timber discharged from Kit-: tawa and Commerce still lay on Glad-1 jtone Pier. Colliers were working with small gangs. S.s. Raranga last three hours through want of waggons.' Sohooner John and Winthrop arrived on January 4th with 5000 cases of motor oils— handicapped _ through inefficient railway crane, which continually broke down. Up to January Bth the rate of discharge was only 100 cases per hour.! From December 24th to January 7th! the s.s. Orari was in port discharging I and loading, and worked eight days, j The s.s. Volsella arrived on January 4th, and discharged 10,000 cases of power oils in 3J working days. The; s.s. llaranga arrived at 8 a.m. on Janu-1 ary 6th, and sailed at 8 p.m. on Jariu-1 ary 6th, and lost throe hours through shortage of trucks. She discharged 720 tons general cargo. • ' The report added that the average rate for working oversea cargo appeared to be about 10 tons per gang per hour ; up to six gangs were used as the waggon, supply, permitted. The pre-war period allowed for oversea vessels on the New Zealand coast was one month, and now two months were allowed, so that it would appear that the rate of handling cargo was a factor at ports as well as shortage of railway trucks. On January 22nd the harbourmaster reported ' lo vessels in port, all more 'or lesa delayed by shortage of trucks. In regard to the congestion, the chairman (Mr H. B. Sorcnsen) said that members of the Board would bo pleased to note that the new goods shed in tho Ohristchuroh yard was approaching completion. Though this improvement fell far short of what was required, it would greatlv relieve the position. Mr.H. Holland said that the report wn'3'just the information that waa want. led. He moved the adoption of the report. .... Mr F. Horrell said that the principal delay was caused by shortage of trucks, and he hoped the Government would take notice. , The engineer said that there wcto four boats that day lying at the wharf not working, and some vessels wero waiting for berths. If those vessels continued to lie at tho wharves idle there would, he said, "soon be a hundred boats waiting for berths.'' The report was adopted.