IMPROVEMENTS AT LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17451, 11 May 1922, Page 11

IMPROVEMENTS AT LYTTELTON.

A CRITICISM RESENTED.

At yesterday's meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, a recent criticism of the port by a member of the Port Ohristehureh .League was dealt with by the chairman of the Board in the course of his report, as follows: "A report of a deputation fiora tko Port Christchurch League to the Canterbury mainbera of Parliament, on the 26th. ultimo, has com© under my notice. I do not propose to touch on the general statements adduced, but one remark reported to have been mado by Mr Franklin should not puss unnoticed. Ho is reported to havo said that 'no improvements worth mentioning had. h»*en mado at Lyttelton/ Specifically refuting Mr Franklin's statement, 1 shall categorically mention soma of the most important improvements made at Lyttelton:—(l) Tho enclosure of an area by tho breakwaters, thus making an exposed bay into a completely sheltered basin, at which vessels can safely lie at tho wharves in all states of tho weather. (21 Tho increase in tho depths of water in that sheltered area |rom 14 feet near tho entrance and 6 feet »t tho breastworks, to 32 feet in tho open parts of tho harbour, and 34 feet at tho berths. (3) Tho cutting of a channel with 30 feet at low water down tho-outer harbour fo* a d 1 8"' tanco .of two miles. (4) Tho construction of j 12 000 feet of berthage accommodation, ines® improvements havo converted an open roadstead into a safe and commodious harbour, and no: other port in New Zealand can claim an equal improvement. These improvements combined witli tho railway connexion to Christchurch and the country have provided facilities for the despatch of oversea vessels with a-speed comparable to thatoftli most elaborately ' equipped ports Witmn tho last few years several of the J harv *® have been reconstructed and enlarged, the very best of material has been used and tb7whole of the work haa been^carried1 out by tho Board's staff m a most efficient man ner. The decking in all this new work lia« been laid level with the railway lines, thus greatly adding to the safety and comfort of fhoae using the wharves. In this connexion, mention may be made of No. 2 wharf, where a special platform was constructed the +Ha ferrv steamers, and has proved* very great convenience and advantage to tlio passengers and steamship Further alterations being canned out o ßfi r £ve TVS "dvantage'o of MUS and aecry »»»' . ttpr v ut jj oW erver true tn» to something better, . ~ nieahwhile may be, the loss of c gubeeouent may'cause luore damage improvements may be able to Mr F. Howell said that he endorsed 11 +\i<i+ thft chairman had said* Wo controvert the fact that a great deal of money had been spent ™ improvements during the last three vearsalone. Of course there was still much ihat could be done, but at present the port possessed every reasonable facility for the convenience of Sl Mr T. S A. Blackley said that he noticed that Mr Franklin .bad stated that most of the ptoduce of Ashburton was sent to Timaru. That statement Bhoujd be Macartney said that when anybody hit the Harbour Board, the Board should hit back hard. Besses the waterfront, many improvements had been carried out around Lyttelton, and an easy, safe road was now open between the port and the city. The Kailwav Department had assisted in speeding'up the work of the port and the erection .of "the new goodfl-Bned &"t Christchurch had made a tig difference. The Hon. It. Moore said that he had been present at the meeting in question as a member of Parliament, but had been refused permission to speak. The statements made by Mr Franklin were so utterly wild and biassed that one, could hardly retain his seat, but the chairman, in a most unfair manner, had refused to let him speak, although he had let' other members of Parliament speak on other matters. He hoped to have an opportunity in another -place of giving an account of the inaccurate statements which had been made. Dr Tliaeker: I refute what has been said by the Hon. It. Moore in regard to the chairman's unfair treatment of him on that occasion. The Hon. It. Moore had been ordered to sit down, but persisted in trying to speak. He stood up like an innocent babe, with no knowledge of Parliamentary procedure. The stigma cast on the chairman, Mr L. M. Isitt, is quite uncalled for. Dr. Thacker concluded by stating that no explanation had ever been forthcoming as to why the intercolonial boats had "cut out" Lyttelton. Tho motion that the report be received was carried. Dr. Thacker dissenting.