THE HARBOUR.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18015, 6 March 1924, Page 16

THE HARBOUR.

VISIT OF INSPECTION. Members of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, representatives of local bodies in the Harbour Board rating area, and of the Progress League. Industrial As«ocia.tion. Chamber of Commerce* and kindred bodies, visited Lyitelton yesterday at the invitation of the Hoard and ins].octcd the various works and improvements in the port. The part\\ numberins.: about 100. boarded tiie tug Lytte.t'jj. .-hortly before- noon and were cO!.vey. ; d to the Gladstone Pier, 7/he. ,k 2 work in progress of rebuild:?;.' I. 1 !;- pier was viewed. The Mr Cyrus J. 11. Williams, ftxphui.ed that the pier was being widyad .'iu ieet and when completed would b«; able to accommodate vessels up to IObO ieet in length A cruise '.' nt hen made around the wharves, where three overseas steamers, a. couple oi intercolonial steamers and t.eveia! coastal vessels were working. The visitors, especially those from the country, watched with interest two of '■he new electric Clones loading grain into a steamer, and also the. electric capstans in action. The work of ''chilling" frozen carcases of lamb in a ship's hold through small porU, in the side of the vessel also attracted the visitors' attention. The steamer Wanaka wm seen landing sheep from Gisborne.

The tug then proceeded down the harbour, where the dredge Canterbury was working in the channel. The party transferred to the dredge and its working was explained and demonstrated. Til* operations of the ivessel. which is claimed to be the finest suction dredge in the Southern Hemisphere. came as a revelation to many of the visitors. They paw the hugo pumps suck up 1200 tons of mud in less than 20 minutes and then discharge it on to the reclamation area in half that time. So interested were the visitors that a second trip was made. I?e-transferring to the tug the party landed at No. 7 wharf and inspected the Board's cool stores and the electrical sub-station, subsequently leavinn; for Christchurch by the i 1.20 o.ni. train.

During the cruise on the tug light refreshments were served. The chairman oi' the Board, Mr F. Horrell, tonk tho opportunity of welcoming the quests. He said it was a happy in. spiration or. the part of tlin Hoard to invite representatives of bodies interester] to see tho working of their own port. T£ was tho third port of New Zealand, .and he hoped to bos itstill further improved. It was one of the cheapest harbours in the Dominion. The Board was not out to make money, but desired to bring the port right up-to-date. Two years previously the Harbour i Improvement rate, which brought in £30,000 a year, was instituted. Later when money was raised by the sale of debentures, the rate was dispensed with. It was the endeavour of the Board to keep the charges as low as possible. T. Lill (Ash who responded on behalf of the visitors, thanked the Board for affording them an opportunity of inspecting the port. From what lie had seen Lyttelton Harbour should stand for all time. You fellows who have ah idea of digging bits out of the other side of the hill to make a harbour oup-ht to be satisfied now that Lvttelton is the best possible harbour after all," he coneluded. addressing some of the party who were-known to have leanings towards the canal scheme.