PORT OF GREYMOUTH CLOSED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25206, 10 June 1947, Page 5

PORT OF GREYMOUTH CLOSED

FIRE DRAWN AT RAILWAY POWER HOUSE

The port of Greymouth, for all practical purposes, is closed until further notice On Sunday the fires were drawn in the Railway Department’s gower house in Gresson street, which ip the source of the hydraulic power for all the wharf cranes, and the eight employees at the power house have been transferred, to temporary work at the railway workshops This is believed to be the first time since the 1913 wharf strike that the power house has actually been closed On previous occasions in recent years when the port has become unworkable the fires have been banked and steam could be raised to operate the cranes and wharf capstans at short notice. With the fires out, it is expected that it will take a minimum of 24 hours to set the power-house machinery in full operation again, but it is not known when that will be necessary Soundings have nol been taken on the bar since the week-end, but the weather and sea conditions have not been conducive to an improvement in the state of the bar The depth on the bar at high water is only 17ft Bin which is insufficient for the working of the port in a normal way. In the meantime the West Coast coal trade continues to be diverted to Westport and the port of Grey mouth remains free of shipping No vessels have been scheduled to load at Greymoutb in the near future and no indication has been given that there .will be any shipping unti] such time as a flood in the river clears the bar and restores the harbour to normal efficiency The onlv earnings of members of the Waterside Workers Union have been the guaranteed wage of £25 a month