All-Weather Loading Show Off—Rain

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30125, 8 May 1963, Page 14

All-Weather Loading Show Off—Rain

The Lyttelton Harbour Board, with guests from the freezing companies, shipping companies and Federated Farmers to fill a chartered National Airways Corporation Friendship—4o seats—flew to Invercargill yesterday morning to see the allweather meat-loading equipment to operation at Bluff. It was raining hard at the port and the waterside workers, taking little notice of the “all-weather” description of the machines, refused to ■work. Pleas by the Bluff Port Employers' Association and the Southland Harboui Board tor at least a trial run into the Waiwera. which is loading tor Britain, were unsuccessful. Christchurch visitors saw the meat loaders stationary, they had a view of them running 'empty,” but they did not see them tn real action They returned to Christchurch after a day which had been enjoyable but not completely constructive and instructive, according to one of the visitors The chartered plane, which cost about £250. left Christchurch early tn the morning carrying members of the board, executive officers and guests, most of whom had some interest in meat loading The visit was prompted by the Lyttelton board's desire to nave all-weather loading in the next stage of Its port development programme The Timaru Harbour Board, which competes with Lyttelton for the export meat loadings. has already planned all-weather loading Although they did not see the gear working. Lyttelton board members met their opposite numbers and engineers in Bluff and had the costs of the equipment and the operating costs explained to them. The chairman of the Lyt-

tel ton Harbour Board (Mr A A Macfarlane) said that board members had seen the size of the equipment and how it worked “We have had a very successful day. I think. We would have liked to see the equipment loading meat, but I think the board members now have a greater knowledge of the equipment,” he said The board had paid for the trip Mr Macfarlane said the Lyttelton Harbour Board had authority by statute to introduce all-weather meat-load-ing equipment at Lyttelton Whether the equipment would be obtained for Lyttelton was a subject for further discussion by the board In a statement authorised by the Bluff Watersiders' Union, the president (Mr R W Powley) said that there was no agreement between the employers and the union to open up and prepare the loader tn wet weather, although negotiations were taking place In the meantime, if the loader was worked and it started to rain the loader, being covered, was worked tor the remainder of the day.