Lyttelton Seeks Share Of Eyrewell Log Trade

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 14

Lyttelton Seeks Share Of Eyrewell Log Trade

If an additional sale of Eyrewell logs was made overseas it was almost certain that it would only be possible by shipping the logs through Lyttelton, the Minister of Forests (Mr Gerard) advised the Lyttelton Harbour Board yesterday.

The Forest Service •was still actively pursuing business in countries other than Japan, the Minister said. Any decision to revert to Lyttelton from Timaru at this juncture would be an act of bad faith with a harbour board and waterside union which had shown the greatest co-operative spirit, Mr Gerard said. The harbour board took urgent action to finish the approaches to the new wharf and to prepare the storage area. The union had co-oper-ated in every way and undertaken to strive to reach the same loading rate as Mount Maunganui in the shortest possible time. “However, I appreciate that a real effort must be made to solve the problems which have arisen at Lyttelton and I hope time and experience will overcome them,” the Minister continued.

“The Forest Service is gaining practical knowledge with every ship being loaded at Timaru, and it may well be possible for the service to take over marshalling at Lyttelton with its own machines and employees as it gains the know-how and experience. The fact of the log owners handling the marshalling would, I hope, be acceptable both to the union and the stevedoring company.” It was intended to export through Timaru up to next March at least, the Minister said. This would allow the operation to build up to an efficient standard and would give the Forest Service an invaluable background of true operative costs and practical experience. Buyers’ Conference Arrangements had been made to hold a conference with the Japanese late in January or early February to review prices and conditions for shipments from April to September, 1965, and the possibilities of Lyttelton would certainly be carefully considered at .this meeting. “It seems to be quite a good political letter,” said Mr L. G. Amos, “but it says our port is not sufficiently commodious to hold the logs.

“To send timber 100 miles away to be shipped indicated that there is something wrong with our thinking or the Minister’s thinking. “The attitude of the wharf labourers in Timaru is perhaps more co-operative. We are facing intense competition from Timaru and letters like this are not heartening.” He proposed that the board meet the Minister to discuss the situation. “There is a lot more in this than meets the eye,” said Mr W. B. Laing of the Lyttelton watersiders’ attitude on the handling of logs. The workers were not turn-

ing down a contract which was going to put money in their pockets just because they were stubborn. Matters of principle were involved, he said. There had been an assurance from the union that it was prepared to negotiate, said the chairman (Mr A. A. Macfarlane). The Forest Service was so involved in Timaru that it could not pull out straight away. “I think we will get our share of the timber market after March,” he added. It would be wasting the Minister’s time unless agreement was reached with the union first, said Mr J. Brand. The negotiations were not between the workers and the board, Mr Laing said. Mr Macfarlane: No. We just come in to try to smooth things out. The board agreed to ask the Minister for a meeting.