PORT KAIAPOI CLOSES AGAIN

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31520, 7 November 1967, Page 16

PORT KAIAPOI CLOSES AGAIN

All maritime activity at the river port of Kaiapoi came to a halt yesterday with the termination of the Inter-Island Shipping Company’s sailings.

Blaming high handling costs at the port of Wellington, Mr A. K. Greenslade, the company’s managing director, said yesterday: “Our operations cease as from today.” He said the company’s 31-year-old vessel Ranginui (158 tons) had been sold to a buyer at Milford, and the 35-year-old Waiotahi (208 tons) was under offer.

shown an interest in shipping Waimakariri river shingle through Kaiapoi to the North Island.

“We might use the cargo shed as a tool and equipment shed for the council,” said Mr Hills. “The pilot boat belongs to the council, and we’ll just tie it up in the cargo shed in the meantime." Mr Hills said the end of the shipping service was a big blow to the town and the council. Luckily, however, there was no debt on the harbour or river improvements. The $40,000 spent by the council had all come from port revenue. “The improvements to the river are permanent improvements,” said Mr Hills, “so we got something out of it.” Warm Day After scattered showers in the morning and early afternoon, the weather in the late afternoon in Christchurch yesterday was fine and warm. The temperature at Harewood at 6 a.m. was 52 degrees, rising to 58 degrees at 9 a.m., 66 degrees at noon, and 68 degrees at 4 p.m. Sixty-eight degrees was recorded in the Botanic Gardens at 3 p.m., and the temperature clock on the Government Life building showed 73 degrees at 4.45 p.m. Moderate easterlies blew until midday, and moderate north to north-westerlies in the afternoon.

“The service is being discontinued because of the increasing cost erf running our two ships,” said Mr Greenslade. “Costs have gone up by £38,000 in two years. Costs at Wellington have caused us to take this action. It costs us four times as much per ton to move cargo through Wellington as it does Kaiapoi “The set-up at Kaiapoi has been an ideal one. The company has had every assistance from the council.”

Mr Greenslade’s ships have been plying between Wellington and Kaiapoi since the port of Kaiapoi was reopened nine years ago. They have also been carrying butter from Takaka to Kaiapoi. Mr Greenslade said his company would continue in business as shipping agents. The Mayor of Kaiapoi (Mr H. O. Hills) said it seemed as if the port of Kaiapoi would now be completely out of action, but there had been some inquiries from Akaroa fishermen about using the port as a base for fishing operations. Someone else had