‘Safety first’ for L.P.G.

Press, 6 December 1979, Page 6

‘Safety first’ for L.P.G.

The Lyttalton Harbour Board is “keen for all new trade” but will not move towards a liquefied petroleum gas storage facility at the port until all safety require-i ments have been met,: according to the chairman (Mr J. E. Mannering). The proposals put forth so far indicated that there would probably be a gas pipeline extending from Lyttelton to Christchurch to avoid transporting the volatile fuel through the road tunnel, .Mr Mannering said. “We are very conscious of this trade in Australia and elsewhere.” he said, emphasising that al! safety factors must first be met before any

■ facility at the port was; 'established. Such a facility would be I working at Lyttelton and • ! served by bulk tankers by: mid-1981, according to the ,! Under-Secretary of Energy (Mr Brill) on Tuesday. Mr Mannering said he had not been advised of this. Discussion of the L.P.G. : storage facility and several other matters was taken in committee by the board at its monthly meeting. Also discussed in committee were a report on coal: ’exports from the port, a! ; grant to the Lyttelton St. John Ambulance Association,; a report on the container: 1 terminal, tenders for work; * on the No. 6 and No. 7 jet-1

I ties, a Ports Authority con.‘tainer study, a report by the I commercial manager to the I board’s Port Development Committee, jetty work at Quail Island, the assignment of a foreshore licence, and what is to be done with the ferry terminal building and link span at the No. 2 west jetty. On the latter matter, Mr Mannering would say only that the board was considering several options. The Union Steam Ship Company’s lease of the wharf: expires this month. The facility has been idle since the i retirement of the Rangatira. | The board agreed not to: join the local authorities’!

- employment promotion com--B;mittee proposed by the 8! Christchurch City Council, tiMembers said there were too t many committees involved t'in the matter already. i Mr Mannering was re--elected unopposed as chairliman of the board and Capt tain A. R. Champion was reelected deputy chairman. Mr Mannering’s honor- ' arium was set at $5600 a -lyear, the maximum allowiiable. Committee chairmanships and memberships rerimained as they were last ■lyear, with a new member, . I Captain R. Fast, taking the ; seats on the port development and small craft comfimittees formerly held by the ' ! late Mr L.W. Laing .