Ship access road angers trampers

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 3

Ship access road angers trampers

FA Wellington ■ The Ministry of Works and ; Development has worked too • fast for conservationists in ; pushing through vital access from Eastbourne to the stricken Japanese freighter, Pacific Charger.

The road, which crosses Crown land and the sheep and cattle station owned by Mr Earle Riddiford. was due to be finished yesterday afternoon.

The causeway to the ship was expected to be completed within the next few da vs.

But conservationists, trampers. and climbers in Wellington are upset that the construction work will destroy valuable rock-climbing areas.

Telegrants have been sent to the Minister of Works (Mr Young) expressing concern, and the District Commisioner of Works (Mr A. M. Peart) went to Baring Head yesterday morning to examine progress.

While a calm sea lapped round the Pacific Charger's oil-stained bows yesterday, earthmoving machinery pushed hundreds of tonnes of rock into the sea and cut into the hillside for fill to. improve the 15-kilometre track from Eastbourne. A Ministry of Works spokesman said he expected the’ road to be ready within hours to take tankers to carry the 800 tonnes of marine bunker oil from the ship.

Conservation sources argued yesterday that the oil should "be pumped ashore, but a Department of Transport spokesman said that this was not possible. The causeway was being built under the terms of the [Harbours Act, 1950, which (required the beach to be l restored to as near original ‘condition as possible, he said. I A spokesman for the Martine Division, Captain P. I Johnson, said the oil had to

be removed from the ship quickly in case bad weather returned. If the oil were lost the division, and conservationists. would be facing a serious coastline contamination problem.

Ground tackle last used in the salvage of the interisland terry Wahine. will be used again in efforts to shift the Pacific Charger. Captain Craig Harris, representing the Selco Salvage Company, of Singapore, yesterday led the shore party which began preparation of the heavy anchors and chains.

He expected the anchors to be laid alongside the seaward side of the ship by barge in a few days time.

This woidd be the first part of the ground tackle, tmd would also act as a securing device when the weather broke. probably later this week, he said.

The equipment was found on Monday night at the (Inion Steam Ship Company's roll-on terminal.

The salvage master from Selco. Captain Hugh Murray, yesterday continued the ballasting work ajmed at sitting the Pacific Charger closer to the sea floor. This would help ensure that when the next storm came the ship would not break up or lose any more’bunker oil, he said.

An Auckland salvage expert, Captain G. W. Dunsford, said yesterday that the salvage team might have only a 50-50 chance at best because, of the frequency of Cook Strait storms. '