CALLIOPE QOCK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 101, 22 January 1908, Page 4

CALLIOPE QOCK.

LETTER FROM THE CAPTAIN OF THE CHALLENGER. UEGnATIONS CRITICISED. ; • (BY IELEGIIAPU—riIESS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, January 21. Judging by a letter read at the meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board this afternoon from the Captain of H.M.S. Challenger, various alterations require to bo made in the regulations and management of Calliope Dock, if Auckland is ever to become a naval station. - Tho Captain wrote asking if there was any probability of certain by-laws of the Auckland Board being revised. Ho stated that-his reason-for-.making tho inquiry was that in' his report to tho Commander-in-Chief ho felt it, his duty, under present conditions, to rccommend: — 1 (1) That, if practicable, H.M. ships on the station ©should be docked at Sydney, in' preference to Auckland, where, under Article 183, the whole responsibility is thrown on the Captain. (2) That an entry bo added to tho official dock-book published by the Hydrographical Department for • general'information as follows':—"The Harbour Board at Auckland declines all .responsibility for damage done to the dock or the property of the dock, or to the ship, which responsibility rests, upon the captain or. owner, of the ship in dock. No permanent docking official is employed for docking and shoring, and this work has to be done by local contract. Ships intending to dock accept great risk unless fully satisfying themselves beforehand of the efficient state of the doc!;, and appurtenances, and of the reliability of the contractor." The Captain also points out, in regard to accepting res-possibility under Article 183, that:— (!) The dock gate, has not been examined oxtcrnally bcloiv -water-mark sinco the dock was built. (2) That no pontoon is provided to protect it oil the outsjdo. (This point is mentioned, as, whilst the Challenger was in dock, a largo ship was permitted, presumably by the Harbour Board, but without informing the Challenger, to make fast to the pier with her stern a few feet from the cassion, which, had an accident occurred, might have caused the Hooding of tho dock.) The ship was directed by tho Commanding O/Bccr of the Challenger to leave. Jn the event of an injury to tho caisson, causing damage, .to the ship in dock, it is.not considered that tho Harbour Board would be relieved from 1 responsibility under Article 183. Tho Captain then proceeded to criticise, at length the Board's by-laws. The letter was referred to the Committee for consideration.