ARE WE OVER-CRANED?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 186, 1 May 1908, Page 8

ARE WE OVER-CRANED?

V/HARF MEN SAY: " NOT A BIT OF IT."

AUCKLAND 1 CRITICISMS ANSWERED. In the courso of a discussion by the Auckland Harbour Board on a report to invito tenders for tho supply of a floating crane and thirty-five electric, cranes, Mr. J'.: KKneiSn is reported as having said that in Wellington - tho Board's crancs were very seldom- 'used by vossels, except when they wCro working doiiblo gangs. The same gentleman also stated that - Auckland had now tho reputation' of being the fastest port in tho-Dominion for the landing of .cargo. Mr. Biadnoy, in'seconding tho motion, said ho had been informed that' tho crancs- installed by tho Wellington Harbour Board wero used very. littlOj and' that they'were really a- waste of money. . ■. ■ ■ -Seeing in these statemonts a direct imputation'against what, lias' been 1 the policy of t-lid AVollington ißoard as! to .'equipment for some years pastj a : Dominion representative took a stroll round the wharves during working hours'-yesterday, afternoon to gather, if possible, an idea as to whether the hydraulic cranes were in requisition. In cold figures 'the! result might seem ■ to bear .out Mr. Knoon's contention, as' 1 tho following table shows. ■ . No. of No. in '- - - Location. ;■cranes. ' , use. .From-" entrance' ''Que'en ? s: Wharf south along' Jer- • vois Quay ... 6 nil. Queen's Wharf, trunk of 2" 2 Queen's-Wharf,: Nos. 5 and : ' 7 berths ... '-... 2 ' • nil. , ,Qneen's\V» r harf, Nos. ; 4 and' , G berths ... .... 2 ' ■ nil. Queen's Wharf, No. 3 berth 2 1 • Queen's ■ Wharf, , No. 1 1, ■■ ■■ . : South- /,.'.. ... •2 - nil. Queen's Wharf, ' No. ,1, ' ' I North ... 3 l' 1 Queen's Wharf, . No. 2 '/berth ... - _ ~ 1 nil. Railway Wharf ... *'.... 10 /'X ' Glasgow Wharf ... ... 10 ' /nil. , Sp'' that iout of- 40; 2-ton hydraulic cranes only five were in use when the wharves were inspected■ yesterday.■ ' ,i '' But,, on -furthor- inquiry, it was elicited from the /well-informed that' neither yostorday,' to-day, nor to-morrow can be taken, as a criterion toswhafc uso -is made of tho''Harbour Board's cranes,"as'tlie present is about 'the: slackest season'/of ~tho- year,': as' anyone connccted- with shippihg/i-alfairs knows; so that while on the surface it would appear that: the cranes arc not being utilised , to capacity, the result: of the calculation does not prove much.,, . ■ Going further' into 'tlie matter, the argu- ■ mcnts ■of ■ Mr. ( Kneen-, appear /to have little fibre irii-theni- - For; instance, twenty of -the forty...2-ton/cranes.'i are-,.located!.on running standards ■; ,onthe.:, Railway ■ 'and . Glasgow Wharves, travelling', over the double tracks of Tails ,that are hid .down each sido of both, -wharves.'. It,->is„inc,onvsnient 'and not per.inissiblo .to' handlo cqrgo ■in the, space rc-scrred>-f6r: -this- double track, except to lift cargo from . railway trucks or vans, and as ,th'e cargo derricks ,of the largest and' latest steamers';are'not long, .enough to drop cargo 'dear of the. rails pn- -to,.the -wharf, the Board's hydraulic cranes are more than a coriy'eiiience-nthey .are- ai necessity., ■' As ■to whether / the - cranes are used often, the .Harbour-'.-Bpard's balance-sheet' shows that:-£3500 ..was ,'earned-iby the' direct hirb of tho cranes,-during -the.year ended.December 31,- which does .-not nearly account for the use ;made/ of ; them by tho Board ' itself (of which'/noi.costx.accouiit is kept),' saving the ineii; what would-,bo, dreadfully (arduous work. ".- '. ■■ ,i " :, ■, : ' • ' i'-.The- statement regarding Auckland having /the- reputation ■ of - holding- the' record for unloading,, is;,only-:,'Smiled at/by local? officials. rlt,-,is 'often,''/the ■,case ;;that a steamer -from Melbourne has,'over/ilOOO,'tons "of cargo to put .out, and,:soo.,tons ; to load'here in the" one dayi 'and/that'is accomplislied with easo, through ■ the -Board's cranes working in' conjunction. with' - the/ship's'v<gear, achieving an expedition that'-would'bo 'impossible without tho-aid of. tho Board's .gear, and that would .excito • the .admiration of: Auckland stevedores if: they saw the Svork in operation. / , So. f?ir from the/local authorities deeming the port over-craned,'an order has been placed with -Andersons, Limited, for' twelve two-ton cranes for/the- King's Wharf now in process of erection at Pipitea Point.