“A FREE PORT FOR ALL”

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 130, 26 February 1925, Page 10

“A FREE PORT FOR ALL”

HARBOUR BOARD’S IDEAL CHAIRMAN REVIEWS XpAR’S PROGRESS POSSIBLE REDUCTION IN -FREIGHTS At last night’s meeting of the Harbour Board, the chairman (Mr. G. Mitchell) delivered his annual address. In addition to speaking of the Evans Bay •ws reclamation scheme 'and the finances generally, as reported under separate - ■ headings, he made the following refer:.w f . ences to the general administration:— “Just over two years ago the board set’ up a committee to go into the general organisation and administration. '■-r- . Their report and recommendations resuited in the appointment of Air; Marchbanks as general manager, and a read- . justment of the staff and their duties. The new organisation has run smoothly and efficiently, and has resulted in a very considerable saving to the board. The saving was effected by the readjusfhieut of duties, cutting out of waste, overlapping, and unnecessary labour, and a reduction in staff in keeping with efficiency and economy. 7 ‘ - “Without reflecting on any other de>l?. partment, for all have reached a high .' > standard of efficiency, I feel that a word of commendation is due to the most ef- . ficient stores branch of our services, as a new branch of tho board’s activity, where the purchase of all the board’s requirements is now centralised under one experienced buyer and storekeeper. Exaqtly the extent of the saving effected by this business-like procedure wq do . not know, but we do know that it is , very considerable, and has saved the board some hundreds qf pounds per annum in some lines alone. Wages Higher. “In reviewing wages and salaries last ■' ■ year, we started at the bottom and in- ' creased all the , lower-paid men to the following standard Per Week of ■ ‘ , d ' Hours. Grade Al—l 9 men receive -65/17A to £6l 3/I:' Grade A3—ls men receive Jl5/11/- to : 7 Grade A3—2l men receive £5l 51- to £3l 8/- ’ Grade Bl—l 9 men receive £5l 3/Grade 82—15 men receive £5/ II- : Grade 83—22 men receive .£4/19/- ' Grade C—62 men receive .£4/16/5 Beginners, receive £4,1131“The board’s employees, are paid for 52 weeks in the year, of 44 hours each plus overtime, and those with 5 years’ --■lfservice receive two weeks’ holiday on ,-a-full pay per year; those under that re'ceive one week. The board also supple•;.C/.'.'ments the men’s, contributions towards their superannuation by 65 per cent., and pays one-half of their life insurance premiums up to a certain limit. It is ./‘doubtful if such wages and conditions are excelled by any public body in this Dominion. In return we have an effi- ; ; cient, contented and faithful staff. That the payment of good wages and conditions does not mean high cost is amply verified by the general manager’s returns whereby he shows a decreased handling -most per ton, due partly to increased •i-.x appliances, partly to the increased effia . ■ ciency of opr employees, and partly to the increased trade of the port, and to. , more efficient organisation. .

Industrial Peace. 1 - "It must never be forgotten that in- . dustrial peace is a constant essential to"" the economic success of the water--front. The uninterrupted service we have given in receiving imports and shipping the country’s produce, by which we all live, the standard of wages ;--and conditions, and the constant work •> the board has been able to give, together with the excellent results of the year’s working, have only been made) possible because we have had freedom .-..'■from strikes and lockouts.' Such is the - reward of industrial peace on.the waterfront, and for the sake of all may it .'continue. . .'■■ .... . "With a view to assuring those wateraiders who work for the board more ■ constant employment, and thereby better returns, a register was made of sufficient men for the board’s normal requirements, and the work was spread as evenly among them as possible, : " The average for fifty-two weeks in the year ended September, 1924, was Average weekly Average hours earpings No. of men worked for 52 weeks. " on register. per week. £ s. d. 254 Ordinary time 32,5 3 911 Overtime 6,1 1 0 4 ■■ Total 254 38.6 410 3 Port Charges. "The credit balance shown in the year just closed makes it possible for you to consider reductions in some of the port charges, or in lieu thereof, to -provide further equipment and facilities fat the port. A report will be placed ' before .you dealing with the innntice f-qf the flat rate and shipping charges ‘generally, and the sub-committee’s re'commendations thereto. These will demand most serious consideration, as the of altering a long-accepted policy may be involved, and this may have a far-reaching effect,! but whatever is done, I am sure will be along the road to our ultimate goal—'a free port for *ll.’ - , Plant. j. “In keeping with fhe board’s policy ci efficiency and service’, we have gone Steadily on improving thg plant ami equipment, The new Ripitea Shad, uith an area of over 80,OW square feet on one floor, will be equipped inside with (nine modern overhead electrical travelling cranes,\with a lifting power of from li to 5 tons each, and with ten hydraulic ■cranes traversing the! whole length of [.the shed outside, lifting 21 tons each, ;.It is expected that this shed and it® ;tnodern equipment will increase the rate of discharge of ships berthed there, and delivery of goods to the merchants by 25 per cent., thus allowing ships to be turned rouud in a much shorter period, thereby lowering the cost to shipowners while giving our merchants a much better service.

.... "Arrangements are being completed to provide the port with a modern, powerful, sea-goiijg tug, This vessel will be 135 ft. long and 29ft. beam and. of 1200 horse-power, and will be equipped with modern salvage and firefighting plant. It will be delivered in Wellington during the present year. The increasing demands of the port make it necessary to prpvide a large floating crane capable of lifting up to 00 tons, and proposals will be placed before you with a view to adding to the present equipment of the port such a crane. / This also will Le delivered this year if the proposals submitted are approved. “It has been the aim <f the board to ultimately provide the port with modern docking facilities. The provision of such will entail a very large capital expenditure, and your committee which has investigated this matter . realises that it is not a possibility until the reclamation is completed and other provisions made. We are of opinion, ; however, that* wo should start now in making financial provisions for this ■ great work, and proposals will be placed before you whereby a sum of money would be set aside this year as the '• nucleus of a dock fund, which will be augmented each year from certain sources. This will provide the board with a substantial amount of the capital necessary to provide a modern dock when the time arrives for it to -do sci. lam sure members will agree that this is a sound and prudent provision and in the best interests of the —port', the-pity,;.and the country we - terve.

’> Works,in Hand and Authorised. -!*Th« contractor -foi the Thprndpn

sea wall, Mr. C. F. Pulley, is making excellent progress with the Thorndon sea wall, the position being as follows: Total of wall, 61,605 cubic yards; total deposited to date, 24,505 cubic yards; leaving a balance of 37,000 cubic yards. The average’ amount deposited for the last four months was 2592 cubic yards per month. The probable date of completion is December, 1926, and the contract time for completion is May, 1927. The* general manager has been delayed in reclamation activities owing to the wash of the spoil threatening to interfere with the sea wall contract, and therefore spoil of non-shifting character only could be deposited. In spite of this difficulty quite a large area has been reclaimed and the work will be expedited. We are all most anxious not to delay the extension of the railway yard and the building of the new station, and with this aim in view the reclamation will be pushed on with all possible speed. / “Thorndon Oil Wharf.—A new oil wharf has been deemed necessary, firstly! on account of the danger in handling large quantities of petrol in the heart of the city,. and, secondly, by the greatly increasing’ quantities of light oils handled at our port. lhe material for the reinforcement has been ordered, and the general manager expects to commence operations shortly. This wharf will not only obviate a danger to the city, but will greatly reduce the distance the petrol has to be carted to the oil stores, thus givin® better service to merchants. •’Half of the Queen’s Wharf approach is now completed and a start has been made with the second half, Members, I am sure, will be gratified at the permanent and business-like appearance of the new work. "On account of the increase in coal handled, and the heavy oil trade, it haS been found necessary to extend the Miramar Wharf, and a contract for th’e suni of 4128,000 was let for its con, gtructwn, The work is now in course of progress and will be completed duffing the year. . . "Under conditions assuring the interest and other charges the _ board has contracted to build a new oil wharf at' Miramar. The genera) manager will commence this work with our own staff as soon as the necessary materials are to hand. The wharf, together with the works now being erected by the British Imperial Oil Company, will cost in the neighbourhood of J 3320.000 and employ about < WO hands. It will be the means of concentrating a very large part of the Dominion’s oil trade in Wellington, This is but another stepping-stone along the march of the city’s progress.

Shed Accommodation. "During the year the Pipitea Wharf shed has been completed and the cranes are now in course of erection- This building adds over 80,000 square feet to the board’s shed accommodation and is without doubt one of the finest possible structure’s of its kind- For some time the board was subject'to severe criticism on the grownd of over-building amt thereby adding to its liabilities and passing them on in port, charges .to the users' of the, port. This criticism, although in thy best possible spirit, was made without a knowledge of the facta or a proper understanding of our duty and . responsibility. During this wool season the whole ,of the available, shed accommodation, includiho- the Pipitea shed has bben fully used to store the great golden .fleece harvest, passing through our port to the world’s markets. Had this accommodation not been available a serious position would have arisen and the hoard blamed by the farming and commercial community for neglecting to provide for the care and handling of this valuable product. The hoard’s foresight has, therefore, been a blessing to those very producers who were so ready to. criticise, but they .who rushed .to blame should now remain to praise, , for events have more than justified the board's policy of; progress. "Increasing trade and staff and the poor accommodation now available has made it necessary to provide a considenable increase in office room and make better provision for members of the -boarfl, The alterations authorised will be commenced as soon as the general manager has a staff available, and when completed the office accommodation will be_suffiment for wapy years to come." lhe chairman heartily commended the proposals of the Hda. J. G. Coates to modernise the railway services to and from Wellington. "I am sure," he said, t hat I voice your feelings in extending' to the Minister our hearty approval of the policy he has laid down, and an earnest wish that the works will be started nt the earliest possible rnoinent and carried, out in the time scheduled m his proposals. "It is estimated,” he proceeded, “that the revenue annually lost to thA’board through goods coming over our wharves tree by parcel post is* approximately «£IQOO.‘ The size of parcels has now been increased from four to six feet, This is a serious matter for the ports of Wellington and Auckland, as all such parcels pass over our wharves free of charge, which means that some merchants are able to import thousands of pounds’ worth of goods by parcel post free of ■ wharfage. while others dealing with different classes of goods which must go through the ordinary channels pay the board 4s, per ton for the use ’of their services and the cost of handling. It is felt that .this is unjust to the boards concerned and to the merchants ■whose goods are not importable through the parcel post.” The chairman also said that the board had always been most fortunate in the personnel of its officers and staff, and he wished tp express to Mr. Marchbanks, Mr. Barnett, the heads of departments, and to all the staff the hoard’s appreciation of their faithful and efficient services. He also thanked the members of the board, for their devoted services to the Wellington . Harbour, and specially thanked them for the kindly and helpful consideration extended to him during his term of office.