FLOATING DOCK

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 8, 4 October 1935, Page 12

FLOATING DOCK

Use by Navy Suggested PLEA BY MR. CHAPMAN A suggestion that the authorities should consider the advisability of using the Wellington floating dock for naval repairs was made by Mr. C. H. Chapman (Lab., Wellington North), when the Naval Defence Estimates were under discussion in the House of Representatives last night. One advantage, he said, was that the railway workshops were within reasonable distance for repair work to be carried out. In addition, he did not think the Wellington Harbour Board would demand anything like the £3525 paid to the Auckland Harbour Board for the use of Calliope Dock. A payment of £lOOO would probably be ample to secure priority for warships using the Wellington dock. “The suggestion of Mr. Chapman has rather disturbed me,” said Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Dem.. Eden). Mr. F. Jones (Lab., Dunedin South) : Why not a base at Port Chalmers? “i do not think it is a laughing matter at all,” continued Mr. Stallworthy. “When the warships undergo refit skilled artisans are drawn from the ranks, of the unemployed in Auckland and given work. The suggestion is made j_hafc repairs should be done in the railway workshops. We do not want all our work concentrated in Government workshops.” The Minister of Defence, Hon. J. G. Cobbe. said the rental charged by the Auckland Harbour Board had been reduced from £5OOO to £3525. However, that payment embraced valuable workshops and buildings at Auckland which were not available at Wellington. Mr. Cobbe referred to items of £19,000 and £16,900 in the estimates which he said represented preliminary expenditure for increased magazine accommodation and stores at Kauri Point, rendered necessary by the fact that new and larger cruisers would shortly be on the station. “My information is that the workshops at Calliope Dock are obsolete,” said Mr. Chapman. “It would be more economical to have everything centred in Wellington." Mr. A. M. Samuel (Ind.. Thames): Oh, I say. Why not get a fleet of warships for each dock? Mr. Chapman’: Wellington would be much more central. Mr. F. W. Schramm (Dab., Auckland East): They are pulling your leg.