LIGHTERING WORK CEASES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 287, 31 August 1938, Page 6

LIGHTERING WORK CEASES

Deadlock At Napier

HARBOUR BOARD’S RESTRICTION Use Of Inner Channel Dominion Special Service. Napier, August 30. The refusal of the Napier Harbour Board to permit lighters drawing more than six feet to use the inner harbour channel at certain 'stages of the tide brought about a crisis in lightering work at Port Ahuriri, resulting in Richardson and Company notifying the freezing works ami representatives of overseas shipping interests that lightering of overseas vessels could not be continued under the present condition. An attempt to overcome the deadlock will be made by Mr. L. B. Campbell. Secretary of the Marino Department, who is coining to Napier to confer with the parties concerned.

The trouble was the outcome of enormous quantities of silt brought down by the rivers in successive floods since last March. This silt so affected the channel that lightering interests claim that it is now practically impossible to work the roadstead except at high tide. At low tide there is only six feet of water in the channel, which is inadequate for a tug and gives no clearance on the unladen draught of the larger lighters. Lightering interests, who are supported by shipping companies, claim that they must have sufficient water to work the inner harbour at all tides. Overseas shipping intertsts claim that a pledge given in 1927 that the channel would be kept open until the breakwater scheme wae completed has not been honoured. If the deadlock between the board and lightering interests continues, the only alternative outlet for the products of the province will be byrail to Wellington. The position has been developing for about a year, but had become more serious since the March floods. Extensive groundings of lighters hampered the working of the steamers Turnkina and Port Hardy in July and the Hororata, Rangitata and Melbourne Star this month. On August 23 and 24 extreme difficulty was experiences! in working the Melbourne Star because of extensive shoaling in the inner harbour and the channel to the roadstead. A serious feature was that lighters had on one occasion grounded when only 10 yards from vessels in the roadstead loading berth. In a letter to the Minister of Marine, Hon. P. Fraser, the Napier Watereiders’ Union emphasised the danger to the lives of watersiders in the event of a lighter swinging broadside on to the swell while aground. This might involve a repetition of the Doric disaster in December, 1932. when a grounded lighter swung broadside on, obstructing the path of a launch, which overturned and drowned a dozen men. Serious Industrial Effect. Mr. P. Mooney, president of the union, said to-day that the letter to the Minister emphasiseel the serious industrial effect of the possible cessation of export produce from Napier. If that occurred 250 watersiders, the majority of whom were married men with families, would be deprived of their only means of livelihood. Staffs employed in lightering operations were given notice to-day. All interests are hoping for an early settlement, as the Ruahine is due to load Hawke's Bay produce for Britain on September 9 and the Napier Star on September 14.