OTAGO HARBOUR.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1909, Page 3

OTAGO HARBOUR.

Alengthy discussion took place at a meeting of the Otago Harbour Board on Thursday, with retereiKe to the navigability of the port and other questions raised by the recent grounding of the XJHmai-oa. It was asked whether an official enquiry had been held by the board, and whether the board contemplates holding a departmental enquiry. The Marine Department had sent a telegram to the effect that a preliminary enquiry had been held, and that the evidence seemed to show that the accidentwas due to an attempt to navigate the narrow channel at ebb tide and in a south-west wind. The chairman thought it an extraordinary proceeding that the enquiry was held quietly and outside of Dunedin — the port to whose reputation "considerable injury had been done." It was subsequently resolved, "That the board appoint a committee to enquire into the manner in which the Otago Harbour is navigated, to frame, if necessary, regulations where deemed expedient, and further to take power to deal witli pilot exemption certificates where careless' or negligent navigation is proved." The chief burden of a long discus&ion was the vindication of the port from the apparent loss of prestige it had suffered, with emphasis laid on the need of regulations for navigating the channel.