PORT DEVELOPMENTS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 149, 25 June 1915, Page 3

PORT DEVELOPMENTS

SHIPPING REPAIRS CALL FOR A FLOATING DOCK. DISCUSSION AT THE HARBOUR BOARD. Mr. W. Cable moved at the Harbour Board yesterday: — "That, in view of the prospective developments of this port in the near future, the board now resolves that immediate steps be taken to consider the question of providing the port with an up-to-date dock. That enquiries be mado as to the cost of a floating dock to operate on vessels up to 1000 tons dead weight, ateo that enquiries be made from the builders of the dredge Whakarire as to what sized dock should be built to take that vessel ; the dock to bo placed in Lambton Harbour." The mover referred to the need that there would be for a repairing dock in Wellington in view of tne extension of Transpacific trade through the opening of the Panama Canal. • The Patent Slip was too far from the -wharf, and it could not cope with the work. The charges were antiquated and far too high — most excessive, in fact, compared with the Lyttelton Patent Slip charges. He gave the following comparison of charges in Wellington and Lyttelton :—: — Vessel. Daye. Wellington. Lyttelton. £, b. d. £ s. d. Kapiti ... 15 117 10 0 18 0 0 Kapuni ... 18 115 0 0 21 0 0 300-ton ship 18 142 10 0 23 0 0 His experience of the shipping extending over thirty-seven years was most unsatisfactory The present management aggravated the position by competing with town workers in repairs. The company evidently wished to acquire the sole monopoly of doing ship repairs. The lighting was antiquated, being by candle and flare-up, and there were no lifting appliances. A second slip would not meet the case. The only way to put matters on a satisfactory footing was the installation of a small floating dock in Lambton Harbour. Was the trade to be cribbed, cabinned, and confined at the sweet will of the Patent Slip Company, whose parent company had a capital of £3,000,000, and yet sought to take work away from the local firms? The Engineer informed Mr. Cable that a floating dock of the kind men. tioned by him would carry the Whakarire. Messrs. Hindmarsh and Fletcher strongly supported Mr. Cable in his endeavour to obtain a report. ' Mr. Fletcher said he was prepared to support any legislation that would prevent the monopoly of work by the Patent Slip Company. Mr. Cohen regretted that he would be unable to support Mr. Cable's motion unless the words "The board now resolve that immediate steps be taken to consider the question of providing the port with an up-to-date dock" were deleted. He agreed with the rest of the motion. ' He could not describe as - other than monstrous the difference in charges for th© Wellington slip as compared with those of Lyttelton. Mr. Cable agreed to Mr. Cohen's suggested omission. The motion was carried in that form.