VALUABLE ASSET

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 23, 27 July 1933, Page 12

VALUABLE ASSET

THE FLOATING DOCK

GOLDEN HARVEST SALVAGE

The salvage claim by the Wellington Harbour Board for the Golden Harvest has been' settled at £1250, plus £50 for legal expenses. In making the announcement after a meeting of the board last evening, the chairman (Mr. C. M. Turrell) said the settlement had been arrived at after a consultation between the Oriental and Oceanic Company, owners of the vessel, and representatives of the board. Mr. ■ Turrell said that the original claim was for £6000, but after going into the present value of the vessel and the cargo it was considered that £1250 was a fair salvage award. All the negotiations were carried on in a most friendly spirit, and the company in no way attempted to evade its responsibilities, including the amount of the salvage, the company must have spent up to £5500 with the board, and in addition there was the cost of the repairs. "All this," remarked Mr. Turrell, "points to the great asset which the dock is to the city of Wellington. Many people are prone to talk of the dock as a white elephant, and I am afraid that the citizens of Wellington do not realise its real value.'' Since the dock was installed twgnty-one vessels had made use of the facilities provided, excluding Harbour Board plant. Altogether about £15,000 had been spent in Wellington, directly and indirectly, as a result of the visit of the Golden Harvest. That amount would have been lost to Wellington had there been no docking facilities here. The dock had been provided as a result of money which was saved up over a period of years. It had been paid for in cash, and there was no interest charge to meet. In addition, the dock was a source of considerable revenue to the board.