ISLAND BAY WHARF

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 78, 2 April 1935, Page 11

ISLAND BAY WHARF

FISHERMEN'S OFFER PROPOSED FACILITIES The long-desired wharf and other facilities required by fishermen at Island Bay have at last come within the realm of possibility through tho ' fishermen offering to bear the greater ' part of the cost of construction if the . Government will make a grant to > help with the initial building. A deputation from the fishermen, consisting of Messrs. A. Wilson, J. O. Tait, : J. Pagani, and W. Connor, placed their ■ proposals before the Minister of Marine (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) this j : I morning and received a promise of consideration as soon as their P""15 are ready for submission to the Department. Mr. Wilson said that the fishermen of Island Bay had been trying for 25 years to secure some desirable facilities, but no progress had been made until recently. An offer had been made to the City Council by the fishermen that they would undertake a large part of the cost of the work and would assume full responsibility for maintenance, and the council had agreed that the work could be carried out on a point of rocks at the east side of the bay. The Government had also agreed to the site. The fishermen had recently engaged two engineers, one to make a survey for the wharf and slipway, and the other to estimate the cost of a refrigerating plant. They estimated that the complete work would cost approximately £10,000, of which about £6000 would be absorbed by the refrigerating plant. The fishermen were prepared to find the cost of the plant if the Government would make a grant for the wharf, spillway, and cleaning | shed. The advantages of the scheme were numerous, Mr. Wilson said, as the refrigerating plant would remove the nuisance at present caused by cleaning fish in the open. In addition, the facilities asked for would ensure a better product for the New Zealand and Australian market, increased catches, and cheaper fish for the public. Under existing conditions tho fish caught on one day did not reach the depot until the following morning, but if a cleaning shed were provided the work could be done as soon as the boats came in, and the fish could be placed directly into cool storage.. HELPING THEMSELVES. The Minister said it was evident that the fishermen were prepared to help themselves, and consequently he would like to assist them. However, tha plans would have to be submitted to the Marine Department before • any thing could be done. , ~ Mr Wilson said that as soon as the plans were completed they would be sent to the Marine Department, the City Council, and the Harbour Board. There were about 100 fishermen em-ployed-at Island Bay, so the-fishing industry there was an important one. The men were not strong financially, but they were prepared to find the cost of the refrigerating plant and would build up a fund, for the maintenance of the wharf and buildings. • 'Mr. Pagani said that the fishermen had been promised assistance before, but they had not been able to ,go ahead at that time. There were then only six or seven launches at the bay, whereas there were now over thirty. Mr Connor said that the export of fish to Australia from Island Bay was growing, but good quality fish could not be guaranteed until a refrigerator was erected at the bay. '• • -- If the fishermen would submit their plans, the Minister said, he would take the matter up with the Public Works Department. A grant had been placed on the Estimates, but it had lapsed because the fishermen and the City Council could not come to terms. Now that they were agreed he would be glad to do what he could, as the work they were doing was the sort that his Department wanted to encourage. The Department expected the fishermen to help themselves, and it was clear that the Island Bay fishermen were doing that. • .