OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS.

Evening Star, Issue 21708, 1 May 1934, Page 5

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Lack of consistency lias been the hoard’s failure in its business arrangements and the workings of its policy, ft has from time to time agreed upon a certain course of action, and then, either by notice of motion or in some other undecided manner, deviated from and altered its previous arrangements, thereby bringing about the present general and financial debacle. At last hoard meeting this was very evident in two outstanding cases. Offers were previously made for the tug Plucky and the 222 dredge. The engineer was asked to report upon them and the prices he considered an approachable sale. This he did well into four figures for the dredge, and the offers were turned down, as was the air compressor at the Heads quarry. Yet to-day wo have such a climb down. “What is in it?” the public ask. “ What is at the back of not selling, but giving away dredge 222 for £800?” In the first instance, she cost £36,000, and between the old and new loans of 5 and 5J- per cent, respectively the interest worked out at £2,000 per annum. Being fifty years old the interest amounted to £IOO,OOO if taken at compound interest—three times that amount. Although she is given away, the board has stilt to pay £2.000 a year interest, as provision has not been made for repayment of the loan by the creation of a sinking fund. Some may say her age and depreciation make her valueless, but

that is not so; an expenditure of £IO,OOO to £15,000 upon her would have made her an efficient tool for another fifteen years, as per Government inspector’s report, and then she would have lasted out the new dredge Otakou. The 222 dredge is the last piece of machinery that the board should have sold, as by its dredging policy look at the time lost in dropping and picking up moorings as well as steaming. If the 222 had been made into a hopper barge it would have been a paying proposition to the board, as while dredging the new dredger • could have filled her with a load of 1,250 tons as well as herself with 2,000 tons, and together in one shift, or one dredging, would have shifted 3,250 tons, as against 2,000 tons at present. Further, she could have been used for carrying very heavy stones to the mole construction. The Auckland Harbour Board has again started dredging. Its dredger carries 500,tons, and to save time and money only three weeks ago the hoard purchased from Gisborne, at £I,OOO each, two hopper barges, each with a carrying capacity of 500 tons, so each times its dredger shifts she shifts 1,500 tons instead of 500; and, further, each hopper barge, without engines like 222 dredger, cost £2OO more. If 222 dredger _is valueless, why did the gold dredging company jump at her and intend to spend so much in reconditioning her ? Then we have Mr Thompson harping on cutting down expenditure and his continued crying out about Mussel Bay reclamation and the widening _of the bend at Lower Harbour, which would have been completed long ere this, and the bend at Deborah Bay widened to not only 500 ft, hut to I,oooft, and a great portion of Victoria Channel dredged by this time if 222 dredge had been a hopper attached to and working alongside dredger Otakou. Does Mr Thompson remember his policy speech to his constituents? Mr Thompson agreed, as a member of the board, to give 222 dredger away. He also agreed to dispense with a mechanical superintendent engineer to save money, and in the same breath voted the saved money away to the engineer and his staff by increasing salaries. Yet he calls for reduced expenditure : it would he better if he practised it before expounding it. The majority of wage-earners have been dispensed with, hitt still the engineers’ home is kept fully stocked, with no permanent works other than the mole in progress. Perhaps a little suggestion for motor economy might not be out of place. It is not uncommon to see on the same day the truck with a load, a few minutes later the engineer’s car with two occupants, then following later the secretary’s pay car, and, to cap all, on top of these the engineer’s run-about truck. Yet essential workers are ' dispensed with while members of the permanent staff are having an airing and a great time.—l am, etc., Thor. Axdkxison. Mav 1.