PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

Evening Star, Issue 22272, 25 February 1936, Page 6

PORT CHALMERS AFFAIRS

PROGRESSIVE LEAGUE MEETING Mr W. J. Wilson, president, was in the chair at the monthly meeting of the Progressive Peague last night. The Chairman said that Mr W. S. Culbert had passed away, and a message of sympathy to his relatives had been sent from the league. CORRESPONDENCE.

The Town Clerk acknowledged receipt of the league’s request that the seats round the band rotunda be removed. The matter was given due consideration by the Works Committee, to whom the letter was referred by the council, and also by the council, which regretted it could not see its way to comply with the league’s request. —Mr F. Smith said he had seen children playing on the seats, and they ran a risk of injury from a car which came from the direction of Deborah Bay. The police afterwards chased the children away from the rotunda. The council, Mr Smith said, had resolved to remove the rotunda, and the seats would then be also removed as a matter of course. The Town Clerk advised that the council, in response to a request from the league, had communicated with the Minister in regard to erecting a new police station at Port Chalmers. —The Chairman, in replying to a question, said that no sum for a new police station had appeared on the estimates during the past two sessions of Parliament. Prior to ,that money had been on the estimates for several years for the purpose. —Mr N. Dodds said a new station was a crying need l in the nterest of old-age pensioners and others who had occasion to go there. During the recent rain a stream of water was running from the right of way to the street. The council, Mr Dodds considered, should force the position with tlie Government.—The Chairman pointed out that there had been a change of Government, and it required some little time to find its step.—Mr T. Scollay said there was another phase to the state of the police station, and that was that the department had not kept it in proper repair.—It was decided that the chairman and Mr N. Dodds place the position before Mr A. .Campbell, M.P., who was taking a deep interest in local affairs.

The Town Clerk wrote stating that the General Committee of the Council took exception to statements made at a league meeting that the local morgue was being used as a place for cutting up meat. Such statements were without the slightest foundation in fact, and as they reflected on the council and its ■ officers, the committee hoped that publicity would be given to the denial. The morgue had never been used for any purpose other than that for which it was intended. The committee regretted that no inquiries were made through an official source as to tho correctness or otherwise of alleged misuse of the morgue. —The Chairman thought it was not intended that the statements in regard to the morgue should have been taken up as

had been, done. Meat for relief worker* had never been handled in the morgue. They were' sorry the mistake had been made. —Mr Scollay pointed out that the morgue was in charge of the Borough engineer, who could be relied on to see that it was kept in order. Mr H. S. L. Culbert sent in his resignation as secretary of the league, because he was going to reside out of Port Chalmers. —The resignation was accepted with regret, and Mr G. Roberts was appointed to 'the vacancy, Mr G. S. Mirams to act until the new secretary took over the secretarial duties.

Referring to the shortage of deepwater berths for ships, the Chairman said it was appalling that there were only two such berths available at Port Chalmers, and that a ship was waiting at the Heads to load wool. He understood the Harbour Board had been busy with the Victoria wharf connection. It had to be remembered, too, that the wet weather had accentuated the congestion, otherwise the ships in port would have been able to get away more promptly. More berthage was much needed. He understood a berth was to be made at the Bowen pierv. In order to relieve the congestion of railway traffic on the wharves, he considered that the old railway goods should be removed. A smaller and more handy' goods shed could be then built at the railway siding,—Mr F. Smith' said the wharves were not wide enough to accommodate the wool in railway trucks. Some of the wool had to ge to Sawyers Bay.—The Chairman said that the congestion on the wharves was not due to the railway staff, who had really been doing splendid work. The trouble was that there was not sufficient space for shunting. Perhaps the. reclaiming at Mussel Bay would provide more room.