REPORT ON HARBOUR

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 April 1929, Page 6

REPORT ON HARBOUR

BOARD MEMBERS AT VARIANCE. dis’chssioff took place at last evening’s meeting* of the Greymouth Harbour Board, on a motion put forward by Mr Ryall, that during h’ip dbsdhce pbrpad,; / the/. .Chairman, (Mr P. J. McLean) take the opportunity to obtain a comprehensive report on either the provision of a deep sea harbour for Greymouth or,permanent altera ! tf6ffs ‘to the present harbour. Mr Ryall thought that what little expenditure the idea would require, would bh found advisable. He suggested that two bi* three hundred pounds would covei* the cost of the report. , . - t 1. ~ Mr Perry said that the Board would not be Justified in any sense qctlon.. They.had already spent over £2OQO in obtaining reports and advice on the present scheme. He had no objection, in obtaining a report, but the idea that Mr. McLean should obtain one away from, New Zealand on Iris.trip, had no justification. Local conditions were such, that only by a man making extensive investigations on The spot could the necessary report ,be, made. Mr McLean , expressed the opinion that the time had arrived for ,a more comprehensive, scheme. . on. Harbour extension. The present scheme wa's well in hand. The Auckland Board had made .its plans. for thirty years ahead. He thought that on his travels, he might see conditions similar to the Greymouth Harbour, appertaining elsewhere, and. he .would be able to ascertain what had been done to overcome difficulties. He could be trusted to secure his-,report, from reliable sources. New Zealand had its expert engineers, but Mr Furkett (the present Marine. Department Engineer) was .not exclusively a Marine Engineer. .The crux of the Goast’n future, development, he believed, rested with, the Harbour. .Information should, be available on which to prepaid the .Board’s future policy. Mr I>. Tennent said that it was necessary to go on with the present scheme,, which if. carried out as Was b£ing done at present, would., need no further elaboration. The three responsible men whose advice had been sought had built up. .their report in conjpnction with their ideas on tlie Coast as a future revenue- producing district, and when the, Lagoon was dredged , out the Board would ..obtain the increased depth promised, 22 feet. To consult engineers .at Home on a scheme that was half done was not a fair thing... Nor would it be reasonable to, ask the. Marine Department to authorise another scheme in the njiddle. of. the present one. He considered that even if a responsible Engineer were to come here and report. on the new scheme the cost would be much more than, what the Board imagined. .He would endorse Mr. Perry’s remarks against the motion.

Mr Perkins spoke in support of the idea. The Board, he said, need not go to any great expense in obtaining the report. When. the present scheme was thought of no one had .had any idea of the great, advance the Coast was to make. The Otira tunnel’s freight-carrying capacity had almost reached its limit and any.further increase in exports must be through the port. He had every confidence in the Chairman being deputed to obtain the report. . Mr Perry, reiterated that he did riot

think the Board had any poWfer to delegate a man to go Home and obtain a report from an Engineer, which would probably be. a criticism of the present scheme. There were as good men in New Zealand for the job as anywhere.

Mr W. Clayton said, the Board should take advantage of its Chairman’s offer. There was nothing very successful, about the present scheme. He was in favour of the motion. Mr Tennent told of an old Scotch saying, “that fools, and children should not see things half done.” When the present scheme was somewhere near completion would be time enough for further. information to be sought. Mr .McLean: I was only suggesting a follow-up scheme. Mr Perry: The bar is improving seemingly, under present arrange-

ments... Mr Tennent: To endeavour to get this report over the report of the scheme at present in hand shows that we don’t, know our own minds. The Chairman: I should think that £250 at the outside would cover the cost of the report. I have secured copies of all the; plans and reports on the harbour since its inception, arid yyill take them Home with me, for the, infbririatipn of the men consulted.

Mr Tennent: I think that the Chairman has taken , a great deal on .himself in securing the plans and reports to. take on his trip. He should have consulted the Board in, the matter. The . Board should know . who prepared, the reports and what reports were being taken. The Chairman: Mr Tennent too, would be entitled to the reports and plans, as a member, just as I am, as the Board’s Chairman. It is for the majority of the Board’s members to say whether I have any authority to do 50... ....

Mr Tennent then moved, an amend: merit that the obtaining of the report should stand over until the lagoon is dredged. , ! . . \ . Mr Clayton: I think that .We can trust the Chairman in the matter, hot to,make a fool of . Mr Tennent: I am riot afraid of the Chriirhian making a fool of himself, but of his making a fool of David Tennent and of the rest of the Board. After further, discussion, it was decided to delete froiri tke original mo- f tion the word “coniprehensive” and to limit the amount to be spent on obtaining the report to £100. ( Mr Ryail theri formally put his potion. It was seconded pro forma by Mi’ Perry,' and carried on ’ a show of hands,. Mr Tennent and Mr 'Perry being" against it. Mr Tennent asked that his vote against the motion be recorded in the minutes. .-m;. • vi . ■/