HARBOUR BOARD JUBILEE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 December 1934, Page 13

HARBOUR BOARD JUBILEE

YESTERDAY’S CELEBRATIONS To mark the occasion of its Golden Jubilee, the Greymouth Harbour Board yesterday afternoon held an inspection of its works and property,"and in the evening entertained members of other local bodies in the district at a dinner, at the Albion Hotel. There were approximately thirty present at the dinner, at which the Board’s chairman, Mr. P. J. McLean, presided. The proceedings opened with the toast to ’’The King.”

The Chairman, in welcoming the guests, said the Board felt that its jubilee was an occasion that should not be allowed to pass, without some formal celebration. Fifty years ago, the bar depth had been from 10 to 12 feet, but notwithstanding the present dry spell of weather it was now 23 or 24 feet. The plans of Sir John Coode had been carried out by the pioneer members and the speaker considered that the Board had justified its existence. He was particularly pleased to see Mr. Jesse Steer, an ex-Chair-man of the Board, who had accomplished splendid work, present at the gathering. Unfortunately, the coal trade for some years past, had gone back, but it was pleasing to note an improvement in the timber trade. The Board had had some of its endowments hypothecated by the Government, which received therefrom revenue that should rightly be earmarked for local development. The Government was also getting revenue from timber royalties that should be used for developing the West Coast. It was pleasing to see the port on the up grade, and it reflected credit on those in charge of the port that, during a prolonged dry period, they could get ships out, fully loaded. The members of the Board were doing their best to assist in the development of the district by safeguarding the port. The afternoon’s tour had been interesting, as showing the Board’s allround equipment. It was possible that new developments in connection with the coal industry would be brought about, when science was applied to the extraction of new products. He read apologies from Messrs. T. A. Johnston (former engineer), G. A. Perry, of Hokitika (member of Board), P. Ryder, of Inchbonnie (former member), Hon. J. G. Cobbe (Minister of Marine), H. R. Barnett (Secretary Harbour Boards’ Association), Walter Leitch, H. Morgan, S.M., H. W. Kitchingham, and P. C. Heaphy. In his letter, Mr. Kitchingham recalled his association for 50 years with the Board, as its solicitor, dating from the time that he was admitted to practice in 1883. The largest i financial transaction with which Mr. Kitchingham had been associated, on behalf of the Board, was the Board’s £400,000 loan. Later he had been instrumental in having reduced from £lO,OOO to £2,500 a claim against the Board, by the Borough Council. The Chairman mentioned that he remembered the father of Mr. H. W. Kitchingham, as master of the old tug. In his letter apologing for absence, Mr. P. C. Heaphy said that, as one who for 35 years had been actively associated with tlm shipping trade, following on his late father’s connection therewith, he wished to congratulate the Board on the work done to provide a safe port." The Greymouth harbour ranked to-day as the finest bar harbour in New Zealand. The Chairman said he regretted that the Board could not have had a function of a more public nature, but the dictates of economy had limited the celebrations. They had probably a better port today than ever before. They had perfected the work of the old Board, of which his late father had been an original member. The Chairman mentioned the part played in the development of the Greymouth shipping trade, by tho late Martin Kennedy, whose daughter had forwarded photos, appropriate to the occasion, in which she had shown a genuine interest.

MR. STEER’S RECORD. Mr. J. Steer proposed the toast to “Local Bodies.” He stated that he first entered public life as a member of the school committee in Greymouth, over 45 years ago. From that time up to the time he went to reside in Christchurch, he had been actively interested in local body work. He had been Mayor of Greymouth 32 years ago, ihen Chairman of the Harbour Board for 13 years, and chairman of the Greymouth Fire Board for 17 years. He was pleased to say that his associations with members of the respective local bodies had always been pleasant, although local body men received “more kicks than halfpence. His removal to Christchurch had been on account of his wife’s health, and ho was pleased to say durino- tho t past four years they had not had a doctor in the house.

Mr. Mulcare said his experience on local bodies had not been as lengthy on the West Coast as that of the proposer of the toast, as it was only 25 years since he arrived on the Coast. On behalf of the County Council and residents of the County he congratulated the Board on its Jubilee, and on the satisfactory state of the port. He was pleased to say that the County had a hopeful outlook, with prospects of increasing revenue, due to the expansion of the timber industry and thg development of gold mining. The Greymouth port played an important part in local prosperity, enabling primary and other producers to market their commodities to advantage. It was pleasing to know that during the dry weather period, the bar had maintained a satisfactory depth, _ which showed evident success of administration.

Mr. Clayton stated that having had lengthy experience on several local bodies, he could say that those on the West Coast maintained as high a standard as any in New Zealand. It was a big thing to say, but it was a fact, he added. The Grey Power Board was doing its best in the interests of the district, and was one of the most important local bodies on the West Coast. It was giving cheap power to the public, especially for industry, by which it was needed if mineral and other development was to be promoted. Even the coal mines had found it cheaper to buy electric power from the Board, than to generate their own power. It was expected that the Board would have its entire area reticulated within a short period. The Board had laid out a large sum of money, but it had good assets to show for it. Mr. McTaggart said he had been interested that afternoon in inspecting the Harbour Board’s operations, . and congratulated them on their position and their Jubilee. As Chairman of the Grey Hospital Board he had had so much to do during the past three years that it had really been a “nightmare to him. However, somebody had to do the job, and he had done his best in

the interests of the institution, patients staff and the people. The members of the Hospital Board were just as fine a body as one could wish to be associated with. They had made wonderful progress, despite the criticism that . had been levelled at them. He would i be pleased if, on some future occasion I members of other local bodies would' visit the hospital, and see for themi selves the condition of things. He ' trusted that the Harbour Board would ’ continue to assist in the development of the West Coast resources as effectively as it had assisted in the past. Mr. Kitchingham congratulated the Board on attaining its Jubilee, and thanked the Chairman for his kindly reference to his father, who had been in Greymouth since 1871, and seen the town grow from a “mushroom” village to a town of some substance. Regarding the timber trade, he did not think the West Coast hammered away enough on this subject. It produced as much timber as any other district, outside Auckland, yet afforestation was largely being built up in other places, from revenue received from royalties on West Coast timber. There was need to replace the forest that was being cut down on the West Coast, otherwise, before many more years had passed, it would be exhausted. The rGreymouth borough was less in debt than the Harbour Board, and Power Board, for while the two Boards dealt in hundreds of thousands the Borough Council owed only £85,000 and the gasworks were worth half that amount. Members of local bodies did not make anything out of their office, and it could be said that all local bodies were honest in their administration. Mr.- D. Tennent proposed the toast to “Shipping Industry.” He recalled the early ’eighties, when it took the vessel in which he arrived at Greymouth, eight days to come from Dunedin. He traversed the change of ships from the smaller vessels to the “K” class of steamers. Kennedy Bros.’ boats were succeeded by Captain Williams’s line, which in turn gave place to the Union Coy. vessels. The Union Coy. had greatly assisted the timber and coal trade, no reasonable request on the service having been refused. He recalled the tTnion Company’s early offices, and representatives. Mr. Tennent also mentioned the ships for which Mr. J. S. Robertson was agent, stating that they had quite a valuable trade with the port. Mr. W. B. Cunningham, Greymouth Manager for the Union Steamship Coy. said he felt elated at the kindly reference by Mr. Tennent, to the Union Coy. He had been connected with the Company during the past 36 years, the last twelve of which as manager at Greymouth. The, Greymouth bar to-day had a mean average depth of 23 feet, sufficient for the largest ships working it. The Kartigi, Kiwitea, and Kaponga, the latter ship unfortunately was wrecked on the bar, had been specially built for West Coast trade. These ships had taken out from Greymouth, 3,100 tons dead weight, with a draft of 18ft. 6ins., which was entirely satisfactory. The Company’s largest ship visiting the port, the Omana had taken out 4,000 tons dead weight with a draft of 19ft Gins. When he had asked the Board for a suitable crane to work the larger ships, the Board had readily obtained the No. 5 crane now in operation. The Board had an efficient staff, and he congratulated it on attaining its Jubilee. Mr. J. S. Robertson said he had the honour of floating the first West Coast owned shipping company, the capital for which had been provided from the West Coast, within a fortnight from the time the venture was undertaken. He had also brought to Greymouth large steamers such as the Perth, Melbourne and Lamb vessels, and he believed the wreck of the Perth had brought about greater improvements in the bar, and the extension of the north breakwater. “The Harbour Board” was proposed by Mr. Robertson, and responded to by the Chairman, Messrs G. E. Perkins, J. Ryall, W. Clayton and D. Tennent. x x x The Chairman proposed a toast to Messrs Perkins and Ryall, veteran members of local bodies, who suitably replied. The toast to the “Press” proposed by the Chairman, and responded to by Mr. M. Daly, and a toast to the “Host and Hostess,” Mr. and Mrs. W. Mitchell, was honoured, the gathering concluding with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.”