THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY.

Grey River Argus, Volume 57, Issue 10520, 23 January 1903, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus PUBLISHED DAILY.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 88, 1903.

If we do not misread the signs of the times, so far at least as harbour matters are concerned, the members of the Harbour Board will have to arouse themselves very shortly. In stead of dreaming of noblo docks that may be wanted in about fifty years time, they ought to at once bestir themselves in providing a sufficiency of accommodation for the present traffic instead of what is hoped for some day, though no one can say when. Indeed our own opinion is that the future coal traffic of this pert will be centred at Point Elizabeth, where it undoubtedly ought to be centred. If the Board real y hnd any money to spare it could be spent, to greater advantage otherwise than iv foo ing about docks in Karoro Lagoon. The Board should first of all attend to the necessities of the hour rather than worry about the future, "its vague possibilities and anticipating its wants. The wharf was very busy yesterday. Tie whirfinger had his hands full. There was no room to spare. The only spare space— though thab was only spare in appearance — was at tho upper steam crane. Evfiy vessel lyiug alongside the wharf requires some margin of room forward anil astern in order to make use of the steam cranes to suit the work of the hatches, fn consequence of this the scow Yho, which had cargo ready for delivery, could not be accommodated with the necessary berthage, and she had to lie somewhere down by the cattle wharf. Besides this, a vessel was lying outside— some said there were two — and that would probably come in the following day and make matters worse. Had thera been adequ-tte accommodation, as there ought to be in an up-to : date pori, all the vessels inside and those coming in could have been satisfactorily dealt with. The chief difficulty the wharf officials have to contend with is when a num >er of vessels como tumbling in one af :er another. But when they overtax the wharf frontage some are forced to ! wait ; and as such delays involve an expense thab ought to be avoidable, evid-ntly a want exists that should be provided for. Although there are several line 3of rails on the wharf, vessels can only be loaded from the outside line. Obviously tlje oqly way to remedy this and provide more accommodation in the way of berthage, is to extend the wharf frontage to the cattle wharf, below it, and abov^ tli e tug berth. The existing pressure could be relieved to a great extent if the perb were provided with a ten or twelve ton travelling crane, which ought to have been provided long ago. But good as the Railway Department may bo in respect to ordinary railway traffic, they seem to fall a little short as regard shipping wants. Grey mouth is not a solitary instance of the drawbacks oil dual management. We have as yet been unable to get any satisfactory explanation as to why we have not had a suitable travelling crane before this. Official red tape seems to smother every proposal that is a hair's bread'-h out of the beaten groove. If only an expenditure «f an unusual half-a-crown is require J, about half a mile of foolscap in memoranda from one officer to another is covered before the expenditure can be incurred. Like our own harbour authorities, those of Westport long wanted a travelling crane ; but their patience being weaned out at getting neither crane nor satisfaction, they cut through the Gordian Knot by ordering a suitable ci*ane on their own account ; and when it was dei livered they erected it and then handed it over to the Railway Department to work. Why cannot our Harbour Board do the same? Mr Ronayne may be an exceptionally clever officer in respect to general railway matters ; but we are afraid that the shipping requirements of , the port do nob come within the scope of his genius. We regret als.o to say that the members of $he B.oard a,re

similarly doficienc. They never seem J fc .> di-play that keen perception of the most pressing wants of the port that they would be likely to evince if then* were a little more of the seafaring element in the composition of the Boa<d. For instance, ib would be a decided improvement to have the shipping and mercantile interests represented instead of politics or law. As the Board is a purely nominee body, the Government is solely responsible for iis personnel. Of co.irse if the Cabinet are satisfied with tho comj osition of the Bo ird, nothing that we rcny say is likrly to have any effect. At th- same time the Premier might look into t.he matter again, and see if some altera ion co Jd not be made that would be more conducive to the promotion «f shipping aud commercial interests. The traders of the town have a right to expect efficiency of management, amd when they complain of any drawback in facilitating the commerce of the place, all sucn complaints should b* voiced. For the want of sui'.ahle appliances work infrequently carried on at a disadvantage and loss that ouglit to be avoided — at ltast they a=e entitled to first consideration instead of sitting about making docks in the lagoon.