GREY WHARF

Grey River Argus, 14 October 1936, Page 3

GREY WHARF

Berthage Complaint FROM UNION COY. The Greymouth Harbour Board a' its meeting last even: ng. received a com.municatio.n from the Lniou Steam Ship Coy.. Ltd., requesting that consideration should be give;n to the provision of mi extra itlimber berth, and stating that the Omana. was to sail at 3 a.m. on September 25. but could not swing from her berth (owing to shoaling. In order to permit her to have a straight lin.e to movei out, it was necessary to move the Poojta and Karepo dciwii’une berth. losing time in loading, and wafers'de labour, lhe Omana. 'in departing, breasted rathe; heavily against the Puolta. The' company also recommended threallocation of several loading berthto obviate thel practice of bringing the larger vessel's' up the river, and leaving the smaller ones astern. Masters of vessels, the better stated, fax cured this- emursc.

In a report on the .-object, the engineer (Air D. C. AlTne) lecommendc>l that, in view of the unfavourable reception given the proposal by thRailway Department, no action be taken.

The Harbourmaster (Captain F. W Cox) stated, in a report, that ij had been necessary -to move the Karen ■ and Poollta owing to the fact that the Omana would be -sailing :n the dark and required a better course. Ih' Omana, he stated, could have bunkeied and removed to, a lower berthaue Because of existing natural disabilities!. it was: not considered advisable to rc|nll,oeate the berthages. The ‘N-m-. 3 and 4 and timber T>criths wore situated in 'he curve, which d:-d not shoal to the/ same- extent as the other berths, and did not. therefore contribute to increase the grave possibility that larger vessels avoti'd lie liable t" To swing larger vessels during poor nfhp L'des, it was necessary to go much lower down than the coaling berths. The Stationmaster. Greymouth, t” whom the request was referred, stated that the adoption of the suggestion - - would greatly increase the difficult!'’ - ' in handling railway ifiraffie on th< wharf. Poor access and limited room at the louver timber berth would make the shunting of wagons slow and t<’dous. ami engines working there would seriously in(ert<Ve with tin- x,it< shunting, cutting out, sorting, am place ng of coal to the bioats. It would be impracticable to-satisfactorily worn a larg“ timber boat at this berth. The placing of 'large bmJ s taking coal at Nos. .1 and 2 berths would not- be suitable for shunting requirements. Th<i letter concluded with the statement that the Union Coy’s. ,sug would have a far-roacA'Tß adverse effect on the efficient walking of the port generally. The chairman stated that the engineer had gone thoroughly into th'matter, and considered itliat it would cost the board £6OO t" ad,>pl th« Union Coy’s, suggestions. The Rai - wav Department which was more concerned, considered the suggest ions -were not feasib'ie. On the eha,’rnuuu‘s motion, if was dricided to take no action, and to forward the reports to the Union Coy.