GREY HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT SCHEME

Grey River Argus, 28 June 1947, Page 2

GREY HARBOUR IMPROVEMENT SCHEME

Engineers at Work On Experts’ Report Hon. J. O’Brien Replies to Chamber of Commerce (Special to Argus) WELLINGTON, June 27.

Hon. J. O’Brien, Minister of Marine, was asked by a representative of the Grey River Argus to comment on statements made at the meeting on Tuesday last of the Chamber of Commerce regarding the Greymouth harbour. Mr O’Brien stated that one of the most important engineering firms in Great Britain was asked to report on the Greymouth harbour; and Mr E. J. Buckton, thb senior partner of the firm of Messrs Rendel, Palmer and Tritton, and Mr A. J. Clark, senior engineer, had carried out an examination, compiled a report, and supplied the same to the Government. He (the Minister) had set up a Commission composed of three of the most competent engineers in New Zealand to study this report, and to co-opt other engineers, who have, at times, worked on the Greymouth and Westport harbours, and, finally, to recommend to the Government the best means of carrying out the report.

The sittings of this commission, Mr O’Brien stated, have been interrupted by the absence of one of the chief engineers in Australia, but the sittings will be resumed shortly and the report may be expected at an early date. “Altogether, the greatest engineering brains in New Zealand will be represented on the commission,” he continued. “These engineers will have the assistance of a model of the Greymouth harbour, so ably built by Mr D. S. Kennedy, which will indicate the effect of any contemplated work on the harbour.

TRIBUTE TO MR D. S. KENNEDY In this direction, said Mr O’Brien, he felt that he should pay a tribute to the work of Mr Kennedy, which had been outstanding in all matters connected with the Greymouth Harbour Board. GOVERNMENT GRANTS He said that the following amounts granted by the Go’—rnment over the past three or four years should be illuminating:— (1) Grants towards the model of the harbour: £1250. (2) Assistance towards dredging: £22,429. (3) New boilers for the dredge: £15,000. (4) Annual subsidies: £37,035. (5) Subsidies this year: £15,872.

This, he said, gave a total of £91,586. It should he noted that the subsidies represented the rent of the board’s endowments, which were taken away, by a previous Government, and which have now been restored. PORT ROBBED OF ENDOWMENT “The Greymouth Harbour Board,” said Mr O’Brien, “is one that has been robbed of its endowments and sinking funds by a previous Government, until the whole work of the harbour became so neglected that there was a danger of the port closing down, and it was money found by the present Government that put the board on its feet once more, and enabled much valuable work to be done. “If the members of the Chamber of Commerce were to consult Mr Kennedy, the engineer of the Greymouth Harbour Board, regarding the harbour they would not talk so foolishly,” he remarked. “After reading this report,” said the Minister, “Mr F. Mairs might reorient his ideas, and Mr Truman, if he went further, and compared the advancement of Westland with any other part of New Zealand during the last ten years, might sing a different tunej-'

SMALLER VESSELS The question of smaller vessels to work the port had been raised, the Minister said, and he would suggest to those who were always blaming the Government, to ask themselves what assistance did private enterprise give to the port? What had private enterprise done when specially constructed vessels, drawing in the vicinity of 14 feet of water, that could have —and would have —during the last hold-up, kept the port working fairly constantly, were sold abroad, and boats that drew from 10 to 20 feet and over, were sent to replace them? Even so, in the past four years, the port has worked fairly well. “I am pleased, and I am sure Mr Truman will be pleased to know,” said the Minister, “that my health is better now than it has been for some years.”