THE BEN MOHR

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 101, 10 April 1933, Page 7

THE BEN MOHR

CORRESPONDENT’S REMARKS "DAMAGING TO THE PORT." REPORT BY WHARFINGER. Strong exception was taken by a correspondent to a report at tho last meeting of the Napier Harbour Board by the wharfinger, Mr E. D. Earney, regarding the working of the Ben Mohr at Napier early last month. The remarks of the correspondent were considered by the chairman of the board to be damaging to the port, and a further report on tho matter was made by the wharfinger at to-day’s meeting of the board. After a lively debate the report which, read as follows, was adopted. THE VESSEL’S DRAUGHT. “My attention has been drawn to a letter signed ‘Justice’ appearing in tho ‘Hawke’s Bay Herald' on the 23rd ultimo. ‘Justice,’ in criticising my report to the board, misrepresents me when he states that I reported the vessel’s draught on arrival at 17 feet. My report to the board clearly stated that on arrival the Beu Mohr’s draught was 17 feet 7 inches. To make matters worse, ‘Justice’ goes on to state as follows: —‘The actual draught of the ship on departure with ballast tanks pumped out was 21 feet 6 inches aft and 20 feet 6 inches forward, which definitely precluded her berthing at the Breakwater.’ ‘‘When making my report to the board,” the letter continued, ‘‘l had the harbour-master’s assurance that the vessel could have worked the Breakwater without difficulty and he has since definitely advised me that the vessel’s draught on arrival at Wellington, to which place she went direct from Napier roadstead, was 15 feet 6 inches forward and 19 feet aft. This proves that not only would the vessel have berthed and worked at the Breakwater but that approximately 13,4/0 bales of wool, in addition to the 6818 bales actually loaded in the roadstead, could have been taken aboard (provided the necessary space was available) and the ship des. patched quite safely. “In reference to loading 1 have to point out that the wool stores are capable of shipping approximately 6000 bales of wool per day and the average shipped from the stores during this day of the Ben Mohr was 3800 bales, equal to 1267 bales er ship for three ships; thus there was a shortage of at least 2200 bales per day. “This shortage can be put down to the limited number of lighters available, as the Beg Mohr did not- have a sufficient number until after the third day’s working, as the following details will show:—February 28, first day’s working, four loads; March 1, second day’s working, three loads; March 2, third day’s working, four loads; March 3, fourth day’s working, seven loads; March 4, fifth day’s working, two loads. TIME TAKEN FOR WORK. “We have handled wool at the Breakwater info the overseas vessels at the rate of 85 bales per hatch per hour, which means that a vessel works mg four gangs for 12 hours could take in 4080 bales, therefore it is only reasonable to assume that on the occa, sion of the Ben Mohr we could have handled an average of 200 bales per day for two days and 2828 bales for the third day, the increase being due to the departure of the Fort Napier. Thus in three days 6828 bales of wool could have been loaded at the Break, water, whereas it took five days to load 6818 bales in the roadstead. “There are available at this port 10 permanent lighters and three coastal vessels which also do lighterage work, making a total of 13 to servo on occasions as many as three and four overseas vessels. The number required to work one overseas vessel working only three hatches would be six, therefore two ships would re. quire a total of 12 lighters and this would leave only one lighter available should a third overseas vessel be in the roadstead. “The number of hatches each vessel is capable of being worked is therefore governed by the number of lighters available. Where overseas vessels work alongside a wharf it is possible to work all available hatches which vary from five to seven. “The statement that there was no hurry for the despatch of the Ben Mohr and that the ship put into Weifington for a day or two to await the opportunity of working Wanganui, which was her next loading port, is hard to understand. To call at any port costs the owners of a vessel of the tonnage of the Bon Mohr quite a tidy little sum and to say that this vessel put mto Wellington, thereby incurring unnecessary charges, is hardly reasonable, as the vessel could have laid off Wanganui or at Napier without any additional charge whatever.

THE GOLDEN CLOUD. “With regard to the Golden Cloud, I have to state that on the afternoon of the 2nd. ultimo a request was received from the agents to shunt manure to Nelson Quay for shipment by lighter to the Golden Cloud, a 6 p.m. start being desired. This was later altered to 8 a.m. the following morning. Next morning the lighter was not available and the manure was shunted off the loading berth, the lighter being taken for a meat-loading to the Rotorua and the Golden Cloud’s cargo had to await the return of this lighter to commence loading at 2.30 p.m. ‘ ‘ The Golden Cloud received only one lighter load in the first 16 hours available for work when it is stated that the greater portion of her cargo had to be placed in one hatch, it. is only fair to assume that had lighters been available no time would have been lost in commencing work. “This same vessel was at the Breakwater one year ago and loaded 10,078 bags of manure between 10.30 a.m. on the 11th and 10.30 a.m. on March 12, 1932, whilst on this occasion in the roadstead the time occupied in loading 13,440 bags was three and a half days. COMPARISON OF CHARGES. “Reference is made to the charges for berthage, etc., had the Golden Cloud on the present occasion worked alongside the Glasgow Wharf. To my mind such charges have nothing whatever to do with the matter of handling cargo, but allowing three days’ stay the charges for berthing would on present rates be as fallow: —Berthage first day at 3d, second day at Id and third day at Id on 3604 tons. £75 1/8;

hawsers four days at id on same tonnage, £l5 0/4; labour, locomotive, etc. (say) £25. Total, £ll5 2/-. Now, it is only reasonable that the lighterage incurred should be a set-off against this sum. “Lighterage on 609 tons 9 cwt. at 10/-, £304 14/6; less amount of berthage, etc., shown above, £ll5 2/-; leaving a saving in favour of direct load, ing from a wharf of £lB9 12/6. “The saving on each ton of cargo after allowing for payment of ships’ charges would be in the case of direct loading from a wharf nearly 6/3. It should be remembered, however, that in computing freight rates allowance is made by the ships’ owners for tho payment of all harbour dues such as port charges, berthage, etc. To illustrate the charges in the case of the Beu Mohr at the roadstead and had she berthed and worked at the Breakwater, the following is revealed: —Lighterage to Ben Mohr in roadstead, £634 1/6. At the Breakwater the charges, including berthage, hawsers, locomotives and labour, would be £203 16/5, making a total saving of £430 5/1 in favour of working at the Breakwater.” SAVINGS TO THE DISTRICT. The chairman, Mr T. M. Geddis, in moving that the report be received, said that the letter in the Press being damaging to the port obviously required a reply and he had the report prepared. Mr R. Baker: 'The vessel came alongside 12 months ago and what makes them shy now? The chairman: When it came in a year ago it was under the Scales Line. These vessels have taken away thousands of bales of wool and saved the primary producers about 1/6 pet bale. That has been going on for years. Scales bring their vessels alongside and many farmers are aware of it and ship their wool in them. In consequence Scales have saved thousands of pounds to the district. On its recent visit the vessel was under charter to another company. She could have come alongside and her whole cargo could have been, worked. LIMITED HANDLING CAPACITY. Mr A. E. Jull, M.P.: When the wharfinger reports that so many bales of wool could be worked at the Glasgow wharf he does not say that it would mean shutting down, the plant to any other vessels. Mr Jull, continuing, explained that the loading of meat was allocated between the various companies and no congestion occurred, but in regard to wool open competition took place with the result that as many as five overseas vessels had been at Napier at a time competing for the wool after the sale. Neither the lighterage nor the wharfage appliances had been able to cope with the large amount of work. He pointed out that the Scales vessels could carry only limrted cargoes and without refrigeration they could not deal with the meat trade. Even if they were fitted for the carrying of meat there was tho question of how much the producers would have to pay for it. Mr Harris: Hear, hear! Mr Jull: It is all moonshine that every facility should be given to these tew vessels. The exporters know that they have to get the meat away and if it were handled by the class of ships under the Scales Line thev would have to pay through the nose for it. Mr Higgins: Mr Jull has struck his old form. Mr Jull: Good stuff, too. ONLY TWO BERTHS NEEDED. Mr Higgins: What he has said about the shipping of meat can be very misleading. The report of the wharfinger is further evidence that two berths is all that is required for many years for the expeditious handling of the trade of the port. If there were no private interests interwoven in the working of this port, and if an honest attempt were made to take advantage, a quicker despatch could be given to vessels than has been the case for many years past. By proper co-operation, besides giving a better despatch tho cost of lighterage could be saved. The manner in whicb it is now being worked by the shipping companies is not in the best interests of the board of the district. Mr Jull’s reference to the loading of meat is sheer clap-trap of the virulent form. With the new wharf at the Breakwater materialising before long Mr Jull: Which one? Mr Higgins: We will secure to the board its present business and enlarge its scope for the handling of produce. I was told that by the elimination of lighterage the freezing interests in Hawke’s Bay are to be largely expanded. The only means we have of achieving our business is to provide wharfage accommodation. 1 was told by a head of a shipping company in New Zealand Mr Jull: Who is ne? Mr Higgins: You know hint well. Mr Higgins: His advice is for the board to focus at the Breakwater. If only these men would come forward and give their Mr Jull: Tell us who they are? “A LOT OF PIFFLE.” Mr Harris: If Mr Higgins would devote his abilities and the board its interests, instead of talking, we may get the boats inside at the Breakwater. At these meetings we have to listen to a lot of piffle about trying to get boats into a place that we haven’t got for them. Mr J. C. Bryant: Up to now Mr Harris has not given us any assistance. 1 was glad that the innocent question asked by Sir Baker was effectively answered by the chairman. In regard to the Ben Mohr the vessel since its visit a year ago has come under new agents. The principal, of the company owns £37,000 of shares in the lightering company. That is the answer. It is the question of vested interests. Sir Baker a I would like to move that speeches be limited to five minutes. "The chairman said he could not accept such a motion during the discussion. Mr Baker: Sir Higgins spoke for a quarter of an hour and said nothing. The wharfinger’s report was then received.