ROADSTEAD LOADING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 260, 16 October 1933, Page 6

ROADSTEAD LOADING

CANADIAN NATIONAL LINE’S PREFERENCE. HARBOUR BOARD STILL SEEKS REASON FOE IT. The action of the Canadian National Steamship Co. in workieg their vessels in the roadstead instead of at the Breadwater did not find favour with certain members of the Napier Harbour Board, with the result that representations were made some months ago to the company’s headquarters in Montreal, Canada. In its reply the company referred the board to its New Zealand representative, who has charge of the loading at New Zealand ports. To-day the board received a reply from the New Zealand manager in which he took exception to the board having gone over his head in the manner in which it had. The letter from the New Zealand manager was as follows: — “Your letter of July 3 addressed to my head office, Montreal, concerning the berthing of our steamers at the Breakwater has been passed on to me for reply. I cannot do better than refer you to my letter of February 2, addressed to you, wherein I intimated that correspondence in regard to the above matter must be addressed to me. “In face of my letter referred to, you again approach my principals, who, I understand, previously advised you that the question of berthing our vessels is in my hands. You will realise that I do not appreciate your action in apparently refusing to recognise me in the matter. If you wish to discuss the question further I will be pleased to hear from you.” The chairman (Mr. T. M. Geddis) considered that the letter was not a reply to the board’s request. “I don’t blame the New Zealand manager for the position he has taken up after the board has gone over his head the way it did,” said Mr. L. Harris. “The district at a great eost, probably some hundreds of thousands of pounds, has provided harbour facilities for this class of vessel,” said Mr. P. Higgins. This class of vessel used to work at the Breakwater but during the last three or four years those who have been obliged to ship by these vessels have been mulcted in lighterage charges which could have been saved had the vessels made use of the facilities. The board did not act wrongly in taking tho matter to headquarters in Montreal. If the New Zealand representative had given a frank explanation the position might have been different.” The chairman explained that some three months ago he interviewed Sir Alexander Roberts, whose company is agent for the Canadian vessels in New Zealand. He poiuted out the extra cost that was involved in working vessels iti the roadstead and Sir Alexander said that ho would take the matter up with the steamship company’s manager, but so far no reply had been received. The matter then dropped.