Little Trade At Out-Port Wharves

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1939, Page 3

Little Trade At Out-Port Wharves

I The small amount of trade at I wharves on the lower reaches of the j Whangarei harbour is the subject of i concern to members of the Whangarei Harbour Board. “It is ridiculous that fertiliser should be carried by rail from Auckland to Whangarei and then transported by road for about 24 miles to the Heads,” declared Mr. R. H. Allan at today’s

board meeting. There should be much more fertiliser carried by sea to Whangarei wharves, he considered. Unwarranted Expenditure The Parua Bay wharf had cost the board a great deal of money, but had returned little trade, said Mr. H. E. Hewlett. This was in spite of the fact that there was excellent country j which could be served by the wharf, j “It appears that we have spent too much money in proportion to the use of the wharf,” said the chairman, Mr.

J. A. Finlayson. The engineer, Mr. W. M. Fraser, stated that the Parua Bay branch of the Farmers’ Union had already approached one of the shipping companies with a view to obtaining a lower charge for the transport of fertiliser. Lack of Facilities Mr. Hewlett referred to the position at One Tree Point wharf, where, he said, the fact that the shed was on shore instead of on the wharf itself made' conditions difficult for landing such goods as fertiliser which required dry storage. Other members remarked on the situation at Urquhart’s Bay, and at ether wharves where there was no died accommodation at all.

“The provision of proper facilities would build up trade,” one remarked. Questions regarding the progress of the renewal of Urquhart’s Bay wharf were asked by Mr. K. M, Stevens. Mr. Fraser pointed out that with the use of the sound timber from the old structure, it would be possible to make the w;harf solid and safe. Inspection Next Month

All wharves will be inspected by members of the board in the course of a tour of the Whangarei outports under the board’s jurisdiction, commencing 4 on Thursday, February 16.

The urgency of the inspection was stressed by Mr. E. L. Whimp, *. whcr said that if it were not made this year it would be an interval of five years between the last inspection and the next.

“Members are going to be very busy later this year in connection with Centennial arrangements, and in 1940, Centennial year, their time will be unusually limited,” he said.