MOTUEKA NEWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 4 May 1938, Page 2

MOTUEKA NEWS

HARBOUR BOARD MEETING j TRAINING WALL EXTENSION i I DELAY IN CARGO SHIPMENTS j lFrom Our Own Correspondent] c The monthly meeting of the Motueka ;• Harbour Hoard was attended by Messrs I L L. Harvey (chairman), Arthur Rowling. Horatio Everett, C. H. MacUay, P. < B C alder, D. Haining and D. L. Drum- ' Accounts amounting to £95 7s we if passed for payment waving a debit bal- ; ante of £1222 6s sd. A recommendation from the finance i committee that in its opinion there was no i need to raise the wharfage charges at* Port Motueka as the pieseni rate was ade i quale to meet requirements, was endorsed o-i the motion of Messrs Drummond and (."aider. « The following recommendation, from ill finance committee, tvas also endorsed : ■ "That the Hon. Ministei of Labour be appioached in respect to the general con ditions of labour existing on the chanuel icstoratiori scheme at Motueka and in view of same, that permission be gianted ' to the Harbour Board to exercise authority as to the class of men to be employed and that the Minister will favourably, consider the board s request and that the Government subsidy will not be discontinued." (Messts Everett and Mackavj. ' In a letter leceivod subsequently, the Minister aproved the suggestion, contained in the recommendation provided the men to be employed registered in the usual way. CORRESPONDENCE The Minister of Transport, the Hon. R 1 Semple, acknowledged receipt of correspondence in connection with the shipping facilities at Port Motueka, and promised, 'careful consideration. The sccretaiy, Department of Labour. ' Wellington, wrote to the effect that the ! Department was prepared to give con I amount to cover storage charges on the tobacco re-drying plant: but at the same time he .desired to point out the very generous assistance that, the board had received by way of subsidies out of the Employment Promotion Fund. The writer 'stated that the total subsidy paid to the board had exceeded £I,OOO to date and, ' he understood it was the intention of the hoard to make application for subsidy in 1 respect of some further work, which t» i . intended to put in hand at an 'early date. In view of the assistance that had | been granted he would, he stated, be glad i r the board could arrange to have the j whole matter again submitted, with the 'suggestion that the claim for storage be I withdrawn. ! On the Motion of Messrs Mackav and Cakler it was resolved that the claim be ! withdrawn. ROUGH HANDLING OF FRUIT The secretary, Nelson Fruit Advisory Committee, wrote stating that at a meet- ; ing of the committee, held on bill April, ttie Senior Orchard Inspectors in attendance reported that during the loading of vessels at Nelson, Mapua and Motueka, a considerable amount of rough handling of fruit was taking place. The writer ; said that while the difficulties which were being experienced in connection with the handling of a given quantity of fruit in a limited time were fully appreciated they felt sure that the board would agree with them that everything possible should be done to protect tlie produce on behalf of the shippers. The growers tuemselves, it was added, took eve y care with the preparation of their export pack and it i was only bv subsequent careful handling that delivery on the overseas market in : the best possible condition could be assured. It was decided on the motion of Messrs Rowling and (.aider to ask the writer ' for a definite statement against the paiLciular party responsible for rough handling of fruit before taking action. The secretary of the Industrial Union of Employers Wanganui wrote in regard to ; the board s employment of extra seasonal hands on the wharf stating that the emjeigency committee who considered the ; matter felt that tlie men referred to could not be brought within the provisions *of the Harbour Board's Employees Award on their present basis of employment and a> a consequence the contention of the coard could not. be upheld. On the motion of Mr Rowling, and the chairman it was resolved that Mr J. Robert’s President of the New Zealand Water- , skiers' Federation, be invited to meet the board respecting the matter in dispute. SHIPPING FAGILITIES The sales manager, Messrs Thompson Ifios. Ltd., general merchants, Wellington, ; wrote to tlie effect that they had had several complaints from their clients in i the Motueka district in reference io shipping facilities from Wellington to Port Motueka. They could not, said the, writer, get any definite advice from the; I Anchor Company, as to when their boats ! would sail and usually they only had a .few Homs' notice, that they were taking ' cargo. Gu three occasions lately it hail been ten days from Die time when they. ■ (Thompson Bros.; hud taken their order, until they had been able to connect with a steamer. The writer asks if it is in the board's power to interview the Anchor -Company and see if some arrangements cannot be made with them to have a boat, available at least once a week. The chairman of the Motueka Cool Slor- ; age C ompauy handed in a letter, received from the Shell Company of New Zealand Wellington, in regard to* the delay in shipping live tons of oil from Wellington to ' Motueka. The writer, in the letter, asked the Cool Storage Company whether it would consider It advisable to take supplies from their Nelson depot, until they could make definite arrangements for shipments from: Wellington direct. I It was decided on the motion of Mr ' Rowling and the chairman to forward i copies of the conespo,.deuce to the Minis- ; tei of Transport. TRAINING W ALL | Mr C. Traill, consulting engineer, ad vised that the proposal to extend the present training wall shoreward* lor a dis lunee of 3' chains had been approved by | the district engineer and this work may be carried out in conjunction with the i general scheme.