CONTRACT LET

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 19 June 1941, Page 4

CONTRACT LET

NEW MINESWEEPERS TO BE BUILT AT PORT CHALMERS Dunedin, June 18. Within 24 hours of the announcement by the Minister of Supply and Muni- | tions, Mr Sullivan, that four mineI sweepers are to be built at Port Chalm- ! ers. a contract has been let to the Love ! Construction Co. for the erection of I shipbuilding yards which will be peri manent and will be capable of accomo- | dating very much larger vessels than minesweepers. It is certain that when I the four vessels have been completed further ships of similar and larger I types will be built at Port Chalmers, The Minister has accepted an invitaj tion to be present to drive the first rivet when the keels of the first two vessels are laid on Ist September. Mr James Fletcher managing direci tor of the Fletcher Construction Coy., | has accepted an appointment from Ste- • venson and Cook, who will build the minesweepers, to organise the whole of their shipbuilding programme and. in | an interview, he stated that a contract 1 had been let to the lowest tenderer, the j Love Construction Co., Ltd., for the ' erection of the buildings. The planning of the shipyard would follow lines recently adopted in the United States, where it was the practice completely to house the slipway on which vessels were built and to provide for overhead electric travelling cranes for the handling of all materials. “The Port Chalmers yard.” he said, “is being laid down as a permanent shipbuilding yard and will be able to accommodate vessels of very much larger size than the minesweepers for which Stevenson and Cook have received a contract.” Contractors for the buildings, he ad--1 ded. had undertaken to complete them by the end of August and Mr Sullivan had accepted an invitation to perform i the ceremony of driving the first rivet ■ i on Ist September. j “One of the most serious problems ■ still to be solved is that of labour.” Mr Fletcher said, “and as soon as the erection of the buildings has progressed | sufficiently, a call will be made for all classes of labour. It is expected there will be no difficulty in securing the ■ necessary staffs, as the conditions un- ‘ j der which the men will be working will i i ensure continuous employment without . j loss o* time through bad weather." — t ; P.A.