WELLINGTON PATENT SLIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13614, 6 December 1907, Page 5

WELLINGTON PATENT SLIP.

ACTION BY THE HARBOUR BOARD.

FROPOSED ACQUISITION.

[B? TELEGRAPH.— r-HKSS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Thursday. An emergency meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board was held this afternoon to decide what action the Board should take now that the Union Steam Ship Company has acquired a controlling interest in the Patent Slip Company. The question was discussed in committee, and on resuming the Board decided to instruct its solicitors to take steps to acquire the property and assets of the Patent Slip Company, cither at a price to bo mutually agreed upon or compulsorily. [BY TELECR.YI>H.—OWN COBRESI'oNDKNT.] Wellington, Thursday. The acquisition of the patent slip oy the Union Company is the topic of the hour. The New Zealand Times says:"lt might be regretted that the Harbour Board did not seize the opportunity which presented itself some mouths ago of acquiring tho slip as a complement to the dock which is now under construction, but any remorse on this head is quite dissipated by the great advantages which its acquisition by tho Union Company will bring to the port. Moreover, tho Harbour Board must be assumed by its action to have had little desire to purchase the property. - Its engineer, whose policy has been the means of placing Wellington in the front rank amongst tho ports of the Southern Hemisphere, recommended the acquisition of the slip, and for some time the Board practically held and dallied with the option, so it is kilo to express regrets that a private company has now stepped in and secured the slip."

The same paper asserts that "if reasonable facilities are given fur establishing repairing sheds at the slip, the result will undoubtedly be the removal of the company's headquarters to Wellington." It adds, "We do not think for a moment that the Union Company will utilise its new property as » means of coercing the smaller trait. In the first place, the patent slip in Evans* Ray is not the only establishment where they can cany out their overhauls. At the present time a considerable number of boats go to Nelson, Lyttelton, and elsewhere. Moreover, should there be any tendency on the part of the- Union Company to unduly hamper the smaller ehippiug companies in resect to overhauling their steamers, it will be the plain duty of the Board to build another slip, and operate it for the benefit of all the smaller craft. Even should this course bo necessary, the cost to the Board would probably be leas than the acquisition of the .present slip."