PORT OF WHANGAREI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15249, 12 March 1913, Page 5

PORT OF WHANGAREI.

BLOCKED FOR VESSELS. AN OBSTRUCTIVE BRIDGE. ; [BY TEMEQBAPH.— REPORTER.] Whanoabsi, Tuesday. A matter -."hich is of vital importance to the- people of * Whangarei was brought under the notice of the Minister for Railways (the Hon. W. H. : Hemes) by a deputation at Whangarei tinlay. This was the question of enlarging the span on the Kioreroa Railway Bridge, between Onerahi ; and Whangarei. Most steamers from Auckland stop at Onerahi, and passengers and goods ; are. conveyed to Whangarei by train, as the span is too small to enable a ship any size to pass through, thus causing the .Whangarei settlers a considerable amount of trouble and delay in receiving their consignments. Mr. J. R. Reyburn, chairman of the Harbour Board, who introduced the subject to the Minister, said that when the span was first built, a request was made to the Government then in power that it should be 50ft wide.' This was refused, and people were informed that they could have a 30ft span or nothing, and being anxious to secure deep-water communication they gave in. The district was now going ahead, and shipping at the port was rapidly increasing. The result was that vessels which could get right , up to the town were too . small to cope adequately with the traffic. It would mean. too much expense to put more steamers on the • ran. What was needed was bigger vessels, but at present, owing to ,the small span, this was not practicable. The 5 railway freight on goods trucked from Onerahi to Whangarei was 3a 6d per ton, which the Northern Company had so far borne, but it was certain the company could not always do so, and the result would be a considerable extra* expense to settlers. Several other Whangarei residents spoke on the matter, one of them pointing out that a previous Minister had said that by doing what was asked the Government would be facilitating shipping at the expense of its railway revenue. Mr. Herries agreed with the deputation that the span was too small, but said that owing to the many works the Government had in hand he could hold out no hope that any improvement could be effected for the next year at any rate. He asked whether a reduction in railway freight from Onerahi to Whangarei would be ' acceptable, but a member of the deputation responded that no compromises were ! wanted, and all would be. satisfied if a ' new span were put -in a year or more j , hence. •, The Minister promised to keep the 1 matter in view, and to have an estimate of the cost of the proposed alteration ■ prepared.