CALLIOPE DOCK BERTHS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17910, 12 October 1921, Page 6

CALLIOPE DOCK BERTHS.

NAVAL REQUIREMENTS.

MERCHANT SHIPS BARRED.

The importance of Auckland as a naval base was accentuated in correspondence that came under the consideration of the Harbour Board yesterday afternoon. Incidentally the ethics of the Navy were involved.

A letter was received from the Devonport Borough Council enclosing a request from a firm of timber millers for berthing facilities at the Calliope Dock sheerlegs wharf for timber steamers.

The chairman, Mr. H. D. Heather, said the matter had been referred to Commodore A. Hotham, commander of the Chatham, and officer in charge of the New Zealand Naval Station. The latter's reply was read.

Commodore Hotham said that he could not be accommodating in this matter for the following reasons:—(l) It was against all precedents and the rules of the naval dockyards to allow traffic through the yards, or for commercial vessels to discharge in those yards, except in the case of stores for naval purposes; it was prejudicial to naval discipline, and led to smuggling in every sense of the word, and to theft of Government stores; and this, in spite of every Home yard being provided with high walls, very few gates. and a strong force of metropolitan police and customs officers. (2) With the addition of the Laburnum, which was commissioning this month for the New Zealand Squadron, bringing the number of men-of-war on the station to four, and, with the Philomel occupying one berth permanently, the sheerlegs wharf was the only one available for" the remainder, and would be fully occupied. The Chatham required the complete billet four times a year for one month at least, continued the letter. The sloops, which would probably seldom or ever be at Auckland refitting at the same moment, would usually, when the Chatham was cruising, each probably occupy half the wharf for ten weeks in the year. It was not right that the programmes of the men-of-war should be dependent upon, or subordinate to, the convenience of anyone as regards the berths at the Calliope Dock in view of the contract between the Admiralty and the Harbour Board. Furthermore, he had the gravest objection to making a practice of men-of-war and merchant, vessels lying at the. same wharfHn could not, therefore, agree to the proposal. It was decided to reply to the applicants in terms of Commodore Hotham's letter.