HARBOUR AT WAIKOKOPU

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22352, 25 February 1936, Page 5

HARBOUR AT WAIKOKOPU

PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT COMBINED EFFORT ADVOCATED [by telegraph—OWN* correspondent] GISBORNE, Monday Claiming that the natural facilities at Waikokopu hold out the prospect of the development there of a deepwater port second to none in New Zealand, a deputation from the Wairoa Harbour Board to-day opened negotiations for the creation of a special harbour authority, representing the Wairoa, Poverty Bay and East Coast districts, to expand the present port nt Waikokopu. The deputation waited upon the Gisborne Harbour Board and secured a promise that, in the early future, members of the Gisborne board would meet the Wairoa board at Waikokopu and hear details* of the expan-; sion scheme. It was urged by the deputation that \ the development of the chilled beef j trade in particular, which offered such { great scope to stock breeders in the neighbouring districts, demanded special facilities for direct shipment. These facilities were available at present only at the main ports. The possibility of the export trade being centralised at the main ports was a threat to the prosperity of the smaller outlying districts. At Waikokopu a comparatively small outlay would provide shipping facilities for chilled beef and other exports equal to the best. Mr. J. Corkill said at this stage it was not proposed to put before the Gisborne board any financial details of the scheme, or estimates of exports on which the prospect of financial success was founded. The Government had promised that the railway would bo built to Gisborne, and this opened# up new considerations for the port authorities in tho neighbouring districts. Neither Gisborne nor Wairoa had a deep-water harbour, which would be most important if the chilled beef trade developed as it promised to develop. It was recognised that chilled bgef could not bo handled satisfactorily by means of lightering, and the Wairoa board was concerned regarding the possibility of exports from its district being railed to the main ports for shipment. The board favoured the creation of a single rating area embracing the districts of the Wairoa and Gisborne boards to work Waikokopu, leaving the present boards to continue their activities with their respective river harbours. There would be no quarrel over the details of the projected amalgamation, said Mr. Corkill. Wairoa was even prepared to give Gisborne the balance of power on the Waikokopu board, and to throw in its resources to make the scheme a success.