PORT EXPANSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22726, 12 May 1937, Page 12

PORT EXPANSION

SCHEMES FOR FUTURE £1,190,000 PROGRAMME AN EXPORT WHARF FIRST BOARD CHAIRMAN'S VIEWS A programme of development, which included three major wharf extension schemes, estimated to cost £1,190.000, was outlined at a meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday by the chairman, Mr. C. Macindoe, who pointed out that the expansion of the port was rapidly overtaking the capacity of the existing facilities. Mr. Macindoe said he thought the board acted wisely in taking a conservative view during the years of and immediately following the collapse of world trade, but the trade of the Dominion, and more particularly of the Auckland I Province, had continued to expand, j and the time had arrived when the J board must undertake the provision of | further facilities to keep pace with the i expansion. «After some years of relative | inactivity so far as construction work j was concerned, the board had already : put in hand certain works calculated tc relieve the pressure on existing berthage and shed accommodation, and the conversion of the eastern berth at Cen- ! tral Wharf for use by larger vessels ; would materially assist in doing this i until it was possible to complete other and more comprehensive schemes. Export Wharf to Cost £483,000 "The superintendent and engineei have prepared for the board's consideration plans and proposals for the con- ; struction of an export wharf, Mr. Macindoe explained. "This will, I be- ! lieve, obtain the board's hearty approval. The cost of the wharf and ol other works which are essential to its i complete operation is estimated at apI proximately £483,000. ! "Subsequent to the export wharf being | built and put into use, the provision ol ; special accommodation for passongei ! and tourist vessels is likely to be one ' of the earliest problems requiring attenj tion, and this is estimated to entail ac approximate expenditure of £275,000.'' I The harbour had now four general purpose wharves, which, when supplemented by others constructed for specia purposes,' should be sufficient'for a considerable time to come. Berthage Near Reclaimed Land '! Next in importance and becoming | more necessary daily, said the chairman 1; was deep water berthage immediately ! adjacent to reclaimed land where \es- '! scls carrying steel, timber and similai ; ! goods or bulk materials could discharge [ their cargoes. The reclaimed land ad- - jacent to this berthage would be i utilised for sorting and storing the specia! cargoes, and would have con' • venient access by both road and rail. -! "Such berthage can be suitably pro- -! vided on the remodelled eastern w r aterI I front, and the estimated cost of com--1 i pleting its development by reclamation 7 ! and the construction of breastworks ant 3 ; quays is approximately £432,000," Mr j Macindoe continued. "This does nol , | include the extension of the exporl f wharf to its full ultimate length, or the j construction of the additional genera, : purpose wharf, neither of which are : likely to be required for many years ' j Suggested Procedure 1 These three major works, estimated 2 to cost a total of £1,190,000, represented to the chairman's mind, and ir L a logical and proper programme of do 1 j relopiupnt for the port during the nexi t j decade, or such longer period as cireunv | stances might justify. He suggestec y that, if members were in accord witl t • this view, a bill should be promoted foi v presentation to Parliament at its nexi session to empower the board to borrow the £1,000,000 required to enable the i works to be undertaken as and whei required. " Such a bill would be permissive onlj and, while its promotion would pos--0 tulate acceptance by the board of the necessity for constructing the works each individual item would require tc be authorised separately by the boarc

and the money for its construction would be raised only as it was required. Meeting Annual Charges

Referring to revenue to pay for the works, Mr. Macindoe said increased production of the area served by the port automatically increased the trade and revenue of the board, and the additional revenue required to meet the annual charges was likely to be derived without any increase in the scale of dues, which already compared more than favourably with those of other ports of the Dominion. Mr. Macindoe added that, if finance could be arranged at 3J- per cent, and, basing .the repayment of loans in 30 years, the additional annual charges for debt service on the £483.000 required for the export wharf and connected works would amount to approximately £26,000 per annum. The development of the eastern waterfront in the manner suggested would also materially enhance the value of the board's reclaimed land.

The report was received by the board.