PORT PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23574, 7 February 1940, Page 12

PORT PROBLEM

BERTHING OF SHIPS - '> CONGESTED WHARF SHEDS GOODS AWAITING CLEARANCE "Increasing difficulty is being experienced by the harbourmaster and the traffic manager in arranging the berthing of ships," said the superintendent, Mr. W. D. Holderness, :in a report to a meeting of the Auckland Harbom Board yesterday dealing with the recent accumulation of imported goods awaiting clearance in the transit sheds on the wharves. The three principal causes contributing to this situation were the delay in the issue of import licences, the inability of consignees to obtain sterling funds, and the late arrival of shipping documents, Mr. Holderness added. It was difficult to assess the degree of responsibility for these delays as between the Customs Department, the shippers and the consignees, each of whom had it in his power to cause delay, the Customs Department by unnecessary delay in the issue of import licences, the shipper by delay in forwarding papers and the consignee by delay or neglect in connection with his j application for a licence or for sterling funds. Late Arrival of Documents The very much higher air mail postage rates imposed as a result of the war bad led to shipping documents being forwarded by the slower means ol delivery so that they frequently ar-1 rived some time after the goods had been landed, Air. Holderness said. Ihe Customs Department had been urged to expedite clearance and the issue or licences and had given an assurance that everything possible would be done to facilitate the clearance and delivery of overseas cargo. . Having secured the co-operation or the' Customs Department Mr. Holderness considered the board should urge the shipping companies themselves to revert to the use of air mail for the forwarding of documents. It was thought that much of the present delay and congestion would be overcome and added expense reduced to a minimum. Reference to Grain Storage Air. F. H. Gilford said he thought it must he agreed that much of the delay in the recent of documents was due to the war. It was not possible in everv case to use the air mails. Another reason for difficulties in berthing ships was the policy of the board in using the sheds as grain warehouses. The chairman, Mr. W. B. Darlow, said the country was at war and a certain amount of inconvenience had to be suffered. The board was doing its best to minimise the trouble. The traffic manager, Mr. W. R. Golden, said the storage of gram was not affecting the position to a material extent. The bulk of the goods which were causing congestion at the moment were not suitable for storage on the top floors of the sheds where the grain was placed. Mr. Harvey Turner said the position would probably right itself shortly through the reduction of imports. The report was adopted.