THE PROPOSED NEW DOCK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12403, 12 July 1902, Page 2

THE PROPOSED NEW DOCK.

i : The following letter in connection witi, : the proposal to erect a new and larger dry r dock at Port Chalmers has been received , ' from the secretary of tho Otago Dock Trust . hy Mr A. Leek, the town clerk, and by tliafc i ' gcntloman handed to lis for publication:— ' " Sir,—Referring to the subject of the new dock at I'ort Chalmers, I am instructed by . tlie Dock Trust to state, that no definite reply from the Government has yet been | received to the representations made in September last to place the trust m a poeitiou to proceed will! the construction of r. dry dock suitable to the requirement? o; this . port of Otago. Your council rendered the trust valuable a33ktancc ou that occasion by* senoing a delegate to Wellington co take part in a deputation to the IVcir.i"-. '''he trust would be glut] if your council woijld continue in its efforts by writing tc {ha -t.cmior urging him to provide financial finance to enable tho trust tc carry out me duties conferred won it' by the Leiri"--lature. "The benefit to Otago in retaining the headquarters of the Union Steam Shin I Company must bo apparent. Both Lyttelton. and Wellington are malting efforts to secure . tlie repairing of that company's steamers. A large number of tlie company's steamers are too large to lie accommodated in the present dock, and the new vessels that tlio I company is year by year adding to its fleet are all of largo tonnage. It is clearly in the interests oi Otaeo to give more.facilities to the Unio:: Steam P Company than arc provided for it nfe the other ports of the colony, in order lo secure it 3 permanent headquarters and retain the homes and families 0 V jig large number of employe;. Considerably over are supported by the eomoany'in and auoiit Dunedm and Port Chalmers. I .?>? oc ' : Trust has all the necessary legislative powers of borrowing £100,000 fbi f ar " e dock, and is endowed by the State: 111! . unfortunately, the endowment? do not, ," ! f' lo , profits of working the existing ' nml freezing works, jirovido sufßeicnfc • icvcnuo to meet the interest on the tiro-l-wed loan. It h estimated that The proposed dock would cost £93,000, plan?' oncl" specifications for wbich have l>eeu prepared '.v Mr Robert. Hny; and one side of the cotter-dam has been constructed out of dock levenue. In all probability the amount required lo complete a suitablo dock would lie about £90.000, at t per cent.—£36oo. ihe present net revenue .is about. £2500, leaving a deficiency of £1100. "It is obvious that the trend of tho times' to build Vfispsls of largo tonnago; even t ho m ereolomaj and coastal boats will, in ill i , y ' 111 11,0 ncar future bo superfeded by steamers that would be too largo for the small dock at I'ort Chalmers. Another Argument in favour of a large dock 13 the tortuous nature and shallow portions of the Otago Harbour, causing hipping company to be shy in sending tho , nort 'rr 9 0 | ,C I ° TKS3 ' ! to this port. This would he to some extent re!'l'°y „ • , , meails of Tepairin K any accident . that might occur were provided. H we desire that Otago should hold lie; will Z Coll,merc,a! ? ml "Sipping matters, il wdl be neeesßary for all those interested obi nn- "' C K° ° f tl,e cHstl '' ct t0 "»' te '1 ojtaimng that necesrar)- adjunct to a pro-1-erly equipped seaport-viz., suitablo dock accommodation." .