THE NEW DOCK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14382, 27 November 1908, Page 3

THE NEW DOCK.

SERIOUS DELAY IN pOMPLCTIOK. HARBOUR BOARD ASKS TOR SOME FINALITY. At the meeting of (lie Olago Harbour Board yesterday afternoon the great delay that was being experienced in the completing -of the new dock at Port Chalmers wa6 the siil>jcct-of a fair amount of discussion, the tone of which was one of docidrd ilissatisfaction wit!' 'ts non-complolion. The (Chairman {Mi \V. BarcluyJ said that, as one of the representatives on the Dock Trust, ho wished to say some thins about the new dock and its non-completion up to this point. They had now paid out some £3000 to the contractors, and the position was so unsatisfactory that, he considered it was time the Harbour Hoard took some notice of what was going on. i It was very' evident that the work was not. being carried on with the expedition that they had a right to expect, Three years' passed in Octolxjr last since the contract was entered into, and the contract provided for the construction of the dock m 18 months, but. it was not completed yet, It was not_ nearly completed, and lie did not , think any of them had. 'the slightest idea where they were ,in (lie matter. Ho considered it wa6 only right that, lie should report the state of affairs, so that tho Harbour Board should take the matter into consideration and assist the Dpck Trust in. arriving at some solution of tho.difficulty. As it was, the trust, was practically powerless, arid tho only person who had power to interfere had withdrawn from his work. It was a most unfortunate position, and, candidly, he did not sen how they were to get out of it. Tho immediate. effect of •it was that the \yhole district was losing considerably by this delay. About 12 or M vessels had to, go elsewhere when they would have received accommodation at Port. Chalmers had the new dock been completed. If it was' tiiat th' 3 Dock Trust was merely waiting until tho Harbour Board was foolish enough to put the Merger Bill into operation" mid assume the responsibility of the Dock Trust, a big mistake was being made, for tho board would do nothing of tho kind. If that was the anticipation on the part of the' Dock Trust, he considered that the Harbour Board should let it be dearly understood that there is not .the slightest possibility or probability 'of .such an arrangement being come to. He would move as follows:—"That this board, as contributors towards the payment of the interest on /the co?t of construction of tho new dock, views with concern the serious and unsatisfactory delay in the completion of tho dock. Such delay is resulting both poi't and adversely affecting the finances of tho trust, and that tho trust bo urged to take immediate steps to compfi completion.of the contract and the opening of tlio new clock for traffic." Mr. T. Ross seconded fh c motion. If they could assist tho Dock. Tru«t in any way in arriving: at so'mo finality in this matter it would be better for both the board and the Dock Trust itself. Mr, Belcher said it appeared' to him to bo somewhat out of placo on tho part of the board to pass a resolution of this nature until the Docto Trust itself had made some in the direction of getting the dock completed, and when it found that th e Dock Trust was to some extent prohibited from doing what it might through tho actions of the contractors. The board, while itself a rfohtributor towards the cost of the construction of the dock, had no control over tho body in whose hands the func-' tio.n lay ,at the'present moment of having tho dock completed. He thought that when j the Dock Trust, which did not appear to have gone out of its way very extensively to • foros tho Hands of the contractors, a,ltd had placed itself in this position, found that tlic contractors could ppt bo induoed to use a ' }itt>le. more exposition, then let the matter .come before the board, and let, it endeavour to assist tlio Dock Trust. They bad',no' reliable information before them as to why the contractors were holding back in not completing the dock. But they should be made to show their hand, arid when they vyoUld know exactly what to do. While the Harbour Board was interested indirectly in this matter, and tho trust had a right to expect .that the work should be prosecuted with a little more energy, he did no think the board had tho right at ('ho present moment to do anything in the matter. Ho preferred to see the. trust press the contractor, and got a .straight-out'understand-ing its to whether lie was going to complete tho dock or riot. Then let t.lvo Harbour Board enter into tho field. Ho Would siigf gest that th e board's representatives on tho trust endeavour to bring about that Btage.

Mr E. G. Allen said the trust had notbeen neglcctful ill urging tho carrying out of this work more expeditiously. If better •progress was not forthcoming the only thing for the trust to do was to take the work out of the contractors' hands. As matters now stood there was a wicked'waeto of time, The Port Chalmers Council had passed a resolution oil the lines they were now advocating. The contractors were certainly incurring very heavy penalties, and cqukl hardly lippe to got concessions when they wero making no effort to get- the work completed. '

Mr Bullock said .a special meeting- of the trust was to be held, in two weeks' time, when tho whole question would be gone into. The members of the trust were desirous of hurrying things 011 as quickly as possible, but there were almost insurmountable difficulties to ba met with at evory turn. iThcy hoped to have 60me bettor idea, after that meeting as to what was .goinf to bo done.

The-motion was then put to the", meeting and carried unanimously.