WHARFAGE AND RAILWAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21580, 27 February 1932, Page 10

WHARFAGE AND RAILWAY.

The resolution expressing the views of various local organisations which was considered by the Harbour Board this week was more restrained in its criticism of the procedure of the board in relation to the matter of securing a railway connection’ with ■ the Victoria wharf than might have been expected from the trend of the discussions among members of these bodies. The chief point made in the resolution was that the Board blundered in laying rails on the Victoria wharf when it was aware that the charge for haulage by way of Wickliffe street would be prohibitive. It is to be acknowledged that the Board does not seep to have any such reply to this criticism as would exonerate it from the charge of having been unduly optimistic in going on with this work and in trusting in Providence and to the support of the commercial community ' for effecting a satisfactory arrangement with the Railways Department. The Department proving obdurate, and, from the Board’s point of view, obstructive, an unfortunate deadlock has been created. The resolution of the Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers’ Association, and other bodies contained the suggestion that a committee of independent experts should be appointed to go into the matter of the most suitable and economic rail access to the waterfront, and also into that of the most suitable position for overseas import and export wharves. This raised clearly the question of the Harbour Board’s, policy. A curious position would be created were such a committee to be appointed and were it to declare that all the time and money spent on making the Victoria wharf what it is to-day had been wasted because the Harbour Board should have concentrated its attention elsewhere —say, on Kitchener street and Birch street wharves. It is surely manifest that a reversal of the Board’s policy as regards its principal wharfage is at this stage out of the question. Captain M'Donald’s observations concerning the possibilities of the Kitchener. street wharf are calculated to convey an impression of the superficiality of some of the opinions that have been expressed respecting the utilisation of this portion of the upper harbour for large ships. The Board’s policy in selecting the Victoria wharf for extension and development in order to provide commodious and, up-to-date deep-water berthage for the largest vessels cannot surprise any person who is really conversant with the harbour conditions. This wharf is by situation the most suitable for the purpose in view, and it is late in the day for any challenging of the decision upon that point. When all is said there remains the question, Is there any good reason why Dunedin should not have deepwater berthage in the most naturally suitable position, that is at Victoria wharf, and have economic rail connection with the wharf ? Lacking the connecting link with the railway system, the Victoria wharf cannot, of course, properly fulfil its purpose. But it is difficult to imagine that if the Railways Department, which occupies over

70 acres of the Harbour Board's endowments, were at all anxious to meet the Board over the matter of this connecting link, it could not find a better way than it has proposed. Meanwhile the Board’s decision, wise or otherwise, is that the question sffiall be allowed to stand over for twelve months. With a falling revenue the Board is in any case not' in a position to embark upon fresh expenditure at present.