HARBOUR BOARD ECONOMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21978, 13 June 1933, Page 6

HARBOUR BOARD ECONOMY

TO THE EDITOR. _ Sir, —When otie peruses the salary lists of the varioug departments of the Otago Harbour Board one is confronted with a waste of expenditure that would not be tolerated by private enterprise. Although there has been a great falling off in our imports, the same staffs are carried in each department. The cost of the secretary’s department with the “ cuts ”is approximately £3718. About half the present staff will do considering all the trade offering. In The engineer’s department, exclusive of the dredges, tugs, docks,, and engineer's workshop, the salaries' amount approximately to £3352 for what is practically all office staff, and what is accomplished for it? The mole hag been closed, nil permanent works stopped, and practically all the workmen now on the unemployed register. Including the engineer and superintending engineer, there are five fully-qualified engineers, and there are three cadets, and the board continues to carry all these, and a clerical staff as well, when there is no work in operation. When engineer cadets completed their apprenticeship they were to seek other employment, but it appears that the board has become a rest home for them, as they carry on and take soundings at a cost of about £24 per week. Yet this work is duplicated by the harbour master’s staff, whose soundings are taken for navigation purposes, and are accepted before those of the engineers. A mechanical engineer and another qualified to survey and do the draughtsman’s work would be sufficient to-day as no theory is required, and the business portion could be done in the secretary’s department. It seems ridiculous to dispense with men and have others on part-time and salaries while these staffs are kept on full time and salaries, In the harbour master’s staff salaries amount approximately to £4IOO, This department earns the cash and the expense is cut down, but there are several anomalies. A pilot acting as piermaster receives £466 per year, most of his time being occupied in doing office work which could be taken oyer by the secretary's department. A lightkeeper receives £75 per annum launch allowance and free benzine which, over a period of years, could have purchased many launches. The lighting of our harbour costs £3 per day, £2l per week, over £IOOO per year. This is ridiculous, as the kerosene lights burn day and night, summer and winter, and a more economical system of electric lighting could have been installed, or the pilot launch could be utilised in spare time-to attend to the lights. To run the dredges. Otakou and Vulcan for four days, including repairs and fuel, amounts to over £12,000. The oil fuel costs £3200. In these hard times New Zealand coal could have been used if the Otakou had.been made to, burn either oil or coal, or if she had been converted. The cost of running the tug. including repairs and coal, is £4871, and the cost of running the dock without interest is £2BOO. It is hard to criticise the last three items as they are essential. Both the repairs and electrical shops are very expensive to the board, and the site, occupied by them is valuable and could be leased. If these shops were closed and all work let by tender the board would save thousands. —I am, etc.. Extravaganza.