HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21989, 26 June 1933, Page 10

HARBOUR BOARD AFFAIRS

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — From your report of the monthly meeting of the Importers and Shippers’ Association on Tuesday of last week, one learns that Mr H. C. Campbell, president of that association, and incidentally chairman of the Otago Harbour Board, is, in spite of the adverse reports-of such action by the Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers’ Association, Railways Department, and Railways . Board, persisting in an effort to force rail connection to the Victoria wharf- from the goods yards across Rattray street, via the railway passenger yard, down to the Cement Works, and then i-eturn to. That wharf. The effect of this meandering would be that haulage would in perpetuity cost shippers 2s 6d per ton. To the layman who saw the Oran, a boat of 10,000 tons, recently loading 26,000 cases of fruit at the Birch street wharf out of railway trucks,, it would appear that through the addition to, the. present railway system at that wharf of a “cross-over” for the return trucks, overseas cargo could be worked there, very economical! y. Possibly a still-better plan would be to make a loop line, around the end. of Birch street along Kitchener street wharf, returning to the goods yards past Hogg’s timber yard, thereby making a complete loop which could be used either way. It appears to me that the cost of connecting up Victoria wharf would be quite as much as the cost of rail extension suggested above, under which loading at cither Birch street or Kitchener street would be optional, and would not fere with the working of the coal berth at Birch street. , _ I trust that the Chamber of Commerce will, at its next meeting, take such steps as may be necessary to nip in the bud such unbusinesslike action. —I am, etc.. White Wings. Dunedin, June 23. ‘