OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25853, 25 May 1945, Page 6

OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Otago Harbour Board was held last night, and was attended by Messrs R. S. Thompson (chairman), W. Begg, P. G. Connolly, M.P R. Walls, F. E. Tyson, G. F. Booth, H. S. Watson, A. L. S. Cassie, W. R. Clarke, A. Smith, and J. Preston. Dry Dock Facilities A communication was received from the Overseas Shipowners’ Allo.ment Committee advising that in connection with the provision of a dry dock at the Port of Otago, of sufficient capacity to dock the largest type of vessel engaged on the New Zealand-United Kingdom route, the overseas shipping companies could not make any firm commitment as to the extent they could use such a 'dock for their vessels, but the companies were of the opinion that the provision of such a dock in the South Island would be of general advantage to shipping.—Noted. Disembarkation of Troops The Minister of Defence (Mi- F. Jones), replying to a request from the board that consideration be given to disembarking the Otago and Southland men from troopships in Dunedin, instead of at Lyttelton, advised that up to the present on account of the acute shortage of shipping and the necessity for ensuring quick despatch from New Zealand, the number of troops destined for Otago and Southland had not justified disembarking troops at Dunedin, but if in future the circumstances warrant such action the board's suggestion would be put into effect. —Noted. Upper Harbour Development The Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association wrote requesting the board to give particular attention to the improvement of the present facilities for shipping in the upper harbour when considering the development of that portion of the Otago Harbour. The chairman said that the sum of £47,000 had been set aside for the purchase of new cranes for the wharves at Dunedin, but it was considered advisable to wait until that sum could be spent' to greater advantage than it could at present. The sum of £78,000 which had been allocated for the provision of storage space, would, if spent at the present time, provide only a 30 per cent, increase of the existing shed space, whereas the board desired a 50 per cent, increase. Great Britain was at the present time changing over from war to peace production, and would welcome orders for such machinery as cranes, and he thought that, taking the long-range view, the board’s policy of waiting was the right one. The communication was noted. I .Finance The board’s treasurer (Mr J. Renton) submitted the following statement on the revenue and expenditure for April and the seven months ended April 30, 1945 (the figures for the previous year being given in parentheses):— ' Revenue: April, £79,31 (£9698); OctoberApril, £82,360 (£91,925). Expenditure: April, £16,905 (£15,880); October-April, £105,684 (£103,371). The gross returns for the seven months showed an excess of expenditure over revenue of £23,324, but adjustments consisting of rents, insurance premiums paid in excess of estimates, and dock improvements refundable by the Government, totalling £4196, reduced the deficit to £19,128, as against the estimated deficit for the seven months of £12,923. The report was adopted, the chairman stating that the present month would be much better than the previous one. Victory in Europe On the motion of the chairman, the board, on the occasion of the cessation of war with Germany, placed on record its gratitude to Almighty God for His Divine providence ancj for the glorious triumphs of the navies, armies, and air forces of the British Empire and her Allies, its unswerving loyalty to his Majesty the Kihg, its profound admiration of the great statesmanship • and indomitable courage displayed by the Prime Minister of Great Britain (Mr Churchill), and the incomparable tactical skill, bravery, and sacrifice of all service .personnel of the Empire, knd all those who worked for victory on the home front, its wholehearted sympathy with the bereaved, maimed, and wounded, and its earnest wish that the consummation of the peace negotiations would mean an enduring peace and the removal of want and fear from the peoples of the earth. The board sang a verse of the National Anthem after passing the motion.