SHIP DIVERTED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26689, 7 February 1948, Page 6

SHIP DIVERTED

NEW DEVfcLOPMENT

SITUATION ON WATERFRONT Activity on the Dunedin waterfront reached a peak yesterday, and because of the shortage of labour and the wharf shed problem, the coastal vessel Katui, which was expected to arrive from Bluff to-morrow, has been diverted to Timaru. Although the watersiders at Dunedin were strengthened by the Port Chalmers force, bringing the total of men employed on the wharves to about 380. one ship, the Karetu, which arrived on Thursday evening, was idle, and will probably remain so until Monday. Anotner freighter which also arrived on Thursday, the City of Dieppe, was without labour until yesterday afternoon, when the unloading of 2200 ton? of general cargo from her was begun. No watersiders will be available to work the coastal motor tanker Eaua. which is due this morning. She has a cargo of packed lubricating oil from Wellington to discharge. The sailing of both the Lodestone and the Glenpark was set back another day until Tuesday. In port since January 17 unloading 5600 tons of cargo from Sydney, the former vessel was originally scheduled to sail last Monday. Goods were piled high at Cross wharf and at Victoria wharf, where the Lodestone is unloading timber and steel, but shed congestion was not general. The V w X “sheds at Victoria wharf were practically empty preparatory to receiving the City of Dieppe’s consignments, and E shed at Birch street was ready for the Karetu's cargo. Although goods discharged by the Port St. John were still stored in Rattray street sheds, they were diminishing in quantity yesterday, as carriers coped with a heavy programme of work. > General cargo from the Waimarino, which had 2300 tons when she arrived from Auckland on Monday, had filled M and N sheds at Cross wharf by yesterday morning and the vessel was moved to the berth at Rattray street, vacated by the Holmdale. The Waimarino, on which five gangs have been engaged, is expected to sail for Bluff to-day. With such abnormally heavy cargoes as have arrived in recent weeks, it seemed probable that importers would be faced with difficulties of storage, but inquiries made by the Daily Times yesterday revealed that these difficulties had not arisen. The secretary of the Otago Importers and Shippers’ Association, Mr E. Wood, explained that consignees were working little overtime compared with the amount being done on the waterfront. More cargo had therefore been put into the wharf sheds than was removed from the sheds to importers’ premises and this was the reason for accumulations.

The harbour master, Captain F. G. Macdonald, said that activity on the wharves was “ certainly brisk,” but the position was causing no concern.