THE NEW DOCK AT PORT CHALMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2699, 6 December 1905, Page 48

THE NEW DOCK AT PORT CHALMERS.

COMMENCEMENT OF THE WORK.

Dunedin and Port Chalmers are to have the benefit of a new dock of large dimensions, and the fivsfc sod of the proposed work was turned on Monday by the Right Hon. Mr Seddon (Premier), in the presence of a very large assembly. A tender has been accepted for the construction of the dock, and, though it is not yet signed, all difficulties, it is said, have been overcome. At any rate, the formal signing was no bar to the commencement of the work, and this was successfully carried out yesterday in fine weather. The Premier, on arrival at Port Chalmers, was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr De Maus), and. after passing through the District High. School cadets' lines, was escorted to the site of the new dock, preceded by the Port Chalmers Brass Band (under Bandmaster Montgomery) and followed by the School Cadets (under Captain Gray), the Fife and Drum Band, and a great crowd of the public. Adjacent to the site of the new dock a platform had been, erected, access to which was gained by means of some substantial slabs of Port Chalmers bluestone. On this platform seats were provided for the Premier, the Mayor of Port Chalmers, Mrs Seddon, Mrs E. G. Allen, and Mrs De Maus; and there were also present: — The Hon. D. Pinkerton, Mr E. G. Allen, and Mr W. Barclay, representing the Otago Harbour Board; members of -the Otago Dock Trust, members of the Port Chalmers Borough Council, Mr James Mills (Union Steamship Co.), Captain Strang (marine superintendent, Union Steamship Co.), Messrs J. Mill, E. S. Luttrell (of Messrs Luttrell and Scott, contractors for the new dock), W. Prior, Wm. Gibb, Isaac Green, H. Duncan (Mayor of North-east Valley), A. Leek (town clerk, Port Chalmers), and Captain Watson (secretary, Otago Dock Trust). The Mayor of Port Chalmers said that this must be considered a red-letter day in the history of the port, a day bound up with the future prosperity of the district and of Otago generally. — (Cheers.) He had worked long and earnestly in the interest of this dock. At last they had got it. — (Applause.) They should compliment themselves on that. The dock would be of the greatest assistance to the development of the port. It would entail the employment of many additional workers. / It meant progress, stimulus, increased prosperity. On this site now the tide came in and went out, and there was nothing to meet the eye or arouse especial interest. But in a year's fcijne or so, they would see the stately Maheno on the blocks; they would hear the busy hum of the - workers. — (Loud cheers.) They were all pleased to see the Premier amongst them to perform the function of turning the sod. — (Cheers.) He had no hesitation in saying that the Premier would do it wonderfully well, as he tlid everything he tackled. — (Loud cheers.) The Mayor announced that he had ~eceived apologies for the absence of Sir Joseph Ward the Hon. H. Gourley, the Mayor of Dunedin, Mr J. T. Mackerras, Cr M'Donald and Cr Shanks. Mr Luttrell said he had very great pleasure, indeed, on behalf of his firm of Luttrell and Scott, in asking the Premier to turn the first sod of the new Port Ghalipers graving dock. Although himself practice lly a stranger in Port Chalmers, his short residence had amnly enabled him to appreciate the great difficulties under which the Port had laboured for the last 20 years, and the great perseverarifee the peoole had employed to get this new dock. He felt sure that the Port Chalmers people would always keep- a warm spot in their hearts and memories for the members of the Harbour Board, the Dock Trust, the Borough Council, and especially the Union Steamship Company, for their untiring labours in this cause, and the success finally achieved.— (Cheers.) Mr Seddon proceeded to the spot appointed, and turned the sod. As at Lawrence, he divested himself of his outer garment, and did the thing seriously, with deliberate dramatic intention and effect. Then he returned to the dais, amid the plaudits of the onlookers. The Premier said the first sod had been, duly turned. They had seen him with his coat off. — (Laughter.) When he took h : g eca/fc off it meanit a good deal.— (Cheery) This dock was net a work merely local in its character. The commencement of a dock of these dimensions presage potentialities of national importance. When the dock was completed there would be provision for the requirements of tihe port and the shipping of the South Wand. — (Cheers.) The people of Port Chalmers were thorough, and when they took a thing in hand they hroupphfc it to completion and! =,a,id that it was. well done.— (" Hear, bear.") At Port Chalmers ho had taken part m many demonstrations national in character with results to the advantage and fa© honour of the colony and the gocd of tha whole Empire.— (Cheers.) Otago did things well, and the people of Otago co-operated! heartily in all matters affecting the general good. This dock was in the best interest*

•f the colony, and would meet the altered Conditions of the time. The day of sm&»»boats was gone. — (Cheers.) If produce hau to be taken to the markets of the world at the lowest possible rates it must be taken in large steamers. Provision must be made for large steamers or our port would fall behind the times. When suoh large steamers required docking the necessary appliances and conveniences must be at hand. If not, the steamers would go to some other port where the docking accommodation, was adequate. The new dock at Port Chalmers would have the effect of keeping these -large up-to-date steamers coming to this jJorfe, and so of giving -the. Qtago pro<hicers facilities of cheaper freights-<-an~ absolute necessity of profitable industry. — (Cheers.) It was always a pleasure for him to meet the Mayor of Port Chalmers. Mr De Maus was almost as good as an almanack. — (Laughter.) Mr De Maus had never- spoken with greater feeling than that afternoon; his feelings seemed to •Imosfc overcome him. Mr De Maus w&s realising that afternoon the hopes and expectations of " many years past. Twenty years was a long time to wait for anything; but all things' come to those wiho know how to wait — (laughter) ; — and here, the people of Port Chalmers having waited •well, was the new dook in sight. — (Cheers.) mix E. G. Allen had never lost an opportunity of. pressing this dock on the attention of Ministers. — (Applause.) "He (the Premier) tised to think Mr Allen made too much of the importance of this -dock* It" was only when this matter -.was- looked "into more ©losely that Parliament was brought to realise that this dpek was needed not only , an- the interests of Port Chalmers, but in' the interests of Otago, and" in 'the interests " of- the whole colony of New Zealand. He (the Premier), was % therefore especially glad to see Mr Allen present-on, this occasion. — (Cheers.) The other day ke (the' Premier) turned the first sod of the. Lawrence to Roxburgh railway. Now he had turned the first sod of the Port Chalmers dock. This meant a freer interchange of products be-~ tween - Central Otago and Port Chalmers. It meant larger population, increased outJet, further- promotion of close ' settlement. The Lawrence people had waited 30' years since their -railway was first actually passed by Parliament. The Port Chalmers folk tad waited 20 years for their dock. It was pleasant to him that the" starting and the • finishing of suoh schemes should fall to his lot.— (Cheers.) Sometimes, as" he loofeed over the' many souvenirs he had got on . suoh occasions as this, he realised" that he oould not do good too often. He had to srive them a short history of "this dock. In 1865 the Otago Provincial Council passed the Otago Dock Board Ordinance, 1865, constituting -a Dock- Board for providing for a loan- of £50.000 to construct the dock, which was borrowed at 8- per cent., and used for the construction of the dock. In 1872 the Otago Dock Trust Debt Act was passed Authorising the board to borrow a further •urn of £10,000, the greater portion of which it was believed was spent in the purchase of maohinery for the workshop, which was afterwards handed over to the Railway Department. Th;s loan of £10,000,•nd'alsb that --"of '£so, 000/ was paid - offmark ■ thak-rr-hy the colony in 1874. - The .Ofcago Dock Trust Ordinance Repeal Ordinance, 1874-, ..was^ passed dissolving he Dock Board, and vesting the dook in the Pro- i Tinoial Government, in whose • control it 1 remained until the abolition of the provinces,, when it passed into' the' charge of the Marine' Department, which administered it until' it was transferred to the Ofcago Harbour ' Board. "The Dock Act, -88S," fla-ve the Otago Harbour Board power to construct a graving dock at Port; Chalmers, and to borrow £100,000 for that purpose. The 1 board 'did not exercise this power, and in consequence thereof the powei-3 field by the - Harbour Board were handed over by statute to the Otago Dook Trust in 1885. The trust took immediate efceps to carry out its function by having plans and specifications prepared, and endeavoured to, obtain a loan of £75,000 in liondon, but' the opponents of the scheme frustrated the efforts" of the trust in getting the loan. The question necessarily had -to stand over for some years, during which Time the Dock Trust invested its surplus revenue in reclaiming land, erecting sheer- ; legs, and establishing freezing works. The ' investments had turned ' out ,- satisfactorily) and had largely assisted"the r'evemie~of the Trust. About three years 'agoHhe' fleet of the Union Steam Ship Company began to increased in size. Small steamers were sold and replaced by larger ones— too large to be accommodated in the existing dock. It , therefore became necessary, in order to ; retain the ship-repairing industry in Port j Chalmers, that . a larger dock should be" pro- | Tided. - New" plans and/ specification's' were : prepared by Mr Robert Hay for a dock ' to provide adequate accommodation. ~ The ; dimensions of the.»dook were to .be 500 ft in \ length on the sills, capable of , taking .in vessels ' SOOffc long over all, 70ft. wide/at the entrance, 90ffc. wide between the copes, and •having a deptK of 27ft to floor of dock. > Provision was made for 100 ft future exten- ! sion in length inshore. The .^estimated cost cf the dock was £74,000, and the result of calling for public tenders shows that the estimate was correct. The contract was let to Messrs Luttrell and Scott, of Christohuroh, for £58,561, and the supply of cement was let. to the Milburn Lime and Coment Company and Messrs Briscoe and Co. for £13,000. The engines and pump, Which were to be supplied by the trust, are estimated to cost about £2000. Great credit was due to the Dook Trust, and especially to its chairman, Mr E. G. Allen, for the energy displayed in bringing this important work to its present satisfactory stage. £75,000 was borrowed at par for the construction of the dock. The trust has established a sinking fund of 1 per cent, on the amount borrowed for the repayment of the loan. The interest on the debentures is secured by the ordinary revenue of the trust, specially strengthened for the purposes of this loan by the following contributions:—By "The Borough" of Port Chalmers Empowering Act, 1903," to' the amount of £1000 per annum ; by the Otago Harbour Board, under "The Otago Harbour JJoard Empowering Act, 1903," to the amount of £1000 per annum ; by the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (Limited), under its deed of covenant, to the amount of £1000 per annum. The fixed income of the trust from the portion of its endowments at present leased was £933 per annum. The amount guaranteed by Ihe Port Chalmers Borough and the Union Steam Ship Company is. for the payment of interest ujr to £1000 par annum if required, fcufc the amount of £1000 per annum from the Harbour Board is a direct contribution. Shortly nut, that was the history of the dock, its" trials, troubles, and tribulations, until that day. when the first sod was turned of a dock that would be more suit- •

T able - ti^^*the existing one for the require-.-fHentsLi Port Chalmers and the shipping of that part of the colony. He looked on the Union Steam Ship Company as an integral part ef the colony, and it was light to do all that it was possible to do to keep to Port Chalmers the ~vrerk of repairing the company's vessels, and the connection the company had always had with the Port and with Dunedin.—(Applause.) In the Union Company they had depicted, as it were, the history of the colony itself The company had a few steamers at the start, but with time ifc made progress and met all requirements not only to its own credit, but to the credit. of the cplony, and to-day the " red funnel " was a guarantee" of Safety .a,nd_of up-to-date arrangements and appliances all round.—(Applause.) The expenditure of a large sum of money in Port Ghalmers would do much good to the town. It would provide work for many men during the construction of the dock, and, afterwards, the fact that the steamers were repaired and docked in the place would be a standing benefit to it. If the steamers had to go elsewhere the population would have gone too, and, considering these facts, he did not wonder at the local Borough Council agreeing to give £1000 a year towards the cost. If it had not don© so it would have fallen in his estimation. — (Applause.) Aa head of the GovernriPent, it was a great pleasure, to. him to be in Port Chalmers and to ; take" part in the day's function. "I now deplare," continued Mr Seddon, " that the construction of this dock is commenced. The first sod has been turned, and I now, in conclusion. ' wish the "contractors every success with their work. I hope that every expedition ,will be exercised. I trust that, unforeseen difficulties may not meet them in the course of the construction. There has been some little difficulty at the start, but who ever knew of a big work that had not some difficulty at the start? But if you bring reason, common sense, and business aptitude to* bear, and everyone wants to work harmoniously with the other for the common good, things are bound to comestraight." — (Applause.) "To-day, start off with a clean slate. Everything is wiped off. v Everything is in^order. The work is commenced, and what^l shall look forward to with pleasure, and within the time specified in the contract, is to come here again to be .docked at the opening of the dock." — (Applause.) . Cheers we,re given for the promoters of the new dock. Mr E. G. Allen, who was called on, was received with oheer^. Be said he regarded that day as the starting of a new era in Port Chalmers. The" Dock Trust had used every effort for nearly 20 years to secure rhig dock, and he had put forth his best energies himself in that direction for the same time, and, having reached the stage they were at that day, he naturally felt very" proud of his position. — (Applause.) Ifc meant a lot for the Port. — (Applause.) The residents who had seen the prosperity of the Port declining and its trade leaving knew what this dock meant for Port Chalmers. — (Applause.) The beneficial effects would be noticeable before, long. Already new houses were being built — there were probably 20 in course of erection at the , present' finyj.- -a id he had no hesitation in i ving that others would* be put in hand, i All this meant work and prosperity for the people. — ("Hear, hear.") Property-owners all-over the plaoe would find the, values of their holdings increasing, perhaps 100 per cent.'-- In addition, more permanent work would be provided than the working men of the Port would be ' able to undertake, and others would come in from outside and take it up. He believed the time might come when the dock would hardly be able to fulfil all the requirements of the Union Company — not that the dock would not be large enough, but that the number" of their vessels would have increased to such an "extent that it would not be possible to dock them all in Pert Chalmers, and another dock might then be necessary. — (Apr>lause.) He concluded by saying that from this day onwards a time of prosperity would be enjoyed in Port Chalmers. — /Applause.) Mr James Mills said that when he was , invited to attend that afternoon he did not j expect, to be'called on to make a speech. I He was very glad of the opportunity to j thank them, and to thank Mr Seddon, on behalf o£-the directors of < the Union Company, for the very complimentary references that bad been made to the company. Speaking for the directors, he had to say that it had been a matter of self-interest ; with them to give such assistance as they ■ had given towards the construction of the j dock. It would be a very great conveni- ; «nee to the company, because their ,work- . shops ' were established here, and because the 'charges ' here .were more favourable ■ .than those of any other port of Australasia. 1 It was a special pleasure to him to face a Port Chalmers audience. He had represented the electorate in Parliament from 1886 -to 1893. It was during those years \ that he first had the pleasure of makingthe- acquaintance of his right honourable friend the Premier, and he was pleased to „ say that the friendship then formed had remained unshaken till the present day. although on occasions they had not voted in the same lobby. — (Laughter and applause.) While he was in Parliament this question of the dock had been to the fore from time to time, and he must confess that he was not then so enthusiastic about j it ac Mr Allen and some others were. It j was only during late years that it had be- j I come evident to himself and his 00-directors j that it was necessary for them either to j ! have a. larger dock at Port Chalmers or I to remove their workshop to some other port. Uo till about 10 years ago the Mouowai was the company's largest ship, since then there had been added to the ' fleet seven ships of dimensions too large for the existing dock to accommodate ; | and it was necessary to send those ships to another 1 port when repairs were required. That was not only a great loss to Port Chalmers; brit it was a. great extra cost to the company, as the repairs to ships could be more expeditiously and economically done in Port Chalmers were experienced workmen were available, and work could be carried , out under the supervision of the skilled officers of the company. He thought they might fairly look forward to the new dock being; self-supporting in tho near future. — (Cheers.) He congratulated the people of Port Chalm-ers on the inauguration of the new dock, and honed they would have many years of prosperity, — (Cheers.) > ; Hearty cheers were sjiven at this point for Mr Mills and the Union Company. Mr Lutfrell said he had pleasure, on behalf of his firm, in presenting Mr Seddon with a shovel. — (Laughter and applause.) He hoped it would keep this occasion and

the people of Port Chalmers fresh in the Premier's memory. The " shovel " was a handsome silver spade, suitable inscribed, with a handle of solid greenstone. The Premier briefly acknowledged the gift, wishing the contractors success in their undertaking. Cheers were given for the contractors and the Mayor, and thus the proceedings terminated.