RIVAL PORTS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13373, 6 May 1914, Page 7

RIVAL PORTS.

AN OTAGO PROBLEM

(Per Press Assofciation.)

DUNEDIN, last night.

A deputation consisting of Mr Moller, chairman of the Otago Harbor Board, and several members of the board waited on Hon. W.-'H. Herries, Minister for Railways, at Port Chalmers this afternoon, to urge a reduction m freights on the Jhinedin-Port Chalmers railway line, and to request, the Department to widen the George street pier at the port, *o that the board might proceed with deepening the berth and ultimately make it able to accommodate vessels drawing 30 feet.

In reply, Mr Herries said that tho whole of this proposition, so far as he could see, depended upon the policy that the board was going to pursue. It was practically a new Tboard now, and it seemed to him that the whole question resolved itself into whether they were going to make tho principal harbor at Port Chalmers or Dunedin. It would not be a business proposition if the Department went to the expense of widening the wharf and tho board, on its part, increased tho depth if they were going to get big ships up to Dunedin* The same thing applied m regard to rates. The Railway Department ■ was not sure that it w;as not going to get competition after lowering tho rates, big ships going up to town. The question of the rates on the railway would be carefully considered, though he did not say that they would reduce them m the direction indicated. The Department was prepared to meet them if it knew exactly what the policy of the board was. Since he had taken office he had) not been able to fathom the policy of the board as to whether it was going to make Dunedin or Port Chalmers the port of Otago. Before it got that information, ho did not think the Department should commit itself to expenditure wiiich might later prove to be practically useless.