SECOND EDITION. SHIPPING FACILITIES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16908, 23 March 1929, Page 6

SECOND EDITION. SHIPPING FACILITIES

OVERCOMING- HANDICAPS DISCUSSION RESULTS WELL BOARD A XT) SHIPPERS CONFER. Satisfactory results attended a conference held tins morning between the executive officers of the ilarbor Board and the representatives of the shipping agencies operating in Gisborae, concerning the working of tlie port during the next few months. The difficulties facing the, board and the shippers were discussed at some, length, and an .understanding was reached concerning the problems which faced both parties. Co operation was promised by all concerned in the working of the port, with the object of overcoming the handicaps involved in the circumstances arising from The change-over to the new harbor, pending the completion of the Kaiti basin scheme.

The conference was presided over by Mr \V. G. Sherratt, chairman of the llarbor Board, and there, were present Captain Carson, harbormaster, Mr C. Marshall Smith, harbor engineer, Mr. Ji. A. Barton, secretary to the hoard, and the following representatives of shipping interests; Messrs F. Tolerton, F. VV. ]tiach, s. Cato, I. J. Quigley, L. Clare, 11. Bell, J. Wilson, and S. Williams.

It was pointed out by the chairman, in opening Ilu> meeting, that at present there was a great deal of congestion in the port towards the end of every week, with Ih<> arrival of three vessels fi-uiii Auckland on Thursdays, and one or two vessels from the south on the following day, and that the problem of affording all ships full facilities for discharge was one that kept tlio harbor officials very busy. They had all had experience which indicated that the existing facilities were insufficient for the trade of the port, and it was satisfactory to record that the inconvenience had been kept down to tlio minimum. The purpose of the conference was to consider tlio problems of the next, few months, during which the congestion would he acute, with the object of still further reducing the all-round inconvenience.

11ARHORMA STF.It EX PL A INS. Captain Carson outlined the system under which the harbor must he conducted while the Kaiti basin facilities were being improved, and the dredging in the channel carried on by the Korua. Jle pointed out that there would he insufficient space in the basin for tlio accommodation of lighters, even when unloading, and that all lightered cargo would have to be discharged ai. the town wharf in the meantime. This meant that the barge gate would In We to be used regularly, and he assured the shipping representatives that the board would do its best to assist them in reducing the inconvenience. The great difficulty so far as the cargo discharge was concerned lay in the fact that for half the week the sheds at Kaiti were empty, while during the latter half of the week they were crammed with cargo owing to the practically simultaneous arrival of three ships from Auckland and two from the south. In connection with the berthing of vessels, he remarked, inter alia, that ships would have to reduce speed th dead slow while moving through the bottleneck opposite the freezing works, where the channel was too circumscribed for fast movement. The wash of a steamer coming through the bottle-neck at any speed was sufficient to cause damage to mooring lines of other vessels, and this had actually happened already.

The board would, in the course of a few months, bo able to provide a sufficient depth for the more convenient working of the harbor, the harbormaster stated, and in the meantime the masters of vessels would have to co-operate to avoid mutual inconvenience, tf the shipping companies could possibly arrange among themselves ft) have their boats arriving on different days of the week, that would do away with the congestion at the berthage and in the cargo sheds, hut apparently this was impossible of arrangement. QUESTIONS ANSWERED. In the course of a general discussion, it was made clear that the agents of the vessels .operating between Auckland and Gisborne were disinclined to make any alterations as to the sailing of the ships from the northern port, and were prepared rather to submit to the inconvenience caused by congestion at Gisborne. The agents put several questions to the engineer and harbormaster, uitli the object of clearing up points not hitherto discussed, and it was suggested that,' eventually berthage, might i>o provided for somo vessels along the training wall. The agents heard from the engineer that the railway would not be available at the Kaili basin for the direct discharge of coal into trucks for about a year at least, and that in the meantime coal barges would have to he discharged at Hie towri wharf. When Hie Kaili basin wharves and equipment were complete, there would ho special facilities for the discharge of coal and merchandise destined for railing to the coimtiy. A stock wharf would he provided later about where Hie blacksmith’s shop now stands, and meat .lighters would load at special, berths opposite the freezing works, with railway connections complete. A suggestion was made that when this railway equipment is being laid down, provision should bo made for the shunting of trucks, and this suggestion was noted for consideration later.- The chairman of the board emphasised tho fact that the board would welcome suggestions fiom those engaged in the shipping business, as they wore well aware of the necessities of their business, and the object of tho hoard was to havo everything about the new harbor complete and satisfactory. They did not. want to got everything cleaned up and thou find that something had been overlooked. He invited any shipping man who had a suggestion to place it be fore the engineer uitli the assurance that it would he carefully considered. This invitation was responded to heartily by the shipping representatives, and their collective opinion was that the board was doing its best to tide over a difficult period, and to provide in the future facilities such as a modern port should have. It was mentioned by Captain Chrson that the Kaili basin should prove a really good harbor, its size being similar to that built to accommodate tho vessels on the Yam, at Melbourne. It. was a pity it. was not a little bigger, but never theless it. would be found to serve the port well. The proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman and the officers of the hoard.