DEEP-WATER PORT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18973, 25 March 1936, Page 4

DEEP-WATER PORT

WAIKOKOPU PLAN • INSPECTION THIS WEEK i HARBOUR BOARD VISIT Members of the Gisborne Harbour Board will visit Waikokopui on Saturday to discuss with the Wairoa Harbour Board the details of a scheme to develop the port of Waikokopu as a deepwater harbour suitable for direct shipments of produce* overseas from the Wairoa, Poverty Bay and East Coast districts. The scheme was placed before the Gisborne hoard at. its last meeting by a Wairoa 1 deputation, led by Mr. J. Corkill, which pointed out that with the railway promised by the Government 'there would be available ■ a convenient method of transport between Gisborne and Waikokopu for the shipment from this district of chilled beef in particular. The deputation made a strong point of the possibilities of the chilled beef trade for the neighbouring districts, oi Wairoa and Poverty Bay, instancing the advantage that would accrue to the slock producers if direct loading into ships’ holds could be organised. It was contended that with a moderate expenditure, the port o? Waikokopu could hr improved to an extent which would permit the berthing of liners alongside a deep-water wharf which would carry railway lines for trucking meat and other produce right to the liners’ berths.

The Gisborne board indicated' to the deputation that it would meet the Wairoa board at Waikokopu at a convenient date to discuss details of the scheme, and Saturday’s inspection will be made m accordance with this, agreement, though' throughout the Gisborne port authority has refrained' from giving any undertaking to . support the development proposals. The Auckland Harbour Board’s engineer, Mr. D. Holderness, who in the capacity of consulting engineer to llie Wairoa board drew up the scheme of development for Waikokopu, is to attend Saturday’s conference.