UNLOADING OF COAL

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2127, 8 December 1920, Page 9

UNLOADING OF COAL

NEW PLANT AT LYTTELTON.

UNION CO.'S SCHEME APPROVED. The Lyttelton Harbour Board this morning adopted a proposal by the Union Steam Ship Co.. Ltd., that the company should he allowed to erect a coal-handling plant on the outer wharf, Gladstone Pier, for the purpose of eliminating the delay, with the consequent general dissatisfaction, which has existed over the unloading of coal at Lyttelton for some time past. It was decided that the company be allowed to erect the machinery and to have the sole use of \ the berth, upon payment of an annual charge based on the berthage rate. , The engineer (Mr Cyrus J. R. Williams), in a report upon the company's proposal, stated that the machinery consisted substantially of a two-ton grab, lifting the coal from the vessel's hold, running along a transporter or overhead traveller, and discharging the coal either into a hopper with spout over the truck, or on to a coal neap or "dump," in the event of trucks not being available. The Union Co.'s letter pointed out that the proposed installation would be very much to the advantage of the port, in that it would permit of the rapid handling of coal, and thus expedite the working of the port in times of congestion, when there was a pressure on the available supply of railway trucks. He had made an investigation, said Mr Williams, which showed that, between January 1 and November 5 last, there were only, .36 working days on which no Union Co. collier was in port, the total number of ship-days of berthing being 449. This meant that one berth could have been occupied for the whole period of 265 working days, and a second "berth for 183 days. He considered that a charge of about £I2OO per annum should De made for the continuous use of the wharf in question, and that the wharf should be leased to the company. The alterations should be made to the satisfaction of the board and the Railway Department, a satisfactory arrangement with the latter about the coal dump must be made, and the board should have a right to revoke the concession on 12 months' notice. The chairman (Mr H. B. Sorensen) stated that the arrangement would be a most advantageous one, because lit would give the Union Co.'s coal vessels every facility for quick discharge, and would also prevent the over-carriage of coal, as often in the past, because it could not be unloaded at Lyttelton. The Hon. R. Moore, M.L.C., moved that the report be adopted, subject to a provision that, in the event of any settlement of the wharf through the landing of a large quantity of coal upon it, the company be responsible. In reply to a remark by Captain H. Munro, about the right of other companies to use the wharf, the engineer stated that, after considering all aspects of the matter, he had come to the conclusion that the only course was to give the Union Co. a lease of the wharf at the berthage rate. The company was now continuously using the wharf, and the scheme would give a rate of discharge one-third faster than at present. The report was adopted, subject to a proviso that the company should take steps to put its part of the scheme into operation without delay.