UNLOADING THE BOATS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 26 June 1924, Page 5

UNLOADING THE BOATS

PRESENT SYSTEM CRITICISED. CART WHARF WANTED. In view of tlio dissatisfaction generally expressed in regard to the method of obtaining delivery of goods shipped to this port, and with the object of ascertaining tlio views of local business men on the question, a •‘Herald” representative recently pa-.d visits, of enquiry to various wholesale firms in the town. In every instance in was complained that the prbseni system of delivering local shipments through the -Railway Department gave rise to much unnecessary delay and inconvenience, and that provision should at once be made for a cart wharf and storage sheds where direct delivery to consignees could be effected by the Harbour Board Staff. Mr D. 0. Turnbull, ex chairman ol the Timaru Harbour Board, stated that as far back as 1912 the establishment of a cart- warf and sheds had been considered by local business men to be necessary to the progress of the town. The question had at that time been taken up by the Chamber cl Commerce, but in view of the extensive additions that the Railway Department had in view, including the adoption of the electric capstans, it was decided to let the matter drop. Personally, he had considered that a cart wharf and sheds were facilities that would have to come, and he was still of that opinion. _ Although tiro want of a more convenient method cl handling cargo had always been leit by the importers, it was not until the recent railway strike that the convenience and saving of time resulting front direct delivery of goods had been so forcibly brought home to the general public. Notwithstanding the fact that makeshift arrangements had to bo made to meet the situation, goods had been unloaded and placed in tlio wavehouses in the town within a few hours of the ship’s arrival. He was certainly of the opinion that the suggestion, if carried out, would prove a great boom, and not only result in greater economy, but also add to the general efficiency of the Port. That the present system gave rise to confusion, aud on some occasions, considerable delay, was stated by a gentleman in\charge of the shipping department of a Ideal wholesale firm. He was decidedly of the opinion that the present method of delivering goods made Timaru, in this respect, hopelessly out of date. In pointing out the inconvenience caused, lie stated that on some occasions when several boats had been in port at one 'time, consignments had become congested in the Railway sheds, and as a result, goods which had not been lifted became .snowed-in under stacks of other shipments, several day's elapsing before they could be secured. Wharf sheds were in universal use in other ports, and in Dunedin the system in voguo provided for the separate storage of shipments, which enabled consignees to lift goods without confusion and delay.

The Manager of an other wholesale firm stated that at the present time his firm was landing a shipment of dried fruits. The consignment had been coming into their warehouse in small lots for days, in the usual course of events another few' days would I eventuate before the shipment .vas 1 completely to "hand. The supplies in question had all been sold to arrive, and if a‘wharf shed had beep, available, their carters could have checked the consignment and delivered their clients’ i equirements direct from the wharf. During the recent railway strike they had received goods in record time, and were able to check and make any claims .necessary' almost .immediately. The cart wharf had been talked of for ! many years past. It had always been 1 a necessity, and at the present time it was ■ a greater one than ever. He considered that, the question should he ; reopened, find an attempt made to have the Harbour placed on the same j up-to-date footing as other centres. ! “If only from an economical point ol view' steps should be taken immediately to make the cart wharf proposal ay established fact.” This opinion was expressed by the manager of a'wellknown firm of hardware merchants. Apart from the economy effected by the saying in labour, lie stated, the risk of breakages, now-a-days a, bin item, would be considerably' minimised as a result of the more direct method of handling goods. He also considered that of late years the business men ol Timaru had been most apathetic regarding the progress of their town, (his question being one of many that •had been utterly neglected. Geograph i- . rally speaking, the port was most favourably, situated, and for this reason had lately' been selected by' one bic concern as one 'of its four main distributing centres in Zew Zealand. With the progress of the town, it was imperative that they' should keep pace with other 'centres, and in this connection their facilities for handling the cargo should at least be equal, f not superior to those of other ports. Among the many' questions that urgently' awaited the support of a local progress league, lie considered that the suggested car; Mvharf was of the utmost importance.