MAY BE STOPPED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21180, 29 October 1938, Page 21

MAY BE STOPPED

Water Supply to Ships Cost To Harbour Board That the supplying of water to shipping at Timaru might be discontinued by the Timaru Harbour Board was a suggestion made at a meeting of the Board yesterday when members expressed dissatisfaction with an Increase the price from 1/3 a thousand gallons to 2/- a thousand gallons. It was stated that the board could not continue to resell with the new price without making a substantial loss. The board decided to ask the council to reconsider the position. A letter was received from the Timaru Borough Council advising that the council charges for water had been substantially increased to a point which would cause the board to lose a sum in excess of £l5O per annum on its sales of water to shipping, stated the report of the standing committee. After examining the problem fully the standing committee recommended that the Harbour Board inform the council that they would no longer require supplies of water and that it would be necessary for the council to undertake the sale of water to shipping in the same manner as was done at Port Chalmers. The board would purchase its own requirements of water under the bylaws. Position Explained Explaining the position the secretary said that the Increased charges would make it impossible for Timaru to compete with ports north and south in supplying water to shipping. rr he charge to the board would bo 2/- per 1000 gallons, while that to the Railway Department was only 7d. He referred to the leakages in the pipes beneath the wharves, leakages caused easily when the wharves were bumped. If the board continued to supply water to shipping at the present rate tire less would be £l5O a year. If the board increased its charges only emergency supplies would be taken by ships and that would still mean heavy loss as the upkeep of hoses and pipes would still have to be met. It seemed unfair that the council should charge the board 2/- per 1000 gallons when the Railway Department paid only 7d, stated a member.

The Harbour Board was the council’s second best customer, said the secretary. Although the board charged

ships 4/- per 1000 gallons the additional above the cost to the board was absorbed by the cost of the maintenance of the pipes and hoses. The council appeared to consider it was reducing the charge to 2/- from 2/9, but actually it was increasing it from 1/3. Mr W. H. Hall suggested the Board should refer the matter back to the council. He stated that Timaru had a lot of water unsold and he could not see why it could not be sold to shipping at a cheap rate. At other ports the supply was so much Cheaper that ships had reduced purchases of water at Timaru, with the eff;ct that only £l5O was received by the board from water, whereas the estimate was for £250, said the secretary. Should Be Investigated If the council decided not to bother with th supply to sh‘ps it would be a pity to see ships unable to obtain water at Timaru, said Mr Mackenzie. Before it was made impossible for ships to obtain water at Timaru the matter should Ire investigated further. It did not seem right that the board and the council should be at variance over the matter. Mr Campbell agreed with Mr Mackenzie and suggested that the chairman and the secretary should wait tn the council to discuss the position. The new rate was in operation, r id the chairman. He thought the new rate should bo suspended while the two bodies were coming to an agreement.

The board was there to give service to shipping and the supply of water was part of that service, said Mr Goodman. It was decided to refer the matter back to the council and to request that the increased rate should not be charged until an agreement was reached between the board and the council.