CAN PORT SAVE LINER AFIRE?

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18406, 7 March 1928, Page 5

CAN PORT SAVE LINER AFIRE?

LARSEN WRECK CAUSES BOARD TO CONSIDER. An Occvm Liner Afire. A Wreck Like That of the Whaler C. A. Larsen. Whether the plant at Lyttelton wa? capable of grappling with such di r asters was a question raised by Mr H Holland. M.P.. at the meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board today. In urging an inspection of the plant. Mr Holland said that the C. A. Larsen disaster had brought the matter to his mind. The wreck of the Amy Turner at Lyttelton over ten years ago was cited as an illustration of what the dredge Canterbury could do with her pumps. It was stated that she had pumped at the rate of 3000 tons of water an hour. The board decided to consider at its next meeting a date for an inspection of the port. Want -a Ship Sunk? In bringing the matter up. Mr Holland said that in his nine years’ experience on the board he had not had a demonstration of the capabilities of the plant. He advocated that the next meeting of the board be held at Lyttelton. and that an inspection be made then. A demonstration of the ability of the dredges could be arranged. Captain Munro (harbourmaster) : Do you want a ship sunk ? MV Holland: No, we don’t want a ship sunk so that we can pump it dry. The wreck of the Amy Turner was a gooji illustration of the pumping power of the dredges, said Mr W. T. Lester. Captain Munro stated that if the C. A. Larsen had been wrecked at Lyttelton she could have been pumped out, but there was no dry dock. She was too long for the present dock. The acting-engineer said that both the tug and the Tewhaka could pump 500 gallons a minute. The big dredge Canterbury, which had been used on the Amy Turner, could pump 3000 tons of water per hour. “More or Less a Farce.” “I object to any more business meetings being held in Lyttelton,” said Mr W. J. Miller. “They have been more or less a farce.” There were cries of “No!” and the chairman (Mr R. Galbraith) remarked: They were somewhat hurried. Bringing of the model of the port up-to-date was urged by Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., who stated that a one-day inspection was not sufficient to cover the whole port. “I think we should have an inspection of the harbour,” urged Mr W. J. Walter. Captain Munro: How about the jubilee? We had an opportunity then. “That was only a “boozeroo,’ ” replied Mr Walter. A motion that an inspection day be decided upon at the next meeting of the board was carried unanimously.