NO DELAYS IN FERRY CARGO DELIVERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19035, 2 April 1930, Page 9

NO DELAYS IN FERRY CARGO DELIVERY.

HARBOUR BOARD HEAD REPLIES TO CRITICS.

A complaint regarding alleged delays in the delivery of material from the ferry steamers was answered by Mr H. Holland, M.P., chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board, at its meeting today.

“ Referring to my report at the last meeting in regard to a complaint that there had been a delay up to three days in obtaining delivery of cargo from the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry steamer, I may say that I made specific inquiry, and find that the practice in both Wellington and Lyttelton is the same, viz., mails and passenger luggage are discharged immediately by the ship’s crew on arrival, and the discharge of cargo by waterside labour commences at 8 a.m.,” said Mr Holland. “ Cargo is therefore not delayed by the ship, and discharge at Wellington is not earlier than Lyttelton.” The Railway Department had investigated the complaint, and reported that the consignee who complained had made special arrangements with a carrying and forwarding company to deliver his goods, consequently the Railway Department was precluded from employing any other firm. The carrying firm frequently had more than a load, and it occasionally happened that the goods could not be picked up at the railway goods sheds until late on the day of arrival or on the following morning. This seemed to suggest that there was no fault either at the port or with the Railway Department, and that the complaint was unfounded. In reply to Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., the chairman said that the complaint was that work was started in unloading cargo in Wellington an hour earlier than at Lyttelton. That was quite wrong, as his inquiries had shown. Mr Howard: That is deserving of the fullest publicity. The chairman’s report was adopted.