PATEA HARBOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 241, 11 October 1937, Page 10

PATEA HARBOUR

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD GENERAL BUSINESS DEALT WITH An explanation was made at Thursday’s Harbour Board meeting by the chairman, that the West Coast Refrigerating Company applied to get Home boats to lie outside the Patea port, and to lighter produce, but the Overseas Shipping Companies would sooner pay coastal freignt. New Plymouth were offered the same contract as Patea, but refused. That was why Patea had the coastal rates paid. This explanation was made with regard to the following report in a provincial paper:—

Shipment of overseas dairy produce from the Port of New Plymouth was discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki County Council. The privileges which Patea in particular enjoyed through a subsidised shipping contract were criticised and it was thought that these privileges existed at the expense of North Taranaki farmers and others. Several councillors spoke on the matter but the majority felt that it was a subject worthy of special attention and should be dealt with later. Cr. S. Vickers, chairman, said Patea could not be expected to scrap the facilities it enjoyed at present unles? something better was offered. Cr. Hickford was of the opinion that New Plymouth was simply in an unfortunate position. Cr. Thomas: We are paying rates and indirectly paying a subsidy because of the system by which the contracts are arranged.

It was suggested that any proposals for a change in the system would be met by opposition from Wellington and Patea. Coastal Shipment The Dairy Board in conjunction with the Meat Board, arranges a contract with shipping companies for the shipment of produce from coastal ports to certain main ports, it is stated. The cost of the arrangement is spread over the whole country and amounts to about 3s a ten on all produce shipped. A considerable amount of dairy produce from Taranaki is shipped by coastal vessels to Wellington, where it is generally put into store before being loaded in overseas liners. It is understood that very little transhipping from ship to ship is done. Affecting the same problem is the question of harbour boaid amalgamation, which was discussed at a meeting of Stratford county ratepayers at Cardiff. Mr. T. R. Anderson, chairman of the Stratford County Council, said many direct benefits would accrue if the dairy produce of Taranaki could be loaded direct to ocean liners at New Plymouth. He was of the opinion that a certain amount of damage caused at present by double handling could be avoided. “I understand that all meat, even from as far south as Patea, Waverley and Waitotara, is now shipped through New Plymouth,” Mr. Anderson stated. “Why cannot the same system be introduced for dairy produce?” he asked.

Patea would, even under amalgamation, continue to serve a useful purpose from a coastal viewpoint, said Mr. Anderson.

A deputation from the Patea Seaside Improvement Society, consisting of Messrs. J. Haworth, A. and H. Peacock, waited on the board with a request for assistance in the erection of a wall to retard the erosion in Mana Bay. Dlr. Dunkley said the erosion had been viewed on Saturday and was getting worse. If a heavy flood came down the river it would not only be a big disaster to the Seaside Society through damage to their parking and playing area, but would be a bigger disaster to the harbour board. He urged the board to obtain expert advice regarding the danger of the erosion to the port. The help of the borough and county councils could be enlisted in lhe movement to urge upon the Government to provide labour and subsidise the

cost of the material for the erection of a protecting wall. Mr. Peacock stated that the erosion was a serious matter, affecting the board from a scouring point of view. It was suggested that a wal, 1 , crescent shaped, be built round the front of the little beach, and this would work in with any further work the board wished to do. It would be four chains in length costing approximately £5OO. The chairman suggested a marain grass bank would do. Mr. Back said a permanent job in concrete was the only thing that would do, and suggested only two chains be completed. If the harbour board supplied the cement would 'other bodies supply the rest of the material? Captain Barnes stated that heavy westerly swells did considerable damage to the bay under discussion. Mr. Dunkley said the Seaside Improvement Society were prepared to do their share towards the cost. Discussing the matter the board appointed the chairman and Mr. Southcombe to interview the County and Borough Councils on the matter, Mr. Meuli being of the opinion that it was not the duty of the harbour board to provide facilities for a seaside resort, and other bodies were entitled to assist.

Captain W. E. Barnes, harbourmaster, reported that the bar was unworkable on nine days. Soundings were impracticable and there were 12 arrivals and 13 departures for the month, only two vessels operating. Dredge Wallace operated as required and when not dredging the crew were employed on maintenance work. Early in the month a considerable amount of sand was going through the western wall, the dredge crew placed a stoppage in this fault and this will hold for a couple of months. A gang of five men commenced putting a cut through the point auove the bridge on September 27, and they have made good progress. It appeared that the Government was giving consideration to the question of the development of iron sand deposits generally, stated the board’s solicitor, Mr. F. Hamel, when enclosing a reply to his request for the proposed licence from Mr A. Lindsay, Undersecretary, Mines Department, who advised that the whole question of Patea ironsand deposits was at present under consideration by the Minister of Minse. A licence could be granted with the sanction of the Marines Department, said the secretary, but an amalgamation with other local bodies was still pending, and this would mean there would be no Harbour Board.

Mr Meuli: They "are going ahead with the amalgamation definitely. The chairman said it seemed they wanted to bring in law so they could bring under Government control all ironsands.

An expression of personal gratitude for the magnificent response to the request for co-operation in connection with the appeal for the King George V. National Memorial Fund, was received from the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, Prime Minister, who stated that it could truly be said that the whole of New Zealand had responded in a national manner which would bo an inspiration to those who would administer the fund.

It was decided to request representatives of the Patea branch of the New Zealand Waterside workers’ Union to explain at the next board meeting what was required with regard to their request for attention to leaks in the roof and the installation of lockers in their accommodation. The secretary presented the annuai balance-sheet, which showed receipts as follows: Balance, 1/10/1936, £1917 7s 7d; wharfages, £3624 5s 4d; tonnage, pilot and port dues, £875 7s 3d, rents of reserves, £932 17s 6d; royalties, £l3 17s 6d; sales and refunds, £lB 19s lid; from interest account, £150; and expenses were, administration, £507 4s sd; pilot’s expenses, £275 15s; wharfinger’s salary, £26; miscellaneous, £75 5s 6d; maintenance expenses, £3062 6s Id; reserves, £263 6s; £743 15s was transferred to the interest account, £350 to the sinking fund account, leaving a balance of receipts over expenditure £2229 3s Id. Those present were: Messrs A. Pearce (chairman), W. H. Watkins, W. H. Southcombc, G. Meuli, W. Back,, E. O. Horner (secretary), and Capt. W. E. Barnes (harbourmaster).

(Country News continued on Page 12.)