DECLINING GRADE.

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17385, 23 April 1928, Page 3

DECLINING GRADE.

PORT OF LYTTELTON. The welfare of the Port of Lyttelton, ’ in the light of certain financial burdens, formed the basis of a dlscusison at the annual meeting of the Harbour; Board. .. ... Mr H. T. Armstrong, MTP., said that it was regrettable that the figures showed a falling off in trade in the last 12 years compared with the preceding , 12 years, and a very considerable failinc; off at that Of course, that was not due to the fact that the port was not offering the facilities, but to the fact that the goods were not being produced for export. He added that the cost of dredging in the harbour was enor- , mous, and yet there was no headway. 1 “It is questionable,” he said, “if we are even holding our own. Something should he done to deepen the port, for it will be a serious thing if Lyttelton cannot get trade that can go to Auck- . land and Wellington.” , 1 “There in a tendency,” Mr E. J; Howard, M.P., said, “for the NortH Island to become the dumping ground and the export sround, and it is our business as business men to know the reason why. If we have a good harbour vou will find the ships trying to get up a little further. Lyttelton is not as good as it should be for the new kind of shipping that will be offered.” In the past ten years, Mr Howard said, Lyttelton had dropped 4,000,000 tons of shipping compared with the previous ten years. Mr J. R. Hayward commented on ■ the number of port adjuncts that were not paying, such as the tug, the dry dock, tlie slip, the electric cranes, and the capstans, and yet he said they were necessary appliances. Captain Monro: “Necessary evils.” Mr Hayward urged that the floating crane Rapaki should be disposed of. 1L represented a capital of £44,000 Dine idle, and yet it earned only £77 a year. Jf it were a necessary adjunct it should earn more than that. Ten more capstans were to be secured for next year, stated Captain Monro, and this should involve the Board in a total expenditure of £28,000 for capstans. “Well,” he said, "we are making a present of the railways. We provide the power for the Department to use those capstans for their own work, and that means a saving of £2OOO a year to it. I think it is up to the Board to make some representations to the Government for compensation.”