WHARFAGE ACCOMMODATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3254, 27 June 1911, Page 2

WHARFAGE ACCOMMODATION.

SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT.

DISCUSSED BY THE HARBOR BOARD.

The Gisborne Harbor Board recently appointed a special committee to deal with the question of wharfage accommodation, and a report was presented at a meeting of the Hai'bor Board yesterday. The renort read as follows. “(1) That after careful consideration your committee cannot recommend that the present control of shed accommodation should be taken under the direct control of the Board, but further recommend that a suitable man be appointed as assistant wharfinger who will be directly responsible to the Board for the supervising and proper stacking of cargo in and out of sheds. “(2) That your committee do not consider the existing shed accommodation meets with the present requirements of those directly interested, but after hearing the opinions of those mterested have conjointly decided to lecommend the Board to erect further accommodation in accordance with their wishes, such extension to be erected on the most suitable site selected. That vour committee approve of the plan of further shed accommodation prepared by the overseer, and recommend the Board to sanction its erection. / “(3) Your committee also recommend that steps should be taken that proper supervision should be made to keep the wharf clear of vehicular traffic, and that in the near .future suitable arrangements should be further undertaken to provide for the comfort of outgoing and incoming passengers. “(4) That your committee further recommend that the Board take steps to have those buildings' removed from the Board’s foreshore on Read’s Quay, at present in occupation of Messrs. Clare an. Clare, a Mission Hall, and Board s shelter-slied, in order to erect new proposed shed.” Dr. Collins said that he had brought the matter before the Board with a view to their taking over the control instead of the Gisborne Slieepfarmers’ Frozen Meat Company, but in committee the chairman and Mr. Clark had given him a good deal of information, and it was thought that it was undesirable to take over the business. The company were i esponsible for the receiving and delivery of the goods, but not the stacking. Nobody was held responsible for the stacking of the goods, and the committee had decided to recommend the appointment of a man to supervise the work. Mr. Sawyer pointed out the waste of time that was occasioned at the sheds to carters and consignees by the way the goods were put into the shed. He said he would be very pleased to see a man appointed to supervise the proper stacking of cargo. He pointed out that the main trouble was caused with the Squall and the Ripple, especially the former, and it seemed no one’s business to interfere.. He would like to see two men appointed to assist in the work, for they would stack all the goods belonging to different consignees. The chairman said that when they got the river in a better condition the Harbormaster would have power to deal with the steamers. He would send them to different parts of the wharf, and there. would be an improvement. He thought that one man would be sufficient in the meantime, and they could then see how he got on. Mr. Sawyer pointed out that some system was .required. He did not think a vessel should discharge a truck of iron and then a truck of timber, and so on. This only resulted in I confusion.

Mr. Clark suggested that the subject of the appointment of an assistant wharfinger should be left over until the question of reorganising the staff was considered.

This suggestion was agreed to. The matter of erecting a fence near the Tuatea’s berth in order to give passengers more access was referred to the Overseer for a report. The last clause dealing with the removal of Messrs. Clare and Clare’s and other buildings was referred back to the committee for further consideration.