Lautoka Wharfage

Urgent Need for More Accommodation

From Our Own Correspondent.

Suva, Nov. 28.

T AUTOKA people have been complaining that their growing town has not now sufficient wharf accommodation to meet the needs of shipping using the port.

There is little doubt that the complaint is justified.

This port is the distributing centre for some 150 miles of coastline from Sigatoka to Tavua, and with the boom in mining at the latter place there has been much in creased traffic. The only berth for a steamer at the wharf was built for and is still controlled by the Colonial Sugar Re

fining Co. Under an agreement between the C.S.R. Co. and the Government, all other shipping has to give way to vessels coming in to the charter of the big sugar concern.

Residents contend that the Government made a bad mistake when it granted the Company the concession to build and con trol the wharf, for no one can blame the latter for exercising its rights in this connection.

To quote a case in illustration, only re cently an overseas steamer arrived with general cargo for discharge at Lautoka.

When she reached port the agents were informed that she could have the use of the berth for only a few hours, as a vessel was expected to load sugar and would re quire the berth. The ship was able to discharge only about 50 tons of her 370 tons of cargo and then had to quit the berth and return some 10 days later.

Perishable cargo was not improved by this delay.

The most suitable site for a new wharf has been surveyed, but that seems to be as far as the matter has gone. At this site there is plenty of room for ships of any draught, which is more than can be said for the C.S.R. wharf, where some vessels loading lie on the mud at low tide.

There is also the revenue point of view to be considered. At present the Gov ernment collects no dues from shipping entering Lautoka other than light dues.

With a wharf of its own at Lautoka, the Government would probably find revenue from that side of the island substantially increased.