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necessitating alterations to both piers, the former belonging to Dunoon Town Council and the latter to the Railway Company. Dunoon Town Council had in view the acquisition of the necessary powers under the Act, but no decisions were reached. It is to be presumed that the project will be revived after the war, for there is a strong demand for this improvement.
(40) Rhu-Roseneath Ferry: In December, 1941, complaints were made (not for the first time) of the inadequacy of the privately owned ferry service between these places, but the County Council, on being approached by the Scottish Office, declined to take over the ferry under the Act. The present demands on the service are exceptional and due to war conditions, and it is meantime being operated by the Ministry of War Transport.
(41) Rhubodach-Colintraive Ferry: In 1939 the County Councils of Bute and Argyll had under consideration the acquisition of this ferry and the con- struction of piers. The project has been deferred owing to the war.
(42) Campbeltown Harbour: Financial assistance from the Development Fund was offered by the Treasury in 1937 towards the cost of harbour repairs, one of the conditions being that the Town Council to whom the harbour belongs should adopt Part III of the Act. This offer was declined. We note that there are possibilities of new coal developments in this district.
(43) Tarbert Harbour: The Trustees of this fishing harbour have made application to the Treasury for an advance from the Development Fund towards the cost of a repair scheme, estimated at £10,000.
(44) Carradale Harbour: The local fishermen have made representations to the County Council of Argyll as to the inadequacy of the harbour facilities. It is understood that no decisions have yet been taken, but the powers of the Act are available, and application could be made for assistance from the Development Fund.
(45) We have not thought it to be within our province to examine projects of the type illustrated above more narrowly, but it is unquestionable that there is great scope for improvement in the provision of minor harbours, piers and ferry services (vehicular and passenger) on the Clyde and its tributary lochs, and a strong local demand for such improvements. For one reason or another there was exhibited prior to the war a marked lack of enterprise and initiative in regard to such services, and the tendency was in the direction of a steady decline. Owing in part to the war, the Act of 1937 has not yet had a fair trial, and it is still too soon to say whether it provides the necessary machinery for putting these facilities and communications on a satisfactory basis. But this at least is clear that the duty of providing and financing local improvements of this kind throughout the whole extensive coast lines of the estuary and its tributary lochs cannot properly be made the exclusive function of a Clyde Port Authority, nor can the expense be made a charge upon the shipping using the major Clyde ports or the goods handled at these ports. We may add that an ideal solution for many of the difficulties which exist in providing communications across the numerous narrow stretches of sheltered water would be offered by the use of some of the types of amphibious vehicles and special craft so widely used for war purposes.
(46) We have added in Appendix C particulars of 19 of the more important local piers and small harbours, of which 6 are owned by local authorities, 5 by private persons, 7 by harbour or pier companies, and I by the Ministry of War Transport. There are others, some of which are virtually derelict and
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none of which is of more than local importance, and in certain instances we have found it impossible to trace the persons responsible for maintenance and upkeep.
PILOTAGE AUTHORITIES
(47) The Clyde Pilotage Authority, constituted under an Order of 1920, is a body corporate consisting of:
7 members appointed by the Clyde Navigation Trust,
4 members appointed by Greenock Harbour Trust, the Chairman of Dumbarton Harbour Board, the Chairman of Port Glasgow Harbour Trustees, the Chairman of Rothesay Harbour Trustees, and
3 persons elected from the licensed pilots,
making a total of 17 members. The structure of this Authority and the balance of representation are obviously antiquated, and were already partially out of date when the Order of 1920 was made. The only justification urged before us was that they conformed to old traditions. The Pilotage District extends from Albert Bridge, Glasgow, to the southernmost point of Little Cum- brae, and pilotage is compulsory east of a line joining Kempock Point and Kilcreggan Pier. The number of licensed pilots during the war has exceeded 120, but these have now been reduced to 85, the peace-time average being about 50.
We draw attention to the fact that it appears from the 1944 accounts that the average net earnings of a pilot was then £1,287 per annum.
(48) Under the Irvine Pilotage Order, the authority is the Harbour Company, with power to delegate to a Pilotage Committee; and the Pilotage District comprises a stretch of water extending 3 nautical miles below low- water mark in the vicinity of Irvine Harbour. Similar provision is made at Ardrossan and Ayr by the Pilotage Orders applicable to these ports.
(49) It is a striking fact that of the 9 larger dock or harbour under- takings which have been passed under brief historical review, at least 5 have at one time or another proved unremunerative and have defaulted in payment of their capital charges. In some cases (and to some extent in all cases) the failure of the enterprise has been attributable to decline in a major local industry, or to diversion of trade, or to other causes beyond the control of the undertakers. But the hard fact remains that a good deal of capital has been wasted in the creation of assets which proved to be redundant long before their useful life was exhausted, and that part of the waste might have been avoided if the provision of port facilities had been planned as a whole and not as a series of independent and competitive enterprises It is fair to add that this comment is inspired by the wisdom that comes after the event. It is also noteworthy that the Clyde group displays that diversity of pattern of administrative structure which characterises harbour administration in all parts of the world; for amongst the 7 undertakings still operating we find as the governing bodies 3 Trusts, 2 statutory companies, I Railway Company, and I municipality. If attention is concentrated upon the elected or nominated bodies which administer the Clyde Navigation, Dum- barton Harbour, Greenock Harbour, Clyde Lighthouses and Clyde Pilotage it will be observed that the balance of representation is unequal and to some extent out of date, and that the same persons, or the holders of the same office, tend to appear again and again in several different capacities.
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