PORT OF WHAKATANE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 65, 24 April 1946, Page 5

PORT OF WHAKATANE

ITS INCEPTION AND DEVELOPMENT

BOARD CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS

An interesting address on the shipping facilities offered by the port of Whakatane was given Chamber of Commerce members at their recent meeting, by Mr W. R. Boon, Chairman of the Board. Mr Boon after tracing the history of the Board and inviting questions was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by the meeting.

Thirty-three years ago, said Mr Boon, the first meeting of the Whakatane Harbour Board took place (March 1913). Up till that time the harbour had been controlled by the County Council. He mentioned that the volume of water passing through the harbour was almost twice as great as at present for the Rangitaiki was connected through the Orini and indeed it was possible to get by water through that route almost to Matata. This fact developed into one of the main arguments against the diversion of the Rangitaiki, it being claimed that the port would not have sufficient water to be navigable. However the river was diverted and though the level of the harbour did drop it did not •close the port.

First Loan £105,000

'The Board decided upon a progressive policy of development and raised a loan of £105,000 for the purpose of immediate groyning and protective work. The main works had been put in hand and today were ;still doing a fine service. Already, he added, some £50,000 had been repaid off the principle and the outstanding figure was £53,340 which was declining gradually and by 1962 would be ultimately paid off. Since the first loan, the Board had .adopted a policy of carrying out all its subsequent undertakings from revenue and no further loans had been incurred. Actually some £2OOO was spent annually in maintenance and other work. Wharfages and Tonnage Illustrating the decline in wharfage dues over the war years, Mr Boon said that the peak year ’ had been 1937-38 when the figures were £5417. The lowest occurred in 194243 (£3135). However the figures were building up slowly again and last year totalled £3400. In the same peak year the tonnage handled at the port was as under-: Inwards 20,247 tons, and outwards 14,886 tons. Last year the figures respectively were 12,700 tons and 12,912 tons. It was a matter foxsome concern of the Board as to how it might build up its tonnage to the pre-war standard. Unfortunately circumstances beyond its control influenced the shipping during the war. The Northern Company cut down trips and Messrs. Parry Bros, sold' their vessels to the Government. However it was interesting in passing to note that the port of Whakatane handled nearly as much freight as the combined ports of Tauranga and Opotiki together.

Possible Rate Reduction

The Board was keen to meet the ratepayers in every way as was shown by the decline in the rate from l-]d to the 3d at present. With the development of trade again he hoped that it would be possible to give another cut in the near future. All going well, he thought he could say that soon after 1950 it might be possible to remove the rate altogether. Prospect of Trade One-third of the Board’s total revenue from wharfages came from the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company, and it would be a serious matter for it if by any chance the d.airy produce were diverted and despatched by rail, The Board was now negotiating with the Paper Mills endeavouring to get portion of the trade of that Company through the port. It was in pursuance of the normal policy of serving the port in every way possible in the interests of the tov/n as a whole. There was a loyalty owed by every businessman to the coastal trade which had played so great a part in the development of the town. At present the Board was engaged in increasing the wharf accommodation. It was its avowed policy'to'improve the existing faci-

lities in every way and he would welcome any constructive criticism which members may have in mind to give. He thanked the chairman (Mr H. G. Warren) fox the opportunity of addressing the Chamber.