WHAKATANE HARBOUR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 84, 10 June 1946, Page 5

WHAKATANE HARBOUR

ACTIVITIES OF PORT BOARD CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW “The past year can be regarded as a quiet one,” said the Chairman of the Whakatane Harbour Board, Mr W. R. Boon, at the annual meeting last Friday. “At the same time,” he added, “it has been a successful one in which the trade through the port can be regarded as highly satisfactorily.”

Mr Boon went on to say that in response to the Board’s agitation the Northern Steamship Compay had improved the coastal service to the town. Taken all round the freightage to and from the port could be stated to have held its own. The total for the year was 12,740 tons (inwards) and 12,900 tons (outwards). By way of furnishing comparisons he stated that ten years ago the figures stood at 20,247 tons and 14,850 tons respectively. The high figure in the inwards cargo in 1936 was occasioned by abnormally heavy freights due to the machinery and equipment handled by the port owing to the Paper Mlils plant which was building at that time. During the past year the Board had spent £3895 on groynes, constructed on the town side of the harbour. Unfortunately the reclamation plan had been held up indefinitely pending the fixing of the main highway route into the Borough. At a conference of local bodies, joint representations had been made to the P.W.D. to bring the main' road over the mudflats and via the Te Rahu drain. The Minister (Hon R. Semple) had promised to visit Whakatane for th epurpose of conferring on the subject, but unfortunately his visit had been put off indefinitely and much as he desired to make a start on the plan in order to give the town the benefit of new subdivisions it was not possible to. do so at present.

The Board had also sought access to the islands in the river for the purpose of constructing further stone protection work. The matter was still in the process of finalisation with the Lands Department. . Unfortunately ‘ the section owned by Whakatane Amusements was still unoccupied. As at last annual meeting the permit for rebilding had not been granted. The Board’s projected extensions to the wharf sheds were likewise held up owing to the absence of a permit from the Controller. He hoped however that this work would be proceeded with soon. He concluded by thanking the Clerk and Engineer for their co-operation during the year, together with, members and staff.