TRADE OF THE PORT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1453, 30 May 1912, Page 4

TRADE OF THE PORT.

FOR HALF-YEAR. BIG IMPORTS, LOW EXPORTS. THREE RECORDS BROKEN. An interesting summary of statistics o! tho trade of (ho port of Wellington for the six months ending March 31, 1912, was piesentcd to tho Harbour Board " last night. As the .chairman remarked, the tiimmary showed that tho period under review had bean a very satisfactory one for iho port. I here liad been a Blight decrease in tho number of ships, hut the tonnage showed an increase—had, in fact, established a. record for tho period, 1,591,- ?'*■ «>"«• Ihe amount of general goods inwards was also a record, and a third record had been established in tho amount ol coal handled. There was also a welcome increase in tho amount of goods trans hipped, a class of business which would increase from year to vear in We>. l)i.gton owing to the facilities offered on tlij wharves lor the expeditious haud'ing of cargo. It was not so gratifying to nolo the falling off m tho amount of outward cargo, but it was well to remember ia making a comparison that last year had been nn abnormal one. This year tho rigures were just a little better than those jor the last normal year. In any case., the seeming shortage might bo all adjust. Ed in the second half of i-he year. following are some of tho more important items in the statement-.— TONNAGE OF VESSELS ARRIVING.

Tho chairman also submitted a state* ment of tho amount of inward and out» ward cargo passing over the wharves on, account o! tho Government free of charge. If tho Government had paid tho usual rates on this cargo the board would have received soaio £UQO more on account of it, Tho Government paid for all labour, but paid no wharfage dues. Tho return provoked a brief discussion, in which all tho members who spoke were in agreement that tho Government ought to pay at least some duos. Members also expressed the opinion that tho "hardy : annual" remit from the Wellington Hoard to this effect, which has hitherto been regularly rejected, should be again referred to tho Harbours Association Conference.

m stca ffi ers - Sailers. „,, rn'ge. No. TVg« Half-year ended 31/3/12 ... 1,061 1.5S3.S42 41 8,331 Half-year ended 81 (' 8 /» ... 1,638 1,859,012 B7 8,953 Increase 24,530 JJecrease 117 jg (jjj TONNAGE OF GENERAL GOODS. 1311-1912. 19H).i9U /-\ t„ j , Tons - Tons. (a) Inwards and Transhipped— English and foreign... 93,408 82,151 Colonial and coaBtal... 85 317 86170 Transhipment 78,053 7$$ Totel 250,773 210,80s (l>)Out^dCa^I 9U - 1913 - ""^ English and foreign... 23,698 27 oos Colonial and coastal.,. 62,085 5933 ToW 85,703. 87^087 WOOL AND HEMP SHIPMENTS. 1911.12, 1910-11, Won! S tes - Ba '*S» 7 V°°' »i,80S 130,830 """F • 51,866 U,m Tot »l 181,669 184,472 COAL (Imports). 1911-12. 1010-11. n 1 Tons. ,Tom, Over wharves, pay. ing wharfage 75,063 65,249 Over wharves, frco of wharfage (Government) . 17,857 15S7I - Overside at wharves 135,038 125039 Overside in 6tream„. 19,739 27,620 1 T °W 248,617 ~m^!S I TIMBER. 1511-12. 1910-11. T . „ Feet. F«t. Imports 6,881,359 7,142,975 Exports 869,081 610,521 Total 7,450,440 7,753,498