THE SEAWARD GATE

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 8, 10 July 1923, Page 15

THE SEAWARD GATE

-~~tTF. foitune: of : a . great' C- '• bound up with, the sea, f seaport, .is indissolubly and of/ no city can this H ■ ■ l| be said more appropri- :■'.■■ ately and with greater fH^Qfj?) truth than of Wellington.' _!____J Of all the foil-centres— the chief, cities of Neiv Zealand—the. capital is pre-eminently the seaport of the Dominion, loie college professor may punctiliously query the dubious Latinity of the city's motto —Suprema a Situ—but; he cannot deny the obvious, reality, of the circumstances which Jed to its choice. 'Wellington is, "supreme by (or from): its site." ;The : c-sual visitor—perhaps from the : . Far North—might ha. disposed, to -wonder,: how.a city which has had partly to be, carved from the hills and partly to^be reclaimed from the waves, can be said to\be supreme from its site, when people do not usually build houses that way. To him, the Wellingtonian will say:' "Look at, the map, my dear sir, look at'the map." .. . . :, : ';";_ ■ INCOMPARABLE SITUATIONS. .Look at a map/first of New Zealand, and then of the world, or at least'of the Pacific Ocean, and it is easy to see why. ' Wellington with its port is supreme by reason. of its site..'•■ First ■; of all, it is fituated almost exactly in the centre.of .(he Dominion of New Zealand on the •waterway between'the North and South Islands, ideally situated for the-recep-tion of. goods for export or distribution. i There is probably not another harbour in! tho world-with' such'.natuTal advantages 'uv.tha-t respect. From the point of view of.:the world's shipping,' Wellington' is t the nearest port in Australasia *o Pana-; ma,,the natural port/of call for overseas vessels,'passing through-.-.-the_ 'Panama Canal for or from.-.; the United Kingdom, Europe, America, and 'Canada.' ■: DESCRIPTION OF, .THE./PORT/--. •• .■Wellington. Harbour, or,: as it is still . occasionally . .called. ' Port . - Nicholton, says hte ; . Official Year Book.,;----contains .an ■ area of about 20,OOO'..acres,.having 1., depths varying from six 1 to fourteen fathoms, and of sufficient, capacity-to enable the 1 whole -British, Fleet to be safely accommodated and ; 'to. manoeuvre under steam within its limits; The ■ anchorage -is good throughout, '-and the;barbour, being land .locked, provides good and safe shelter. •'. The. entrance to this magnificent sheet-of water is broad and ample, exceeding in its narrowest',- 'part- .3600 vieet, and' hav-ing..-a. depth varying from-seven .to eight fathoms. ' The current in.; the en- : trance never exceeds .two knots,'and the rise and, falL of the tide varies" from 2ft 6m-.'tb-'4ft' l6m: The entrance is exceptionally well lighted "by a powerful light at-Pencarrow Head assisted by a' lesser powered : low-level light, and ateoby leading lights which,,when'kept'in-line,-lead, vessels up .the centre; of the deepest" ' water at the.channel entrance. ,:. -. '.";.- ---:' 4/ WISDOM.OF i FOUNDERS.;: The founders of Wellington showed a remarkable erasp of the importance of its . situation. ; Colonel Wakefield.was en-, thusiastic about the^harbour arid Captain Chaffers, who surveyed .'it in 1839; said in his report:—"This port,, which hitherto has been little.known, .and generally represented as-a bar harbour.: certainly ranks among one -'of the -finest in;-the. world; its entrance .is •easyl;- the dangers - all showing, and plenty" of .-room ■to - work in, with eleven fathoms in the narrowest .part,' and is capacious enough, to contain ' numerous fleets. . . „. This .-and other; 'advantages -;. that Port' Nicholson " point it out;as the most desirable'port in NfiW.Zealandfor vessels to touch at." In a booklet entitled "The' Colonisation -of New Zealand," by Charles Ritter,. . of-'Berlin, published in .1842, .appear . : followins .passages' :—"Hence, it is here, »att-Por Nicholson, where the new colon- 1 ial.city of Wellington has been laid ont; ;-atrPprt-'Nicholson.: wh'ere:'th'e. new- com-- ■ ni^rcial traffic which may be anticipated,: .and as the .first seaport of .thenew colon- , ial ■.■ 'States.-.. . . The most -excellent .'-of,' ■ the: harbours thereabouts. Port -Nicholson;' was discovered uniting in itself all ithat- was desirable for ihe: proposed location; as • ample size, shelter against storms from whatsnver quarter,, safe en-; trance, natural fortification, convenient sloping ground for' the site of the: town Wellington, fertile garden . and, cultivr . able (!) land of a sufficient-circumfeTenca, traversed hy a navigable stream with a wide outlet into the -harbour; and, lastly, abundance of rich forest timber . . . the. whole of these great natural advan-. r. tapes, moreover, being placed in ' the heart of the great thoroughfare between ■ the outer Sea of the Southern Ocean and the inner one of the' Australasian, colon- . ies?'- ■ ,"':"' ;■..-;:}. .■■„ ■■;. , .'■" .. ;-. -i; FROM HILL AND WATERS., :■ Port Nicholson was named after Captsiin J. Nicholson, .harbourmaster at ■ Sydney, about the year 1826, and Lambton Harbour, where the wharves and , quays now stand,- was so called by Col-, ': one! Wakefield in .honour of the Earl of Durham, Gpvernor of the New Zealand "Company. The name" of' Wellington was given to the settlement by a resolution of tho directors of the company on . -16th-Mar.- 1840. The first site of the new town was laid off at Petone under the inroe of.. "Britannia." but the experience of. floods over the swampy: ground, sopn caused the settlers to shift tothc OTijjinnlly. chosen site at Thorridon.; The available landjiri those days consisted of two j 'cvel areas, Thorndon and Te Aro, con- i ■ nccled by a narrow-strip of beach at the base of low bluffs, which to-day overlook the junction of.Lambton-quay and Willis street. The'waters of the. har- . , bovr covered most of tho. site of .that portion of the city which is the .commercial centre to-day. If; its Reographical . ' 6ite has "iven Wellington its commcrciiil supremacy, tho industry and enterprise of its citizens, have extended "the site by-reclamation.to allow.the.city to .. \itrow. r ■ '. •■.■;:■;•■.' : .;:■ ■ -:. .HISTORIC QUEEN'S WHARF. •,Tho history-of the port a« a ship- :.-. ping centre really dates from 1862, when the first pile of 'the.jQueen's Wharf was driven, but in the previous twenty years there were as many.as twem> private . wharves and jetties at which cargo was handled by.lighters to and from the shipping at anchor in the stream. These ■'jnb'ro or less primitive structures extended right along the foTeshore\oi the, then exfe(:!ng Lambton Harbour,. which came within a stone's throw of Mann v ere street and Willis street, and on which Lamblon - quay fronted, from Pipitea point to the other side of the Te Aro flat. ;'; .:-The.original Queen's Wharf was a very different thing from what it now .ii. . .--. Built of .totara, it reached only as • far . "a'Vthe 4 first branches of the T, north and ,1 toath.* An eztensiofl in • 1865> .parried

out with .ironbark.'.uhde'rstructure, -sent, an.arm with, a T at. the tend (into -the, .present larger "outer ■.. berths. ';.'.. There' were ten subsequent.alterations—the "laii m-1911.'..-;;--■. "'.,; '_■■:■ ' \.,'. ' - ■-- HARBOUR BOARD'FORMED.'- - - ":". The' Queen'- Wharf was built: by' the Wellington Provincial Council, and managed by ;tliat-body for. a few years,'im til • in 1871 it was acquired by the Wellington City Council, which.first leased'it to Iprivate, individuals and then subsequently, resumed ..control.- ..In 1879 .a. mpvei. nient was started" for, the .establishment

of a Harbour Board. Legislative authority beiry* .obtained,' t the Wellington Harbour Board was constituted, and held its first meeting on 20th February, 1880, takine over from the Railway ■.Department the,. Railway .Wharf and adjacent breastwork'at Wnte!.'loo quay.' Oh Ist October, 1831; ■. the board; as'the-re-sult of negotiations with the Ciiy Corporation, Required/the Quoin's /Wharf and bonded warehouse, and/sjniie that' dote has sbl?lr administered the"affairs of the. port. ■•■■'-'■•• ■'. '"•■. •v ': -V, ■'.- .■' ' • '■■ '.■;■• ■'■ 'ADMIRABLE: PLAKNING. ,' '/ "'.The forty arid odd/years 'of the' W.ellington Harbour Board's:, existence, sines i its establishment 'm- 1880, have been years of tremendous.'development and. change. ' Successive reclamations- on a -.very, large "scale have altered Uic, cort-. figuration .of the .foreshore of iho inner ; harbour beyond the power of-the older generation', ■which-knew the natural coqtour, to- rec'ogriisc. These reclamations have added-scores of 1 acres of, the moat valuable land'to a city ,6hort of level, areas; in the' beginning; they have 'im- | proved;the appearance of the waterfront of the: city and, provided deep water berthage' for miles. The 'work of the Harbour Board' has been conducted ac-cording-to plan, and there '.have been very few-variations and none of them important. The plan still holds, and the lines of. development for another genera ? tibn are. definitely, laid down. New .wharves are Constructed from time! io time exactly where they appear in dotted '.lines on;. the plan as "proposed," and the board is thus ready for.'progress as the erowth of shipping -may necefEitate. The, board sets' an example to tlia city of "town-planning."' ■■ '•; . :;; , v. :. 'FROM 1862' TO 1923. V \ '• The growth of' the. port's ia'ceommoda-' tfon and faciliiin. betwesn 1862 and

'the present'day may,be realised;from a. ; statement'of Jfact'and/figure.; ' In place 'of one'small T-wharf jwith a total lineal' berthage of 15O0feet, the .board'has now nine wharves .in "the harbour proper,l and almost continual .breastworks' 1 extend-• :ine over a.milearid a half of waterfront, .with .a-total lineaj, berthage of 17,231----feet, with depths of water ranging: from 16. feet, to 41 feet.at low water. Including .the suburban wharves, the total berthasre comes to nearly .20,000 feet. The storage" accommodation includes 35 timber, brick, and concrete stores, with an area of 442,464 sq.: feet, and-a'-cubic

content of-9,064,341 cubic feet. To these figuros must be.; added cool ; .storage | amounting to £-94,995, cubic feet. ...

ROUND' THE WATERFRONT.

.'.; Tho '■■ visitor to Wellington may. very profitably and pleasantly spend a few hours of a fine morning or afternoon— specially a sunny morning, when the harbour gets the .full warmth and light —wandering round : ' tlie'. -waterfront., There is always-plenty-'to see; Anyone who has travailed overseas will make niostVfavourable comparisons M-ith .other ports' oir the score of 'th c ;excellent' ar-, rangement of,. Wellington's , .whai-vcs aiid' quays, the' facilities ,for handling cargo, the efficiency, of transport, the. laboursaving apparatus, and.the'general, air of: orderly method arid system."-. It is by no means the, rule .that the waterfront, which- slio'uld ■bb -the., front door t-6\a seaport, is trim' and. tidy and dignified,' with .fine buildings; the' waterfronts .of some are slatternly, in the pxtreme, land no' credit to the people who derive their living from the business of H)e men who go down to the sea in ships. From whatever. standpoint the visitor takes, whatever the aspfct, Wellington's waterfront is worthy of the capital city of the Dominion.

THE BOAT HARBOUR.

The walk-round the waterfront may ivpll begin'on the eastern side with the Boat Harbour and end. on the,extreme north-west -.where' the Thorndon breastwork points in the direction of, Kaiwarra along „■ the line it. will -take when' the si?a- : wall enclofing- the new TThorndoyi ve-i nlamatiori is'-.biiiU; • At-Clyde.'/quay "the Harbour Board'■■has'provided- for. the use a-nd convenience of harbour pleasure craft' a boat, haven having 'an area .of Bbout sis acres and -varyiasc. in decth

from four feet to over eleven feet. This harbour is enclosed by;concrete sea walls, and therefore pleasure-craft can be safeIv moored in it and left secure and sheltered in all weathers At present there are about' 22 yachts, 58 launches, and other, craft in the Boat,. Harbour., For the convenience of owners the board' has . provided reinforced concrete boat 'houses of various sizes for the stowage of boats, gear, and stores of boat owners. The Boat :Harbour. is under tho immediate control and. supervision of a caretaker employed by the, board.

FIRST CONCRETE WHARF. Clyde Quay WharE is U\o first rein--fgrced concrete wharf .to have been conetructed in Wellington Harbour, and it stands a monument of massive strength, not used, so far, ns much as some of the other wharves on account of its comparative isolation. The arched structure runring' down the centre-of the wharf is designed to carry electric bridge cranes operating on each side' of ithe wharf, .but there has been ;uo 'hececsity as, yet to install these. :;. ' ' "' . . . . From Clyde quay the visitor can walk alongside the' breastwork enclosing re-

claimed ground to , Taranaki Street Wharf, really the first on the inner arc of the harbour where the wharves and quays are in constant use. Between this wharf and Clydo Quay Wharf there is room for other, wharves, and the construction of one of these, the Te Aro Wharf,' is contemplated at an early dato by the Harbour. Board. The new wharf will be built,of reinforced concrete, with a length of 664 feet and a width of 123 feet. It was at this spot that the board made its one big mistake.—tho dry dock—now filled in. ' 'A BUSY BEEABTWOEK., .„ From the Taranaki Street Wharf the waterfront way proceeds over a bridgelike structure in front' of the boating sheds of. th« Wellington- rowing clubs —relics of a. far earlier day, when thcTe was a clear run out into the harbour for. the'rowing men. Then conies the long stretch of- Jervois quay, an oldish breast, work, which of late years has become somewhat cramped for the developing, needs of the'port.- Kepairs. have recently been effected to the older portions,' which were found to be somewhat decayed with the lapse of time. More elaborate improvements are contemplated by the board. In the Year Book, published at the end-of 1921, the following passage occurs.—The work of widening'the existing'breastwork along Jervois quay, removing sheds N, 0, Q.,_and R, J and erecting two (large sheds in their places, has been approved, by the board, 1 and the' work will be put in hand after the berthage-at present under construe-; tion Is made available: The work; consists of running a concrete sea wall' along the whole length of Jervois quay staging, filling in .the. area, at the .back: of thel wall with solid material and con-' structing a reinforced concrete -breastwork 35 feet wide, outside the wall,; at .which vessels'could berth. When completed, a continuous berth, about 1295; feet long, .will be provided, which will permit of vessels drawing 26 feet to be berthed. at low water. The two new. sheds to be erected are to be 400 feet and 300 feet.long by 70 feet wide,'with a clear height under- the roof tiebeams of .24 feet. Provision is made for overhead electric travelling cranes inside the shed, which will serve three loading ; .in ■ one •, shed and four in the other.' 1;. T :'.'. ':■))'.'.;.. '■■/;. \v" r ;;'■ . HEAET OP THE HARBOUR. ■ '. The walk along" Jervoig quay, paßt large vessels discharging import cargo, I to where the boats are berthed, brings the visitor to the centre of Wellington's harbour system — Queen's Wharf, at the head of which are the main gatos and the Harbour Board's ; head office and bond' store, with the larger tolls office wool store on\ the j opposite side. These are the oldest of the principal permanent buildings of : the board.

having been erected- in the early 'nineties. Queen's -Wharf js, as a rule, the busiest of Wellington's wharves, as it-' serves, both the coastal and the intercolonial and overseas tradei. Representative craft of . the local mosquito fleet are berthed near the. head of :the wharf and at the adjoining breastworks, while at the inner and outer tees are generally to be found .'Home, boats or mail steamers in the intercolonial service.: ,'.Queen's Wharf arid the quays; to the-south and I aast of it are mostly used for the discharge of cargo, while the greater berthage to the north, especially beyond thfe

Railway Wharf, is devoted to .staple exports of/New Zealand produce. '

THE NORTHERN END,

Continuing his leisurely progress, the visitor passes more of the busy coastal fleet along Customhouse quay breast- 1 ■work until he reaches the Custom House itself, a massive piece of architecture casting beautiful reflections on the waters of the harbour at its feet when the day is calm. Here are the ferry jetties for the ferry service. across the harbour, and next to them the Lyttelton Ferry Wharf, from which the ferry boats leave nightly for the South Island.. Close

at hand is a large./etrfre where the interesting -process of ■ wool dumping! may be'observed during the, season. The large Railway Wharf comes next in order. ' Here may, be seen the process of discharging coal into long trains of trucks on rails connecting with tho railway, system of the North Island, or into carts for local consumption, or sometimes by a strange floating overhead -conveyor transferring the coal from the holds.of the collier to hulks'for steamship use. The cranes on the wharf aro equipped with.grabs for'the expeditious handling of the coal. ■ .

FOR EXPORT TRADE.

Ifc is at.this stage that the", visitor will corn© into closest contact with the Dominion's export trade. ■ Here is a vast and" imposing building devoted, entirely £o the handling of cheese, for which Wellington is the centre of export.. A' 1 large plant of refrigerating machinery - keeps the store at tho , right temperature for the.preservation of tho cheese in its pro per- condition for export. . .■■ -... .... In front of the itore is a breastwork at which the'small coastal vessels.lie, so* that transhipment of cheese from coastal | ports i can be readily passed! into the

store to await the overseas loading steamer. : At the.rear of the;store is. a railway siding, and clieese railed to;-Wei-,----lington is unloaded ; directly fronv th« trucks for grading, by the Government graders,.and storing. .The total accommodation provided amounts ■ to 110,000 crates, or: over '9000 tons. The cooling: machinery consists of two double-acting ammonia compressors,. each driven by a 75-h.p. direct-current motor with current obtained from the City "Corporation, two electrically-driven circulating -pumps which deliver'sea water over the condenser, and two electrically-driven fans

I which; force r the air through {two large' cooling -batteries; and: distribute\ it-to the, various .sections, by means;-of: air trunks. In order to ensure the careful handling of cheese in the store,. up-to-date transporting appliances have been installed, and exporters of dairy'produce .from Wellington can depend upon getting unrivalled accommodation : and: careful' handling. 'V:'";•.. ' :\. ■ : ■/ v-.;'\.^.' - >■ -:THE TRACTION SYSTEM;;.;v;i; Adjacent to the cheese store is tl;e Glasgow Wharf, principal 1 overseas.export wharf, -seldom .withont ■■ its ' Horn* boat lying alongside, loading up wool,

frozen/ meat, flax, butter, cheese, and apples for the English markets; 'Thn: i handling of these and other articles-of cargo, "Both import and: export, is materially facilitated by the inotor-trainn drawn'• by tractors and running; merrily over the smooth ■wood-blqcked'surface of the waterfront, .quays," ; and; I wharves. Wellington, which; was the .first'port iv New Zealand to '.introduce ■; these., laboursaving transporting agents, now has a fleet of thirteen tractors driven by petrol motors, like baby ;: -motor-cars, .and cix electric tractors: '. 'The. .uninterrupted lay-out of the Wellington wharves, with connecting ./breastworks,: .particularly; lends itself to .the'/-.transport; of,, goods by tractor in; this: way, and- during: last year 227,881 ;tons of f goods', were so handled. The average-cost per ton ia about a; shilling. ;Private motor-lorries,' of'course. carry enormous quantities of goods to:and from, the' wharvej.' ;. ". ■ -MAaNIFICENT ITPITEAv ;; : - [After the; Glasgow; Wharf cornea ;theKing's >Wharf, Wellington^ last irohbark structure, notuble* chiefly for its twostory sheds. This is.also ai.great export wharf, where /the largest, vessels^';may berth ,with ease. " Beyond the King's Wharf is the new^Pipitea,Wharf/ the finest' structure of-ita type—reinforced "concrete—in ; New Zealand. Work on it since the war Was much delayed on account of the diificulty of obtaining: mar terials,, principally itremfprcing.y; steely through' the prevailing post-war scarcity, but; it has been carried through to complete success by the Harbour; Board's o\vn staff and workmen at a- cbstiof many thousands ofvpoundsibelbw tjie/lowest 'tendered price,"': The .reinforcing 'steel— enormous rods up to two inches in thick ness—was all cut and bent in;the'board's own tpeoial workshop with machinery Bj?e«filly. d«jgn.«d by Jjw.J^ird.VjJaf( 'pi

■ engineers. ';':. Some of the piles are over seventy feet long, made in concrete with' a • reinfprcing^skeleton of steel rods of the largest dimensions, . . •; : : ;: . >■'

-r .-Pipitea 1.: Wharfjjhas been .^practically;; cbpiplet6d,«;Bp\faj^as the main structural - ■ lis.poncernea] ljufetKeshed omit remaini. ■: to JSV constructed. This/will-be a ma*siver structure of reinforced: concrete, 1 wfiicli will take'about a year^and a hall ..; to complete. The equipment will be most? ',: modern. .. : The dimensions are given air 760 feet long, 107 feet wide, iand 24 feetvhigh'from the 'decking; to'the'.'tie-beams 1 '. of the.roof.\ The large import' cargoes' ;" which this shed is intended^ to handW: : will be dealt .with inside.by! means" ofl ■electric overhead travelling, cranes.- Tw»! ■ ■■ [lines.of railway tracks willijrun down! ;each aide of the wharf, so thatJt may bei used for -export purposes, if'it is. found" ■'■' -necessary.. ''■■■■ ■■■■'• ■ ■ • '•. '■S : :' ■,-.. .■■'. .■, i: '■:■' !:";'Beyond' Pipitea Wharf ..'is'Htie long! : TKorndon breastwork, enclosing the Targ-! '■■; yeistprecent reclamation and leading to: a] ;p?pjected extension which wiyr'ultimateljg \ .cutvaCTOss the bight to Kaiwawa. Fronts .ingitiiuß breastwork is the board's newest!" i-etorefittie Thorndon. store, built of rein- " !'fqrc^a]:cqncrete,: 450 feet long by ' ifeetpyide;., Overhead ..electric- travelling! ;bandle the goods.,^At present! :*h9^bifeaßtwork isnot soimilch used' as! ; :the?;inore''-.central portions : of•j-the; water-! '••■' ifront; but«it forms a convenient berth- : /ageif or' war vessels and-others not re Jqiunng.thje-immediate handling pi cargOjjV >9SfeiV ;i£ ■1-'';--j%' - -':-M ■■..'■'■'■'.:"/'''■ WOEEi'YST^^^r j^&ijrgreatest ..work the Harbpur. Boati ; - ■ -has*?undertaken^for a number of yeari !-will>HeTwhat is known as "t£e Greater ,: .Thornd6;n"Eeclamation. This'entailsthß ■'■■: cpnstrnctipn of a seaTWall from,the pret sent termination of the breastwork praoy; tically'outto Kaiwarra, enclosing a total! v area:.of; enarly 70 acres which'will bar. reclaimed .by spoil . pumped by tht/,. board's -dredge, the; Whakarire: ' '" .';■' ]''i r: This work means much to .'.Wellington/ Without it the new railway tori' which the. city- has been agitatirig' fori' twenty years<past,;would be .imposßiblei aß;.there would be no room fqtjthe track*) ige required:for.the haadlirigjof goodsi. The agreement with the Railway Del partment to carry, out this ■reclamatioil • wa's embodied in: the Thbrndpn Eeclam-i ■■ atjon :.-Act,'-: 1921-28, under ;jjyhich th«n . Harbour Board receives out of the total/ area 11J.acres -of frontage on the BteS ■ The work of reclamation,is to'be carrieift put .by the boards and; a' contract "hail already, been let to Mr. C.\*F. ; Pnlleyjl ah. experienced contractor, for" the confl structionof'4tKe:enclosing gesPwall at * \ cost of nearly ,;£200,000., TheTiraain eea.' ■ wall has been designed'so as^o be Biiitable :asTa-portion- of a' breastwork for. the berthage of vessels. The'total leagth' of jihe breastwork,will be 2709;: feet. Oni the'new .-area; woni from the eea willj ". , grow., a:: city- of >-, warehouses >ahd atores j |i reticulated • by railway tracklS . touching i il .the;;waterfront,Vahuost idealc'conditions! j for the'exparisibn of ft grfiai/unpott andi export;trade.. ;V : ■•■■-..■■;• ,;j . ; ' .

HOW THE PORT LEADS, \ Wellington is the leading port of its' Dominion This bag been made quits clear in the official statistics' for 1922, > in ■which, for the first time since 1914, | largely owing to the efforts of the Cen-, tral Progress League, each port in the Dominion is rightly credited* with the i total amount shipped from ifc.^ As this 1 is the first year of such a return, there' are no comparative figures to go by j The old sjstem in voguo between 1914: and 1921 inclnsive credited ports witH all the produce grown in the district,) ■whether exported from that % district or! not "■ - ', The exports for the-year are, eg follow »j ' £ Wellington > 11,842,144 Auckland , 9,595,225 Lyttelton , 5,034,968 Napier > . ... 2,677,431, Dunedin , .. . 2,442,453 Invercargill . ,' .... 2 392,770 Timaru . . . . 2,285,747 Gisborne 1,939,140 Wanganui , . £547,243 J New Plymouth 1,038 469' Picton . 416,6171 Nelson . ... 302 205 Grey mouth . . , >>H '191,969 Patea ;160,336 Total , ' £4.2,726,249 Total, 1921 ..„ £44,828,827 The principal difference m the old and ne-r system is shown m tho following porta — 1921. 1922 j £S £ Auckland . .... 11,943,224 9,525,225 Wanganui 3,739,494 • 1,547,243 New Pljmouth 2,935,942 ■> 1 038,469 Patea 2,371,832 ' " 160,336 Wellington „." 6,045,828 ,11,842,144 £27^.06,320 £24,113,417

~S- '•■■'•■; ■/"Ti--..'-Vw!; ;'.:■: ." ■■- .■ ■ --«!* --■ '■ ' ;.-" Itl'jriil be- seen/ said '-t^' G. ,Mit- ; - "chell; yiairmari of ithe Harbour Boaid;' ".tffat" Wellington's ■ actual^shiprnMits'. from her port.are nearly ;■ double the amount;credited- to her last.:j^ear,.-whiler"; the. reverse is. the:' case rivith^the other) ■ four '.ports, named. > This,, return . shows : our magnificent port.' with all yts modern, facilities, in. its'; rightfnl pla?&' as thai leading'pbrt.inth'eDoniinioni'si. \-'".: . i;I'\I 'feTATISTirarOPTRASE; '-„.-.' :-'i--1 The gfoTrtli.of ,tie trade t£ th 6' pbrgi during the; last forty years is; •well illuar' trated by the folloiving staMliJcs:— '■.:"■"

From 1914. to 1921: goods expprtecL-tvere credited;;,by.vittie^Grorertunent'<aß> farx as possiblo'/to. tte '? district of ••■■production'-" •whether 'exported %ough: tfielport for such district or not.;- 3Promllßtaanuary' 1922, goods exportedlavevSeenJbredJtedto the port at '- -'' ■' \- '-''- ■^j\ "'•*-:• ■> ' '■■ ••?^t^l*^^'^:.''^^--^.'.>^TV. "■*■'■ ■■'

'Exports- J ■'imports- / £ '■■; - £ "' 1881 ».* 837,212 -1.022,064 1886 » 1,256,803 ."a.,343.708 ' 1891 * t 1,428,762 --1:248,608 1896 ».. t '1,421,288 -1,458 245 1901 >... 1,942,003 2,999,563 1906 3,377,106 -3,994,670 I 1911 , 4,099,315 "4938,813 1913 „„ 5,645,380 ;5,947,963 ■ 1914 6,948,749 -6,865,748 1915 v,. f. -5,801,255 1916 , -7,674,67 a i 1917 , X - 6,818,777 1 1918 ►,;..,.. x. £* ' - 8,317,739 ■> 1919 M '9,835,272, 1920 r *£ . 18,000,701 ] 1921 -*.„.;.. • rk -, 16,423,702 1922 >....'.:.; 10,428,817