PORT CHARGES RAISED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 936, 1 April 1930, Page 7

PORT CHARGES RAISED

GISBORNE WANTS MORE REVENUE RELIEF FOR RATEPAYERS Press Association GISBORNE, Monday. An important decision denoting the successful development of harbour works in Gisborne was made at today’s meeting of the board. The inner harbour, with its new and ample wharfage accommodation, is proving a great success, vessels of the Waipahi class being already to enter and leave at practically all states of the tide. On figures produced at a recent meeting of the board, it was shown that applying the recent reductions in freight to and from Gisborne owing to the improved facilities now provided, it was estimated that the saving to the district totalled about £ 30,000 yearly. The board decided today to increase the charges on the net register of ships on the lines of those in force in Napier, and in addition, to adopt the New Plymouth Board’s system of making a charge on all cargo landed or shipped, the rate being fixed at 2s a ton, to be collected from the ships handling the cargo. The effect of this will be that the board's revenue will be Increased, it is estimated, by £IO,OOO to £12,000 Under present conditions the total revenue collected from ships amounted to about £3,500 a year. The effect of the increased charges will be a reduction of the burden on the ratepayers. It is considered that increased port charges are long overdue, the existing rates having been in force since 1909.