The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1905. OUR HARBOUR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 779, 23 March 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1905. OUR HARBOUR.

Ho interwoven with the prosperity of the district is the management of | our harbour that a few particulars gleaned from the printed annual report and balance-sheet cannot fail to interest even those whose connection with its working is of the remotest. During tho past year 200,080 cubic yards of sand wcro removed by the dredge at a cost of 2.54 d per yard, the total amounting to £21.17 lis. 'litis is in contrast to the year 1892, llie. first included in the report, when 15,800 yards wcro removed at a total cost of £794 Is 7d, or 12.00 d per yard. The next year the average cost dropped down to 8.3."> d, a gradual drop being recorded onward. The total amount spent on dredging during the past twelve .\eirs was £20,241. 13s 9d, representing 1,313,809 cubic yards. Wharfage and dues during ihe" past fifteen years had been increased fourtold, also by gradual amounts. The stun collected for this during the past year was £9444. Four huiiuied and seventy-six vessels entered and. left the port during the same period, l-heir aggregate tonnage being 228,743. Eleven years ago the number was 372 and the tonnage 91,010. Imports then amounted to 1.8.885 tons and exports 0,017 tons, ' including 2191 tons of butter and cheese. At prc-eiit the imports are 50,970 tons, and exports 11,940 tons, of which 0890 tons arc butter and cheese. Owing to a considerable falling off in tho land revenue during the past few years, the funds of the trust account had fallen so low that it was deemed necessary to raise the rate from Jd to }d in the £. This on the valuation aniounte.l to £11,ti22 4s lud. The land revenue had fallen from £7 1 90."> lis »d in 1891 to £3209 lls lid last year. The total general receipts of the board for 1904 were £11.028 Is, and the expenditure on the genual account £12,94 5 18s Id, leaving a dub.it balance of £1917 17s Id. The year's working account shows a net profit of £5029 18s. Interest amounting to £11,370 was paid in two instalments during the twelve months. The asset's of the board are £81,350 16s 9(1, and the liabilities, including the loan, £205,83G .'is fid. The sinking fund commissioners certify that bonds amounting to over fifty thousand pounds sterling are held by them. From the foregoing abstract from tho balancesheet it will be seen that, considering the magnitude of the works at the harbour, the board is in a sound financial position. So far as funds allow the requirements of shipping are well attended to. Outsiders are often inclined to belittle our harbour, but time after time practical experience has proved that even when more pretentions ports are unworkable, New Plymouth knows very little difference. When the wharf extension is finished the position will be even better than at present.