THE YEAR AT THE PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 316, 15 January 1908, Page 4

THE YEAR AT THE PORT.

FRESH KECuItD. A iK'\v record has been established by the working of the port of 2C«\v Tivmouth lur IW7. Jn every department the tfyuii-5 are considerably larger than ever before. Xlie number of vessels, tonnage, berthage, anil wharfage, and the number of passengers are larger than ever.

Tne record in passenger tratlic establi'shvd la-it year, principally on account of the large number of people travelling Exhibition at Christchurch during the Lhriatmas holidays has been eclipsed. Uf course, there wan a fairly large exhibition traffic right up to the ••10-ing date iu last year, but the rush was during December. The total number of passengers who pawed over the breakwater in lyoti was 38.882. Last year there were 40,495. The total revenue from this source wa-, £404!) Ills, ae against £3BBB 4s in the previous year. •The following are figures taken from the annual returns:—ss3 vessels, with a register of 281,528 tons; cargo, 72.2.j1j tons, being 57,2 Hi of imports and 15,010 tons of exports; berthage fees, £IOBB 14s Bd, wliarfage £OOOI Oh 2d; passeuK pr --- 41i,495. giving €4049 10s in revenue. The total earning- were £13.206 8s 7d. The figures for 1900 were: vessels, tonnage 264,757; cargo, 05,181 tons {imports 50,471 tons and exports 14,710 tons); berthage fees £lslß 16s 7d, wharfage €5302 15s Id, passengers 38,882, revenue £3884 4s. In the past year £7M IGs 9d was received from the of warps, etc. The figures for the past quarter were as follows, last year's records lieing given in parentheses:—l7o vessels (171), tonnage 88,601 (84,107). imports 18.458 tons (16,324), exports 4839 tons (4392), total cargo 23,297 tons (20,716), berthage fees £540 lis lod ( £494 15s 8d), wharfage £1983 9b (£1752 19s 6d), passengers 10668 («86«), earnings £3843 lis 8d (£3481 3« sd). These are very substantial and very satisfactory increases under each head. _ Dtffing the year the dredge has removed 11,900 yards of sand and silt from

the harbor bottom, inclusive of the dredging of the new berth. In the foreman's department excellent work lias been done. The -wharf has been widened for 180 feet. The extension of the mole lias been pushed on. and there is now a length of 309 feet of new work, 136 feet having lieen added during the year. Amongst the change? and improvements made one of the most important was the arrangement with the Borough Council to supply electricity for the port and wharf lighting. No shipping delays has been caused, and the manner in which the port ispoken of is in itself a great credit to the harbormaster, Captain Hood.