PATEA HARBOR BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 60, 5 April 1909, Page 4

PATEA HARBOR BOARD.

In the course of his annual report, Mr G. V. Pearce, chairman of the l'atea Harbor Board, say®:—The revenue for the year shows as follows: Wharfage £1040; dumping, '£374; tonnage dues, £605; port dues, £101; water, gravel, etc., £101; rents, -£548. This makes u total of £3701, being an increase oi £OB2 over the year 1907. Expediture shows: Wharf expenses, £183; office expenses, £23.5; dumping expenses, £340; 'salvage gear, £37; survey, £34; depreciation, £182; maintenance, £1001; interest on loans and overdraft, £1182; total, £3480, showing an increase of £9OB on railway wharf maintenance (a non-recurring item for some time). Exports have increased this year by 01 bales wool, 22 casks tallow", 020 hides, 0701 cases cheese, 2512 cases meat, 121 cattle, 807 sheep, 470 sacks bone dust, 1317 quarters frozen bcei, 4803 carcases mutton, 48,700 bricks; and a decrease o: 143 bags fungus and 0804 boxes butter. Inwards for the year show 000!) tons of general cargo and 278(1 tons of coal, the 1007 figures being 959U general and 2884 coal. 1 am pleased to state that there is a prospect of the Board receiving some revenue from ironsand at no distant date, Mr. Cull, of Cbristchurch, having been induced to put some definite proposals before the Board. The extension of the eastern wall lues been started daring the year, and the wall has been extended 75 feet, the expenditure on such extension to date being £2004, showing the cost per lineal foot to he about £2O 14s. . . Our pilot's report, in January, affirms that the entrance is better than it lias been at any time during the last eighteen years, and. with the. further extension of the wall, 1 hope, for further improvement. Unfortunately, although there is greatly increased cargo available, there is a shortage ol suitable steamers at present trading to the port, largely caused by the Pa-tca Ss.S. Company building steamers for this trade not able to work the port at all tides. This, no doubt, lias prevented other companies taking up the trade; but a committee has been set up to endeavor to alter this unfortunate position, and we hope to he able to get suitable boats to take up the running. The secretary's comparative statement of imports shows that in- ISB9 there were handled 2214 tons of general cargo ''and 513 tons of coal. In ISO!) the figures were 0850 and 430, ami in 1900 ■reneral cargo 7090 tons, coal 1091 tons, for 1908. the general imports amounted to 9000 tons, and 2780 tons of coal.. Tonnage dues have increased from tils in 1801 to £OOS in 1908. This statement further shows that 237 vessels traded to l'atea last year, or twice as manv as in 1891. Exports included 73.107 cases of cheese , and 74.030 boxes of butter, 5701 quarters of beef, 10,550 carcases mutton, and 48.700 bricks.