THE WELLINGTON HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 220, 17 March 1914, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON HARBOR.

RECORD SHIPMENTS. EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Yesterday, Referring t<s the strike in his Teport to the annual meeting of the Harbor Board to-day, the chairman, Mr. R. Fletcher, said the trouble, in his opinion was caused by obstinacy on one part and stupidity oi the other, and the results were disastrous to all concerned, as strikes generally wera. Through the difficult and trying position it was his endeavor to hold the scale of justice evehly, and looking back he had the inward consciousness and satisfaction of feeling that he had done his duty as a public representative. ' The board's profit and loss statement showed a credit balance of £13,571, as against £10,814, an increase of £2760. The financial position was eminently satisfactory. An increase of earnings from £216,025 to £237,293 waß shown, being an advance of £21,208. Goods inwards totalled 535,040 tons, as u'gainst 489,416 tons, an increase of 9.31 per cent., a record for the port. The total shipments of wool, skins, etc., excluding transhipments, amounted t« 301,050 bales, as against 251,861, an increase of 19.5 per cent. The coal handled in the port was 548,862 tons, an Ogainat 502,499 tons, an increase of 9.22 per cent_

/A supplementary report for the live months ended February 28, the period affected by the strike, was presented by the chairman. It showed the nett tonnage of arrivals was 1,190,087 tons, as against 1,324,169 for the corresponding period of last year, a decrease of 134,082 tons. Booking at the wharves and quays for the same period • was £176,582 and £91,257 respectively, a decrease of £15,674, Pilotage fees and port charges ehrunk from £8307 to £7908, a decrease of £398. The board's financial year, the figures for which were quoted above, closed on September 3#.