The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1915. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 187, 16 January 1915, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1915. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

The annual report of the chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board, which appears in this issue, should be read with ninth interest by all residents of the province. Although the number of vessels arriving at the port last year was smaller than lias been the ease for the past sixteen years, the total of the imports and exports was a long way the highest in the history of the Board, being 1<1.5.270 tons, as again-st W,822 tons in 1809, since which year there has been a continuous annual increase. That last year's figures were so satisfactory is due to an increase of over 12,000 tons of imports, as well as nearly 3000 tons of exports, represented by butter and cheese. Both these factors testify to the progress and expansion of the province, and may be taken as a guide for what may be expected in the near future, when the direct ocean steamers will berth at tlie wharf. In this connection it is pleasing to note the great and beneticial work that the dredge Paritutu has been doing in deepening the approach to and the berthage area at the wharf, having removed 295,200 tons during the year, of which 184,400 tons were taken from in-shore. As a result of that splendid work, and of the assistance rendered by the old dredge (Thomas King) in removing 01,680 tons of sand, the deepwater berth has been completed, and the swinging basin, which was demanded by the shipping companies before *--ey would send their ships here, is Hearing completion, as is also tiie fairway. Probably only those who are directly interested, ami those who are in a position to know what the completion of tliis work means, can have any adequate conception of its importance in promoting tlie prosperity of the province. There are those who have grown weary of waiting fur the day when the ocean liners would make New Plymouth a regular port of call, but year by year the way has been in process of being opened, and now the day of accomplishment is at band. It may be asked whether sufficient inducement will be held out lor this direct trade. As to this tkere cannot be the slightest doubt. Kven allowing for the produce of Southern Taranaki being still shipped to Wellington in the future (which is by no means a certainty), tliero would still be sullicient cargo offering to justify the Home steamers in calling at the Moturoa wharf twice a mouth for produce, and it should not be long before, the difference in cost necessitated by the present system of double-handling will make it still belter for the trade at the wharf, so that it is only fair to assume that ere long the' whole of Taranaki's imports and exports will pass over the wharf of the main poll of the province. The revenue, and expenditure account of the Board last year showed a nett profit of over £9OOO, so that some idea may be formed of the satisfactory nature of the Board's finances when the Home steamers will oirgely add to that profit, and probably enable the Board to so reduce the charges that the settlers throughout the province will directly feel the benefit of the harbor to an appreciable extent in sixteen years the Board's receipts from wharfage have been more than doubled, and it may confidently be expected that during the ensuing similar period a much greater increase will he shown. The outlook is decidedly promising.