The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1017. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 1017. THE NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

"die annual report of the chairman of tt.c New Plymouth Harbor Board shows .hat the volume of trade'is very steady. Although there was a slight decrease Ifst year, it was less than might have broil e.vpeeted under present circumstances, when not only is there a shortage of shipping, but cargoes consist i-liipfly of actual peecssnric?. To have eXiCiieticed on'y a fall of 1380 tons in

the imports may be regarded as indicnii('.« :i temporary restriction owinj. to i) e war. With respect to the exports. I'lß slight decrease was entirely dur. to U- iioii-'iliipment of dairy produce by reason of the shortage of steamers, otherwise Iheie would have been a con-sic-crnblc increase. ft is satisfactory to fii.d Hint the Board's revenue wan well maintained, there being only a sligh.i. <lu\'Cii?( of £li;i!, and this is mainly dun to the. increaii'd profit of over ClOO!! or the working account The large outlay i.i improving (he harbor should now ,be bearing fruit, but although the bal- ■ a nee -St the loan ( was rnis-.'il .during the year on favorabl term;. l . Xll'.lKiO of the anunml still remains in jha.nd on fixed deposit Taranald has Uv>:rcd patiently for direct overseas ceniniunication, but the ocean steamer:', carrying our produce have not yet made Ifoiiiroa a port of call, altlious'i io'. 1 a Jong time past they could safely liavej berthed ther r . Xow that the Taranakii Farmers' freezing Works are in operatun there should be no further excur.e for the Home boats not calling :.t Xow Plymouth, There is a minimum depth in the channel fairway of the harbor of twenty-five feet, except ar. to thrc.! sv.iaH patches, which will e cleared in a few day.'., while in many parts til- 1 diplli is twenty-seven fee' nine inches at low water spring tides, with thirtyseven feet at high water, so that the shipping companies have r.o -'alid excuse for not using the port. :.. thic connc"t.'cn it is interesting to note that the agitation in favor of the producer.; owning their own ships is making considerable headway. After the war ' over tiiey will nave a favorable opportunity ,01' purchasing the requisite vessel. and. 'in the meantime the necessary prelinriT.rirs, financial and. administrative, sl.culd be given practical attention-but this i: by the way. The protective work cinied on "t Moturoa has been vol' done, and the dredging plant is;, fully ju.tificd its cost. Few people realsie what "xcellent and useful work thi-> plant has carried out, but the figures in the chairman's report show that, the PM'itutu, during the last six years, ha.rnr.oved 1,408,250 ton; of cpoil, whereby llv harbor has been made available fr? the largest steamers visiting New Zealand. The success of the new iron smelting industry at Moturoa should g.ve a further impetus to the trade of the port; and the chairman's expressions of good wishes for its success will nicer with general endorsement. The Harbor Board has dene excellent work 'or the settlers of the province, exercising « a.6sf; careful watch over expenditure, but studying efficiency first and foremost and the ..ombcrs are deserving of the heartiest thanks of the community for tijC'ir success in providing for Taranaki a harbor worthy of the prosperous and urogressive district, which it serves. _____ \