PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1919, Page 7

PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

HARBOR BOARD WORK.; CHAIRMAN'S ANNUAL REPORT. Following is the annual report of the chairman of the 2sTew Plymouth Jlarbor Board (Ivlr. Newton King) which war. submitted to yesterday's meeting of tht Boards— Gentlemen,- " >; I beg to place before you for your consideration the accounts and statistical retunis for the year ending December 31, 1918. You will notice in. common with other ports that the trade of tliq port shows a falling off, the figures for last year being 91,05G tons , .vhiie those for 1917 were 05.520 ton;; —a decrease of JfSfri tons. Thi3 , decrease is entirely in tho imports, '.vhich foil from 78390 tons in 1917 to 73,019 tons in lfllS, a fall of 5371 tons. On i other hand, it is particularly gratifying to report a fairly substantial increase in the exports of lt>o7 tons, the figures for 1918, 18,637 tons, constituting a record for the'port. In consequence of the reduction in trnde, the revenue also shows a fali'r n off, the receipts for 1918 !>eing £12,153 9s Id, against £18.019 l'2a 7d in 1917, or a decrease of £SOG 3s Od. Tlia Working Account showr- a nett profit of £4SO4 14s Id, while the profit for 1917 was £8793 is Bd, a decrease ox £398 13s 7d. This is accounted for by the extraordinary expenditure under tils heading <>'. King," "Plant." "Permanent Way' and 'Th-.rl'or Extension," a large portion of which have had to be pai<' out of c:\J;n:try rev»m'.> owing to the 1 a fit ionn being expended, although properly chargeable to loan moneys, being for new work in connec tion with the new harbor extension scheme.

The total ordinary revenue rec :ived in the general account bytthe board for the past 10 years is as follows:

Amount. Year. £ s. d--1003 : 10225 1 U 1904 10,835 18 8 1905 10,760 11 5 1906 13,098 18 6 ■ 1908 15,406 10 2 IQO9 10,476 4 7 1910 12,677 3 2 19U • 1",823 13 S 191-2 11,503 0 4 19 3 u3 .v 3 .-.- ■ 12,655 22 1914 lT 13,240 16 6 1915 11,667 5 3 1918 11.505 18 4 191/ 13,01912 7 1918 . „.T-r 12,153 9 1 LOAN ACCOUNT. The balance of the 1909 loan, which amounted to £8864 2s 1(1, lias DStn expended during the year BREAKWATER PROTECTION. During the month of March we J.ad one of the most severe- storms ever experienced at tbe port, but beyond clawing out seme of the protection wcrk io damage was done to the structure. liK actual cost of repairing the protection work \yas £54 os 9d, but the heavy less also tore up the railway lines ou ihe breakwater, whivh necessitated an ex penditure of £OO7 8s 4d in repairing the permanent way DREDGE "THOMAS KIXG" This -vessel worked about 10 months of the year, but in October last the board decided, on the recommendation of the engineer to lay her up, as they did not consider they were getting value 'or tlie money spent; 72,9150 tons of spoil were removed by the vessel at a cost of £1,516 Us Id,"equal to an awage cost 01 S.OSd per ton. Particulars of sand removed from th« harbor during the past sixteen years by the Thomas King: Cost

. dredge "PA.IITLTC" I'his vessel has worhod continuously durm" the vear, with the exception of tl.e' time lost in Wellington during tho annual overhaul. Work has fcsen carried out deepening the fairway, swinging biisiiy, and the inshore cut* The spoil removed during the year by tins rcajjcl whs 155,800.. tons, and -tho cpst (including the annual overhaul) "as £«D24 4®' 9d, giving -aa average coat of 1.2.«5d per ton.' The jpcreasei cost per ton has been catisfld 1 iilmest entirely by the weather, the whole year being a most unsuitable one for dredg'ng on account of the almost continuous heavy gules. Particulars of dreeb 'ng by the '!Earivutu" for the past eight years: .. Cost

WHAEP l l ' ■. ' Having the past year the sura of £333 f?9 2d was expended on the wharf 0:1 general repair work. BUILDINGS, I'T.ANT AND MAOHINIiIIY During' the year £IIG3 lljs 9il has been expended under this heading, a large part of which was for repairs to the waterside workers' rope and other, sheds on the wharf, which were severely damaged by tho storm in March last, Sales of plant and material amounted to £3O-2 143 Id during the year. ~ .BXBOV.'MEXTS ' ' Two: f sbt-j ; t)ii9 of the Mt. Eliot Efeservn : ; the year at sat!>fae- : 't'ory feiititis. During the year an agree'meat waa entered into witli jlie Bwiuga

I Council for an. excharge of properties, ihe boacd exchanging Sections 4, 5, (i, 7, 8, 26, 27, 2?, ?.9 "and 30, Mt. Eliot Reserve, for thy Rorougli Council's reserve in the Town Kali block, with the exception of the Carnegie Library. A Bill authorising the exchange waa presented to Parliament during the year and duly passed. ... WHARFAGE ATsfD DUES. Tho following is a table of the above during tho past fifteen years:—'

SHIPPING, The shipping during the year was maintained in >actual numbers, bu, the tonnage dhows a large falilng off. This is accounted for bv the imaller class of vessel now trading generally, and to the shortage of ocean I.m-rs. Only one of +!, i! inf.tiT uU s has sntei.'d t!>e poit 'luring f .i:c '•'ear, a? .'gan?t «\ hr tl:a prc-vioim vear. T. ; ,e &<r«U cargo ship- I ped was i 4,770 quartern of beef,* legs of mutl.on, and ouOd cases ot tinned meats. The shipment w, equal to 34,700 freight caresses. Overseas mailing vessels aiso played an important part in the exports of hides, pelts and tallow, neariy 1000 tons being shipped from tlie port to America, ■some of which was brought from the South Island Two hundred and seventy-one vewels enter-4 and left the port during 1918, their aggregate tonnage being 109,378 tons. Returns for tho past sixteen years aie as follows: SHIPPING. Returns for the past thirteen years ari' as follow?

LAND REVENUE. The land revenue received during the year amounted to £5035 13 s lOd against £Si>77 Ms Id jn Ml 7, a decrease of £3012 »s 3d. Table of land revenue for tlie past sixteen years:

SINKING FOND, 1900 LOAN. The amount of this fund now stands 'at.'£33,563 !35.3d,.0f wliicli_ £30,400 is on mortgage, £o00!) ill the New Zealand Government \V; r Loan inscribes stock i'.t 4J per cent., and the balance lying at the board's bankers, i- ■ ■ ' MEMBERS •The members rf the remain the same as la?t year, there being no eiec tion during 1918. HARBOR EXTENSION In furtherance of the proposals initiated by the board in 1917 plans were received from the board's consulting engineer, Mr J Bair Mason, M.lnst.C.E., I of a scheme for harbor improvement on a very extensive scale. After careful consideration the board decided to proceed witii a portion of the work and a Bill was prepared, to be placed before Parliament, authorising the board to raise a loan of £300,000. Owing to the very short and hurried session f Parliament, and also to the opposition to the Bill, a compromise was effected, cutting out of the rating area alt that land between the eastern boundary of the Opunake Harbor District and the Hunter Road, comprising the whole of the Waimate Plains. The Bill, in its amended form, was passed by Parliament, and a jjoll will shortly be tutioii, wluch the

board has every confidence will be ear- | ried by the ratepayers, j Statement showing vessels, tonnage, i draught, etc., which entered and left the port daring 1918:

MEMBERS' CRITICISM. In moving the adoption of the report, tho chairman said tiie return* shown were in the main satisfact when it was remembered that won* .id been carried on under war conditions. Most of the Harbor Boards ot New Zealand had shown a large falling off in returns, while in New Plymouth the small decrease in imports that was shown was due entirely to the fact that merchants were unable to obtain their supplies. The exports had shown a steady increase, and if more ships had been available produce—including butter, cheese and meat—at present in store would have been snipped in still larger quantities. During the part year there had been only one direct lir.er at the port It should be remembered, however, that the vessels *that had visited the port had berthed and loaded in practically all weathers. During last j'ear the most severe gale he had eve; known had visited Taranaki, arid it was feared that some damage would have resulted to the mole, but little happened, with the exception of the shifting some sheds and rails, which were old and decayed and would have to be removed -'n connection with the harbor extension scheme. The shipping 'position in New Zealand in 1917 hail not been very satisfactory, and it had become more acute in 11) IS. It was evident that some drastic actions would have to be taken by the merchants in order to effect some improvement: Mr King proceeded to refer to the Harbor Empowering Bill, and said that the proposal to borrow £300,000 would bo submitted to the ratepayers of the ■district as early as possible to commence reclamation work on r.n area near the breakwater, in order to provide space for the erection of warehouses, woolsheds, etc., applications for permission to put up buildings having already been received. Mr C. E. Bellringer seconded the mo" t'.on, and in doing so said the shipping position at the port was altogether inadequate for the needs of the district. The Union Co. had not given the port a fair deal, and it was a serious matter to all concerned. Merchants sometimes had their goods held up in Wellington for weeks at a time, and as if that delay were not in itself sullieient, they also had to pay the additional storages, which increased the costs of goods to the merchants, who, in turn, passed the increase on to the consumer He thought some action should be taken i:i order to secure bettor treatment for the port of New Plymouth. Mr E. Maxwell agreed that the Union Co. had not treated the port of New Plymouth fairly, and that in consequence the port and the district was .working at a great disadvantage. Everybody feit it, either directly or indirectly, and tho general feeling was that there was not sufficient reason to warrant the treatment meted out to "New Plymouth. If the company chose they could offer something better for New Plymouth than they hud been doing. It was not only the merchants that felt it, but the public also, and Jie public were beginning t'j recognise that a fair deal was not being given. He thought persistent pressure should be brought to bear on the company to bring about an improvement.

The motion for the adoption of the report was then carried unanimously.

Tots'. per Year Tons. C03V Ton. £ s. d. d. 1902 103,3-20 2,1-25 19 3 4.93 1303 133,190 1,087 12 10 2.48 loot 20fl,0ii3 2,117 11 0 2.54 '905 203,042 2,305 19 7 3.30 J 906 91,920 1,612 IS 2 4.21 1907 111,900 1,506 16 11 3.03 190S 75.720 1,924 8 11 6.09 1909 87,840 1,542 11 10 4 10 1910 04,859 1,704 18 0 4.4G 1911 ]1S.?10 1,389 13 2 2.82 1912 82,160 1,650 5 0 4.82 1913 117,840 1,587 3 5 3/23 1914 91.BSD 2,702 1.1 11 ISfl 1915 125,040 1.6-26 8 3 3.12 ins, 1917... 109.760 1,711 17 0 3.75 82,3-20 lJO.I 10 7 4.90 1918, 72,960 1,54c 11 1 5.0S

. .' ,• Total per Year. TonB. Cost. Ton. 1911 /. 155,350 £5,748 18 i E.87(i lpK • 279,200 . £R,911 17' 7 5.94(1 1913 256,600 £8,128 2 8 7.60<1 1914 295.200 £10,332 17 9 8.4C.1 1915 239.600 £8,142 13 5 k 8.11(1 lnio .240,400 £7,5S2 18 1 V "•■-7.9 Sit ■ <204.800 £8,495 3 2 b.pr.d 1918 153,300 £8,524 4 ,9 ■ 1S-984

Water and Port Year. Wharf - ' Bert-h-Warps. Sundries Charges. Tt'l. £ £ £ & £ £ 1904 5200 3242 67*2 53 277 9,444 1805 5019 3351 0S4 54 295 9 603 190G 6302 0437 732 53 335 ll,fc59 , 1907 «06I 633S 750 48 407 '13,613 : 1308 5971 6053 70S J J2 337 13,703 I 1909 5tS7 2C6<) 50,5 6R 555 9.900 ; 1010 75(Mi 3155 656 132 475 11,922 | 1011 6573 POOS SO. 1 } 144 405 10,72e 1912 0£>C3 2991 604 154 744 11.44:3 19' 3 760S. 3193 717 233 899 12,055 1914 8103 3-234 690 2SG 827 13.240 1915 7467 2693 £35 239 733 ll:667 1010 7C5!> 2010 514 332 591 11.506 1817 8233 281S 672 421 S 13,019 1913 7648 2771 010 399 12.153

Exports Butter & Cheese Exports. Otlxei Total Total Exports iaar Vessels Tonnage Imports iTroz ;ii j\Ieit Exports Experts and Imports Tons Tons Tons Tons Tons Ton? 1906 546 26 i, 75 7 60,471 7,624 7,036 14,710 65,181 1907 553 281,528 57,246 8.615 6.3J5 15,010 72,256 1908 535 273,462 63.294 8,414 . >• 7.526 15,910 79,234 1909 417 213.124 61,9i;S 8,360 * a c 5.124 13,48. 75,410 1910 389 186, S3!) 72,567 9,240 5,042 14,282 86,^49 191.1 367 ..72,517 71,675 7.737 7,773 15,510 87.1S5 .1912 376 180,480 78.260 9,423 4 2t7 13.680 91,940 1913 S32 183,745 77,040 - S.145 6,282 15,47a 92,467 1914 304 166.816 90,78b 12,552 4,935 17,4,87 08,270 1915 278 145,682 75,277 11,155 5,675 16.830 192,107 1916 252 115. 845 73.897 12,732 3,479 J 0,211 90,108 1S17 272 145,759 78.390 10,440 2,2G f > 4,421 17,130 95,520 1918 271 109,378 7S.019 11,737 1463 5,432 ly,637 91,656

Amount. Year. £ s. d. 1902 3.417 17 7 1903 • • ."-n- -VT- • 3,5oii 6 11 }m ■ . , 3,209 14 11 1905 2,012 17 11 1508 , 3,799 7 0 1907 • ' is .*: .f •< : 3,924 9 2 li)08 3,152 10 11 1909 rr> • ■ • • :"!.■■■ 9,009 2 3 1910 ti-tir. T • 4.881 10 4 1911 4,092 17 10 1912 s ... 3,1'22 11 6 1913 4,007 13 4 1914 rrm-'.T - ■ ■ 4,586 17 3 1915 L1J! , "■ 6,228 17 S 1910 ' ti.'.rr7,052 ?7 4 1917 CT-! iSiS-T ' 8,077 14 1 J91S 5,035 13 10

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