The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1919. TRADE AT THE PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 1919, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1919. TRADE AT THE PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTH.

The annual report o. the chairman of the New Plymouth Harbor Board is always of considerable interest, though it cannot le taken as a reflex of the prosperity or otherwise of the town or province by reason of the fact tliat railway transport from both Auckland and "Wellington account for an appreciable portion of Taranaki's trade. This has been particularly emphasised during the war period in consequence of the scare.ty of shipping facilities, and there is no doubt that the falling oi£ of the imports has largel> been caused by the inability of importers to obtain goods. Some surprise may be felt that there should have been such a difference between the imircports for 1917 (78,390 tons) and those for 1918 (73,019), but when all the adverse circumstances tire taken into consideration the wonder is that the deficit should have been so small. Year by year the imports at the port inive mostly been advancing at a ratio which in some measure correspond with the increased progress and prosperity of the province, and there is every reason to anticipate that v.'lien transport facilities again becoroe normal that the imports will mount higher each year in sympathy with the exports, it will be seen that despite the lack of shipping the exports reached the record total of 18,637 tons. Naturally the decreased imports have reduced the Board's revenue'from shipping by nenrlv a thousand pounds an compr with that of the previous lit even so the receipts for 1 .\'ere about £SOO more than in 11915 and 1916. Not only did the

but the land revenue fell from £8677 to £5635, so that there was a total decrease of revenue of nearly £4OOO. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that the balance of the 1909 loan (£8864) was expended during the year, the cost of dredging alone totalling £lO,070, buildings, plant and machinery accounting for £1163. Although the working account shows a nett profit at £8404, that sum is less by nearly £4OOO than the profit for the previous year, consequent on the loan money being exhausted and extraordinary expenditure on the dredge Thomas King, on plant, permanent way and harbor extension, properly chargeable to loan account, having largely to be met out of ordinary revenue. That the Board acted wisely in continuing the work of improving the harbor will be generally admitted, and its policy may be commended, as it was directed to making the harbor safe for overseas vessels. With the restricted means at its disposal the Board has done remarkably well, so that when the new scheme of improvements is carried out it may be expected with confidence that the trade of the port will in every way be worthy of the prosperous and progressive district it serves. The report mentions that the large falling off in tonnage was due to the smaller class of vessels that made use of the port, only one ocean liner entering during the last year as against six for the previous year. Already there are signs of relief in the shipping situation, so that it should not be long before ocean vessels regularly call at New Plymouth to unload imports and take in cargo produce for the Home and other markets. Before long a poll will be taken on the proposal to borrow £300,000, wherewith to carry out the improvements as designed by Mr. Blair Mason. The chairman's report for last year should serve to convince those in the rating area that the harbor as a commercial undertaking is so sound and profitable that they need have no fear of the loan imposing nnv burden on them. The port is an absolute necessity, and when the improvement scheme is carried out Taranaki will have one of the best and safest sea harbors in the Dominion, and that its trade will grow to large dimensions is a matter of certainty. The Board will merit the full confidence and appreciation of the community for its careful and enlightened administrative worjc, and this appreciation may- fittingly be expressed when the loan poll is taken. Few people' in the district realise the anount of work that has been done in recent years in connection with the port, the number of vessels trading there, and the amount of cargo handled, hence it is just as well that these annual reports should be issued to bring home the importance of the undertaking to the public, and to remind them of the great asset Taranaki possesses at Moturoa. Although 271 vessels entered and left the port during 1918, the total amount of imports and exports amounted to 91,656 tons, but the returns for the present will probably be very largely in excess of those figures, while in the future we may expecc an ever-increasing tonnage for the handling of which the new scheme will prove a great boon. As the harbor belongs to the people they may well be gratified at the promising nature of the outlook