THE PORT.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 January 1922, Page 4

THE PORT.

A GROWING TRADE. LAST YEAR’S FIGURES. MORE OVERSEA SHIPS. Figures relating to the trade through the port of New Plymouth during last year show’ that the volume of business, is growing annually. While the number of vessels which visited the port is about the same, the aggregate of tonnage shows that there have been more larger ships visiting the port. Twenty-two overseas vessels visited New Plymouth in the twelve months and brought the total of this class tc visit New Plymouth to 48. The Westmeath, which arrived in December, was the largest, being 9179 tons and 484 ft. in length. The deepest draughted steamer was the Essex (8722 tons), which left port drawing 24ft. 6in. The total of imports and exports is also greater than that for the previous year, being 136,342 tons, and it is stated that there is probably no single wharf in. New Zealand which has handled a greater amount. Incidentally tha need for extra accommodation in this respect has been demonstrated repeatedly during the year, and led to the, adoption of proposals for building another wharf, preliminary work for these operations being now under way. Details of the working of the port in 1921 are as follows:

Ves- Ton- Im- ExPeriod. seis. nage. ports. ports. Total. Jan. ... 26 47,515 11,320 6901 18,311 Feb. ... 12 13,347 6.223 664 6,887 Mar. ... 21 24,397 10,127 3740 13,867 Apl. ... 17 38,010 7,222 2244 9,466 May ... 21 42,169 12,577 2836 15,413 June .. 24 50,400 13,876 3658 17,534 July ... 12 22,698 6,814 1887 8,701 Aug. ... 16 20,537 7,261 1028 8,289 Sept. .. 27 37,891 10,770 2756 13,526 Oct. ... 19 29,630 4,984 2338 7,322 J Nov. ... 20 25,536 6,013 2808 8,821 1 Dec. ... 20 29,189 4,530 3675 8,205 Totals 235 371,319 101,717 34,825 136,342 Totals for 1920. £38 152,509 95,712 28,242 123,954 Totals for 1919. 268 141,051 71,972 82,347 104,318