HARBOR FINANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 July 1922, Page 6

HARBOR FINANCE.

IMPROVEMENT CHARGE PROPOSED, SHILLING A TON ON IMPORTS. The financial position of the New Plymouth Harbor Board was touched upon by the chairman (Mr. C. E. Bellringer) at yesterday’s meeting of the board. Mr. Bellringer said the board had to find another £14,000 this year for interest. The financial position of the board was so satisfactory that only £5OOO of this amount would be required from the public, and this it was proposed to levy by means of a harbor improvement rate. This scheme had been adopted by* other boards, notably Wellington, where the rate had been levied at 6d per ton, later being raised to Is, whilst at prsent it stood at Is fid. At New Plymouth it was proposed to make this levy on imports only, and to leave the exports alone.' A levy of Is on all imports was estimated to produce the required £5OOO. The board’s land revenue, continued Mr. Bellringer, had fallen off, but the remaining £9OOO could be obtained from the ordinary revenue df the port, which was increasing, and allowed a transfer to be made to the interest account. One shilling per ton on imports was not a large amount to ask for, as the saving on direct shipments was very considerable, amounting to from £1 to £1 5s a ton all round, whilst in the case of the Kai-kou-ra, due here shortly, the saving would be £1 10s per ton on all goods. The speaker thought then that this was the fairest means of raising the additional £5OOO, and expressed the hope that it would not be necessary to make any new increases. Continuing, Mr. Bellringer said the port was on the eve of further success, and, he believed, would make great progress during the next few years. The board had every confidence that their financial position was growing yet stronger, thus warranting all things needed being done. The proposed levy was a just and fair thing, and he moved that it be carried into effect. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson seconded, saying that he presumed the alternative to the : proposed levy would be a general rate, and this the board were anxious to avoid, as the cost of collecting alone would run into hundreds of pounds a year. - The financial position of the board was good, but he was afraid that