H—ls

In respect to the same years this next table sets down the coal shipments for such years in relation to the mean of the high-water depths for the same years : —■

During this past year 247 (254) vessels aggregating 185,046 (184,493) tons net register departed from the port, the figures in parentheses being those corresponding for the previous year. "In " and " out " the totals were 491 (508) and 357,355 (368,869) tons. During the previous year two overseas vessels called at the port for bunker coal, the first since 1944, but again no vessels called within this past year under report. Shipment of timber from the port, though for some years, as with " inward " cargo, not a major trade factor, continued on the average with 1,262,000 super, feet shipped, compared to 1,229,000 and 1,500,000 super, feet during the preceding years. In direction of assistance to obtain and hold satisfactory depths on the bar the Department has continued dredging operations, the suction dredger " Eileen Ward " working consistently throughout the year, except during the referred to bad month of March, when the very poor depth on the bar, as well as restricting ship loadings, also greatly restricted operation of the dredger. Nevertheless, the " Eileen Ward " removed from the bar area some 366,400 cubic yards of sand, as against 344,700 the previous year. In addition, during the earlier part of the year the suction dredger " Rubi Seddon 5 * also lifted 66,000 cubic yards from the bar area. This dredger has only half the capacity of the " Eileen Ward," is several years older in construction, and as the certificate expired later in the year, with a new boiler required and much structural repairs and strengthening needed, the Department has decided that in relation to the limited effectiveness of the dredger it is not justified to retain the vessel in use, and as at the close of the year the machinery and internal parts had been given lay-up attention and the vessel placed out of commission. Except for a brief period at the port for overhaul attention, the Department's bucket dredger " Maui " has continued to operate at Castlecliff, on hire to the Wanganui Harbour Board, clearing heavily silted berths at the wharves at that port. lam able to report that the dredger has since returned to Westport to resume normal work at such port. Fortunately, the depths at berths for vessels at Westport remained satisfactory and there was not pressing need to recall the dredger from Castlecliff until the work there was satisfactorily completed. In all, the " Eileen Ward " and the " Rubi Seddon " during the year lifted and disposed at sea 514,400 cubic yards of dredgings—432,7oo cubic yards from the bar area and 81,700 cubic yards from the river fairway from the entrance to the wharves. During the preceding year the total dredgings lifted by four dredges (the Greymouth bucket dredge " Mawhera " supplementing the Department's three dredges for a time) was 643,500 cubic yards.

8

Year. Mean, of High Water Depths on Bar. Total Quantity of Coal shipped (Tons). 1931 1939 1942 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 Ft. in. 20 2 21 3 21 9 20 8 21 4 20 8 22 2 21 2 513,500 426,400 487,500 401,300 402,000 385,300 384,800 382,400