TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7732, 27 February 1909, Page 1

TIMARU HARBOUR BOARD.

TIMARU, February 26. ; The annual meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board was held to-day. The chairman's report for the thirty-second year; of the Board stated that, contrary to anticipations that the unfavourable season would affect the Board detrimentally, the trade revenue for 1908 had been better than for 1907. imports and exports showed an increase of 5620 tons, the value of the foreign and intercolonial trade being £1,21.7,315', while the total revenue was £26,118, an increase of £442, in addition to which remissions had been made on the charge for hawsers and tenders totalling £690. The shipping aggregated 434,262 tons, which was 37,092 in excess of that of 1907. Comparing the figures for 1898 and 1908 it would be seen that the shipping had increased 123 per cent., the volume of trade 100 per cent., and the revenue (apart from the harbour rate) 108 per cent. The total amount of the direct imports landed at Timaru was 44,889 tons, compared with 34,729 in 1907 ; but consequent upon the drought, frozen mutton had decreased 194,071 carcasecs. The total expenditure was £30,506, and the total revenue £34,161. Referrir- to the question of LytteltOn v. Timaru, the report denied that the Board had adopted an aggressive policy, but desired only to get all trade which legitimately belongs to the port from a large and fertile district which it - serves. During the year the maximum charge fixed for the use of hawsers and fenders was £15 per trip, and a tender had been accepted for a new wharf providing for 1200 feet of berthage. The Board's bucket dredge had lifted 304,500 tons, at a cost of 6.36 d per ton, and the grab dredge 14,315 tons, at a cost of 10.94 d per ton.