The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1881.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 4259, 21 January 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo

MONDAY, JANUARY 21, 1881.

For tho causo that lanks assistance, For the wrong Unit needs .'esistuneo, For the future In the distance, And the KOOd that wo can do.

To become satisfied of the steady increase in tho trade and shipping of Auckland, it is only necessary to glance at tho revenue returns of our Harbour Board. Four years ago,iu ISSO, tho net revenue of the year from ordinary sources was £23,102; and for the year just ended it was £34,395. The increase on tho goods wharfage alone was nearly £5,000; tho export wharfage has doubled, and tho shipping wharfage increased by £010. The Treasurer's rcpoi t shows that the net revenue, exclusive of refunds, for ISS3 amounted to £42,558 15s, an increase over ISS2of £11,805 15s; deducting interest from both tho years under comparison, the increase for ISB3 h £11,850 lis Bd. Under tho heading of assets and liabilities for last year, tho revenue for 1 SSlwas estimated at i' 33,000 ; the revenue actually received excoeded the estimate by £1,395 7s lid. This is very gratifying; and it is still more gratifying to know that, notwithstanding the responsibilities incurred on account of tho big dock and other works, the Bpard feels its financial position sound enough to relinquish two source, of revenue, which aro estimated as worth £4,000. In resolving to abandon the wharf tolls, and to charge wharfage on the registered instead of tho gross tonnage, the Board not only affords a substantive pecuniary relief to the mercantile interests of the port, but gets rid of two of the most irritating taxes in the tariff. The statement of accounts moro than justifies the confidence of English investors who purchased the last issue of £150,000 of the Board's debentures at £101 12s 2d in London, realising to the Board £100 5s Id net in Auckland. Tho reduction in port charges, after reckoning for interest on this sum, is the best answer to thoso who questioned tho wisdom of the Board in undertaking so largo a liability on account of a dock which, although indispensable, cannot puy interest on its cost. The growing levenuo from rents, which la3t year yielded tho sum of t'9,24'J, will mitigate very materially the burden laid upon the resources of tho trust by the charge ('or interest; and if the revenues of tho port maintain their present ratio of increase, further reductions will, in all probability, soon become possible, The Board's accounts are, as usual, rendered in a clear and explicit manner by the TtciKjiror, Mr J. M. Brighain.