AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 31, 6 February 1891, Page 3

AUCKLAND HARBOUR BOARD.

ADJOURNED ANNUAL MEETING.

A SATISFACTORY CONDITION

The adjourned annual meeting of bhe Auckland Harbour Board was held ab noon to-day in the Board offices, Quay-sbreeb, in order bo receive and pass the audited accounts of the Board for the past year, which have just been returned from Wei-linn-ton. There were present: Messrs M. Niccol (Chairman), Savage, Devore, Macfarlanc, Nathan, Dignan and Captain H. F. Anderson. The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the accounts, said blab the accounts had been returned, certified by the AuditorGeneral as substantially correct, except whab was considered an official error in one particular. This was in the form specified by the Government lasb year, and ono which had been passed as correct by lasb year's auditor, bub on this occasion the officials evidently consideied it incorrect. It was merely a technical affair, and of no importance as affecting the accuracy of tho accounts. Ibconsisted in bhe crediting of the whole of tho £200,C00 loan expenditure instead of £100,000, the Board not having re-cast the loan schedule. Tho accounts were as substantially accurate as ib was possible for them bo be, and as was necessary for bhe purposes of the Board and the public. Ho thought that the finances of the Board needed a little more than passing notice at his hands on thab occasion, owing to the reports which appeared to be spread abroad that ttie Board was in difficulties. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Board was not only nob in any difficulty whatever, but it had now a substantial account to its credit, and revenue rapidly increasing. The shipping public of Auckland were called upon to pay less in tho way of wharfage and harbour dues than in any "other port in bhe colony. Certain statements had been made lately by a certain section of the Auckland press bhab were utterly misleading and calculated to do the Board injury in the eyes of the public. For instance, bhat morning the "Herald" had averred that the Board had a "princely income " of £50,000. This was a most egregious blunder. Their income was really not half that. The lust year's net as shown by the accounts, were only £21,500. He quoted figures to show the advantage Southern ports had over Auckland in imposing heavier dues and taxes, and thus increasing their incomes. Thus, as against Auckland's £21,500, Lyttelton had upwards of £30,000, Wellington £35,000 (less £5,000 for receiving of goods), and Dunedin £38,000. Then Dunedin had really borrowed more than Auckland, and had far less to show for it in the way of works. Then last year Auckland's import wharfage,exclusive of timber, was only £10,600. Were tho Board to exact wharfage on the same basis as Lyttelton, bhey could increasethi?sumtoovßr£l4,ooo. It was most unfair to bhe Board bocirculabo such false impressions of bhe alleged '* overtaxing " and lack of economy of the body. All the other ports in the colony charged tar more than Auckland did on imports and exports, and tho Board could increase their income greatly were they only bo proceed as far as those in the South. If ib were necessary bo increase bheir revenue it could easily be done, bub tbe aim of the Board had always been to collect only whab was absolubely necessary. In the past the Board might have committed a few mistakes, but it was nob right bo consbrue every movement of theirs into an error. With regard to the' much-vexed question of the expenditure on the graving docks, the magnificent endowments of the Board ware amply eufficient to supporb the bwo docks, which were now no charge whatever on the shipping community or the port. Not only did the Board not overcharge the merchants and importers of Auckland, but bhey did nob even charge as much as in Southern ports. This was a fact that did not appear to be known generally. The very closest economy was now boing exercised by the Board in all departments of expenditure. The facts of the cutting down of salaries and reduction of the Board's staff bore witness to this. They had now a credit balance of £15 000 at their disposal, and this statement should be hailed as denoting a very satisfactory condition of'things. There was additional expenditure to meet this year, which demanded increased revenue. For one thing, the Board were this year tor the first time paying off the full amounb of interesb and sinking fund on their last loan, which they had not done before. Then they had to take into consideration the question of much - needed wharf extensions and renewals, and provide accordingly. Extensive additions to the local wharf accomodation were urgently necessary, and it was desirable that bhey should be gone on with forthwith. Out of this £15,000 the extension of the Queen-street wharf could be provided for, and then by-aod-by the Railway Wharf would require to be renewed, and for this purpose a considerable amount of funds would be necessary. Wharves could nob be built and maintained without money. He was sorry that the morning's paper should not have been better informed as to the real condition of the Board, and thus have boen saved from making such misstatements as it had done. He would move that the accounts as presented be settled and allowed by the Board in terms of the Act. Mr Savage seconded bhe motion, which was carried. . Mr J- M* Brigham, Secretary and Treasurer, read his annual report on the accounts of the past year, In presenting them he said :—" The. total receipts for 1890 amounted to £47,091 12s 3d, including balance from last year £14,811 18b Id, interest, £233 7s Sd, and refunds, £283 2s lOd. The neb revenue exclusive of balance, interest and refunds totalled £31,763 3s Id. By comparison with the previous year increases are shown upon various items of income, and these increases would have been largely augmented had not complications in connection with labour occurred during the year, which interfered with the usual business oi. the Board. The decreases are accounted for by a slight shrinkage in export (mainly thab upon produce shipped bo Australia), fluctuations in traffic, and bhe services cf officers of the Board and appliances provided not having been made use of. The net revenue, however, shows a substantia] increase for 1890 of £1,035 15a 6d. Briefly, the financial operations of the Board during the past year were as follows :--

Receipts: Balance as per balance-sheet, £28,813 16s 6d ; revenue, including interest and refunds, £32,279 13s 4d ; contractors' deposits, £475 ; sinking fund (from general account), £2,769 ; interesb on deposits, £14 18s Id : Total, £64,352 7s lid. Expenditure : Balances, interesb, sinkingfund,commission, exchange, lighting wharves, pilot, subsidy, fixed charges, etc., £28,026 133 4d ; works, £10,803 15s 5d ; totara piles, £537 6s 4d ; repaid contractors' deposits, £425 j paid off 27 debentures, £2,700 -, balances, £21,859 12s lOd. Total, £64,352 7s lid."

It waa resolved to have the Secretary's report printed and circulated.

On the motion of Mr Devore ib was decided that the accounts of the Board should bo advertised, being printed iD full in the newspapers as hitherto.

From some final remarks made by the Chairman, ib appears thab in less bhan 20 years it is estimated thab bhe whole of the Board's first loan of £150,000 will be paid off tuilv.