WELLLINGTON PORT DUES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 71, 24 March 1910, Page 4

WELLLINGTON PORT DUES.

A SUBSTANTIAL ZSTGBEASE. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.^ WELLEsGTCKS", Wednesday. A new scale of port charges has been adopted by the Wellington Harbour Board. In TnoTing at a meeting of tie Board to-day that the new scale he imposed, Mr. B. Fletcher, chairman of the Board, said tnat the tonnage had fallen away and the revenue had decreased. Since last October the foreign tonnage on the -whole bad diminished. He did not think that any improvement in trade would ■come till after the spring. The proposed new tariff had been passed at a special meeting of the Board recently. During the coming two years tike Board would have to be careful, and the watcaword should be "Economy, with efficiency." He was against' increasing the charges to shipping, but the Board was in the position that it could not help itself. The schedule which. Mr. Fletcher recommended snowed an increase of £ 17,640, of which merchants would be asked to provide £9473, and ships £8167. Mr. J. W. MeEwan contended that a complete reorganisation of the Board's affairs was necessary. Dr. Kewman said he bad made out a list of £425,000 of -unnecessary -works undertaken by the Board. The motion was carried unanimously.