HARBOUR CONTROL

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 98, 27 April 1932, Page 3

HARBOUR CONTROL

WESTERN VIADUCT BRIDGE.

DECREASE IN SHIPPING.

Members of the Auckland Harbour Board met yesterday afternoon. In the absence of the chairman, Mr. G. R. Hutchinson, Mr. J. B. Johnston presided.

Harbour Data.—The Marine Department asked the board to give an assurance that it would not, from motives of economy, allow the usual compilation of data connected with the harbour to lapse. Upon the superintendent reporting that suitable and adequate data was always available, the board decided to give the assurance asked. Telegrams from Tiri.—The district telegraph engineer advised that permission had been given for the handling of general traffic from Tiri Tiri Island, subject to certain conditions, by means of •the board's radio system. A recommendation by the harbourmaster that the conditions be agreed to was adopted. Western Reclamation Viaduct. —In his report on the construction of the rolling lift bridge which is to link the western reclamation viaduct, the engineer said that it was anticipated it would be possible to put the bridge into commission about the end of next month.

Movements of Shipping.—The harbourmaster reported that the arrivals at the port for the month of March totalled 330,528 tons gross, and 206,100 tons net. As compared with the corresponding ueriod for last year, the returns for overseas merchant shipping showed a decrease of nine vessels, of 80,219 tons gross. The intercolonial shipping showed an increase of two vessels. The returns for local coastal vessels showed a decrease of 89 vessels. Arrivals at Onehunga (19 vessels) showed a decrease of six vessels as compared with the figures for March, 1931.

Imports and Passengers.—The traffic manager reported that the imports for March totalled 53,127 tons, an increase of 2430 tons as compared with the same month last year. The number of passengers arriving at Auckland was 649, as compared with 592 last year. Those departing totalled 1443, as against 909 in March, 1931.

Manukau South Head Lease.—The Marine Department wrote advising that it desired to resume a section of the area of 91} acres leased to the board at South Head, Manukau Harbour. The harbourmaster said that the area the Department desired to resume contained the only reliable water supply on the portion of the reserve leased to the board, and that, in his opinion, it was essential that the section should be retained for use by the signalman. It was decided to reply to the Department in terms of the harbourmaster's report.