WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15318, 4 August 1915, Page 6

WESTPORT HARBOUR BOARD.

STATEMENTS RESENTED. < 'press association tkt.ksram.) WESTPORT, August 3, At a special meeting of the Westport Harbour Board, Mr F. F. Munro took strong exception to statements that had got into circulation in some newspapers, giving the impression that the Westport Harbour Board was in a state of bankruptcy, the speaker stating that this wa« absolutely contrary to the facte. as the Board had a big cash balance and limitless assets. He instanced a field of 480 acres on the Westport-Stockton Company's property, formerly closed by the Government as "probably coal-bear-ing," and now, as a result of boring, etc., estimated to contain nine million, tons of coal, calculated to give the Harbour Board, if all were extracted, £900,000, or. if only one-third were extracted £300,000. Tho speaker said, thero were many other similar coal measures in tho district. The impression that had got abroad wag probably due to tho intention of the Board to lay up its small suction dredger because the Board found it could get fietter- results by working the larger dredgo longer hours. On Mr Munro's motion, the Board resolved:—"That the statements which have recently been circulated in the Press of the Dominion to the effect that the Board's revenue had fallen to a serious extent, and is likely to impede the development of the port, are not correct. Owincr to the war! thero is a slight decrease only in the revenue, but not of sufficient importance to cause alarm. As a matter of fact, the Board's cash balance in hand amounts to £52,000. and the Board is quit© satisfied there U no occasion to fear any stopping of works necessary for keeping the harbour open and to carry on the development works in hand." At the same meeting of tho Board, enquiries were received from a Christchurch firm for the exclusive right to use granite blocks not required by tho Board at Cape Foulwind. The firm desires the blocks for ornamental work for building purposes, and intends to produce, doing the dressing locally, at least ?0.000 tons per annum.